Onoda

Although a little bit long, this is about offering us to share a rather unique and captivating life experience, that of brainwashed Japanese soldiers who only stopped the war 30 years after the capitulation. I appreciated the warm and moist beauty of the jungle and the tropical forest, the change of scenery provided, the sober image which seems authentic and of the period, the "film" aspect and documentary grain. Documentary also as long as there is no lady state. Innocent people go there. The story that is told to us is quite simply captivating and I would not have believed that this anecdote from History, which could be summed up in a few lines, could fit into such a great film. With hindsight, however, I can understand that it does not please some who would fall into boredom; with this film it's a bit all or nothing, you have to succeed in immersing yourself. It is a French film, and as such it must be emphasized that it is a nugget.

Hiro Onoda is talked of in WW2 history as being the last Japanese soldier to surrender; 29 years after the end of WW2 in 1945 (1946 for total end for Japan) on the Philippine island of Lubang. I often wonder why they chose him as the one who got the most attention, story's and films. This is because he was not the last Japanese soldier of WW2 to surrender.

That particular piece of history belongs to Teruo Nakamura who lived for 30 years in the jungle of Morotai; in the old Dutch East Indies. I found out it was because he was treated disgustingly by the Japanese government of the time in 1974 and, that they did not consider him worthy of Japanese soldier honours. This was because his real name was Attun Palalin and he came from ethnic 'Amis', as a native of Taiwan, which was then called Formosa Island, before World War II became a colony of the Japanese Empire.

They and over a 100 others were found scattered on various islands, still fighting years after the end of the war. The last most recent discovery is of 2 soldiers aged 83 and 86 who were found 60 years after the wars end.

I'm sure that there were probably a good many who were never found and that is a shame the Japanese will have to bear forever. It is good that story's such as this come to light and allow later generations to realize the sheer futility of war. The only negative to this film was it being at least an hour too long (it runs for 2:46 minutes) and, very slow paced and a personal belief that this did not follow his story as written in his daily diary of events.

R. I. P. To all of those brave men, lost souls and survivors and also, to any other nationality soldiers who were left behind and stranded on ex island military bases.

To hell with Russia's Vladimir Putin and his attempt to take back what Russia wrongly stole after WW2. The Ukraine is 'Not Gonna Take It' and a lot of Russian families will once again suffer the wasted loss of loved ones.

Felt it is a bit too long in several scenes particularly early on, but watched it very smoothly due to the great story line.

Actors are all very impressive. Performance by Taiga Nakano was a relief in otherwise very serious picture.

Director Arthur Harari should deserve an admiration creating all Japanese language picture despite limited business prospect.

Ken Kai.

In the closing phase of the Second World War, Imperial Japan inserts numerous specially trained soldiers throughout the Pacific islands whose secret mission is to survive at all costs and wage an unending campaign of guerrilla warfare. This film depicts the three-decade campaign of postwar "resistance" waged on Lubang Island, Philippines by Hiroo Onoda, the very last of the infamous Japanese "holdouts" who refused to accept the war had ended, against all reason and repeated attempts to make contact.

As a film, it's great - it's dramatic and engaging, with great writing, direction, and acting. But the deeper social reality is quite disturbing. Onoda and others like him are revered by many in Japan as exemplars of grit, determination, and steadfast dedication to duty, rather than as exemplars of the kind of rigid fanaticism and pathological obedience that made a continent's worth of war crimes possible.

The movie's really good. The beginning kinda drags on, despite you perfectly understanding the stakes, but it pays out in the end.

The characters are lovable, the story's not far from what really happened. The picture's great, although slightly blurry sometimes.

Really worth it.