Onoda, 10 000 nuits dans la jungle

In anticipation of the Allied landings on the Philippine island of Lubang, the Japanese send a small squad to engage in some guerrilla warfare activities pending the reorganisation of their own troops ready to return in due course. Amongst these men is the young Lt. Hiroo Onoda. He is an idealistic young man who firmly believes in his cause and is determined to do what he can, for as long as he can. Now what we know from the outset is that his nation surrenders in 1945, one year after these troops are deployed - but nobody tells Onoda. With his small squad still patrolling the island, their team begins to fracture. Their discipline to fail. The relentless monsoon rains; disease and the activities of the locals begin to reduce their number but he is adamant that he will stay on duty for as long as it takes - even if that takes us into the 1970s. Both Yûya Endô as the younger man and Kanji Tsuda as the older one play their parts convincingly as the story, based on real facts, illustrates the tough life amidst the dense jungle where they are seemingly abandoned by their own side and left to their own, limited, devices. The story mixes the timelines so we skip from young to older, and that's quite effective at breaking up the story to avoid it being just a straightforward chronology. It also uses the other characterisations to demonstrate the increasing frustrations of these men as personalities clashed and loyalties, and authority, is tested. As we proceed their's becomes more of a brotherhood than an army unit, and that makes the tragedies and misfortunes that befall them all the more poignant. It's history, so there isn't much latitude as to the denouement, but when we do get there it's quite a touching conclusion that seems just a bit rushed, but entirely fitting.

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.

This is really an outstanding movie which is not a "war movie" but rather a complex psychological one of what drive us as a person to take a stand when confronted to situations we could not have ever imagined. Of course education, training, the society, family history, the culture of the country in which you were born, all of this will play a major role with regard to the choice(s) that we will take in life. However, as per prior personal experiences and call it maybe "the genetics" these choices will be different for people even having the same cultural background. The life story of lieutenant Onoda is maybe what you could call an "extreme" one which, besides cultural background, was certainly facilitated by his "physical adaptation" allowing him to endure the certain hardships and harrowing experiences he encountered during his many years of isolation.

Onoda is a long movie but its length was necessary not to develop the psychological development of the main character but rather to allow the viewer to "feel" what it must have meant in terms of hardship, endurance and faith the choices that Lieutenant Onoda took to honor his pledge of obedience regardless the validity of the cause he chose to defend.

The fact the movie Onoda was released in full pandemic, of the relatively unknown nature of the real history of lieutenant Onoda and that the film must only be shown in the Japanese language (with subtitles) as an indispensable component of the story will certainly limit its diffusion in theaters. Still this will not hamper the fact that this is cinema of the highest caliber and that Arthur Harari, its French director succeeded in making an admirable movie not to be missed!

The case of Onoda, a WW2 Japanese soldier who carried on fighting for thirty years on the Philippine island of Lubang before being persuaded to give up, was a celebrated case in the mid 1970s, and I was really impressed by this dramatic reconstruction of his life. It's a high quality movie, beautifully filmed, thoughtful, and well played all round, though I also thought it a bit too long at more than 2.5 hours. There are great performances all round and solid direction which almost has a David Lean approach at times (no bad thing), so it's a 'small scale epic' with a heart, and well worth a view. There are some supremely effective moments, and the film deserves a wider audience, though you do have spare quite a bit of time.

What a good surprise this film directed by a French and speaking of the war in the Pacific from the Japanese point of view. So unexpected and awesome in the same time. I could not believe that this young director is not under the influence of Clint Eastwood's LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA, John Boorman's HELL IN THE PACIFIC or Kon Ichikawa's FIRES IN THE PLAINS. Impossible for me to think that he would have never heard of those three iconic films. Back to this one, I don't know how anyone could say harm about it, except maybe a bit too long; yes, maybe. Plus, it speaks not only of the japanese soldiers, but not the kamikaze or simple fighters, but some kind of secret section of soldiers sent into a Philippines Island. The young director from France is also aware of the Mizoguchi's influence and with the poetic lines of the Japanese spirit. Good film to be watched at any cost. Only for this incredible but so authentic story.