Zero Eterno

Eien no Zero was a big thing in Japan, basically everywhere you went you saw a trailer or a commercial for it, people at movie theatres cried during the movie. From a gaijins point of view, it was a interesting war movie, that showed so-called Japanese spirit, that went way overboard during the war.

Before the movie I read the book so I knew what to expect and the movie was way better than I could have expected. Everything felt authentic, moments in modern days didin't feel too long or jarring. People next to me were crying during the movie and I can see why. People who are nowadays called "terrorists" or "cowardly suicide bombers" were people fighting for their country, for their ancestors and their future. most of them knew that they would die during the battles, but they had to continue or they would be traitors.

I really recommend this movie, If you are interested in Asian drama or war movies, this movie is for you.

Outstanding. Epic. Straight to the upper echelons of my all time greatest war movies list. I had never heard of it until I recently read a list of films with the best flying sequences and the air battle scenes are riveting. Caveat: if you don't like CGI, you won't like this. It's 2013 CGI, not flawless, but the sequences are so ambitious and well planned that if it had been put together by the people who did "Dunkirk" it would be one of the greatest war movies made. (It's on my list, but that's my list.) And that includes the predominant very well written, emotionally satisfying drama plot that atones for any nit-picky production flaws. "The Eternal Zero has come under criticism for its nationalistic and sympathetic depiction of the Kamikaze pilots." Oh, STFU. There is nothing 'glorious' about it and if you can watch something like this without sympathy... No matter why or who you fight, the fighters are proud of their victories and devastated by their defeats. I've certainly never seen a better 'Japanese side of things' film.

This is an involved and engaging love story using Japan's involvement in WW2 as a back drop. It starts and ends with I believe a replicated scene that was based on actual footage that I remember seeing when I studied the history of the Second World War in the Pacific.

There was nothing I didn't like about the film. I liked the characters, the plot and the CGI. Nothing overpowered any other part of the film.

It is a long film at nearly 2.5 hours but I found it totally engrossing.

A week after I saw it I watched it again with my daughter (who knows very little if anything of the Japanese involvement in WW2) and she enjoyed it also. She rated it 8/10

I found it to be a refreshingly different portrayal of the other side in that conflict.

Last Friday night a group of friends came around for dinner. During the meal I was asked if I had seen any good films lately. So after dinner we watched The Eternal Zero. Harry gave it 7/10, Vicky 8/10. If anyone else rates it then I will update this post.

The Eternal Zero, just had it all, it is masterfully executed. The visual effects during the combat scenes are pretty spectacular. It's deeply touching story and amazing acting.

It's about time we see things from the Japanese perspective when it comes to the WW2. I'm tired of all the americanfied WW2 movies. Nothing beat the Japanese film making when it comes to dramas they make, they are simply the best at it. This movie is no exceptions and will leave you the viewer with heavy emotions and a lasting impression. It is simply Japanese film making at it's best.

I can highly recommend this movie, to anyone that is interested in Japanese drama. Specific to war movies buffs that want to see how it was on the other side.

A brother and sister initiate a personal project to find out more about their grandfather, a World War II kamikaze pilot. When they discover their grandfather was universally regarded as a coward, their enthusiasm begins to wane. But the brother persists, discovering there is more to the story.

This is a subtle film, foregrounding the personal consequences of war for rounded, authentic characters. In the process, the film astutely stays away from either justifying or apologising for Japan's war actions. Jun'ichi Okada is a revelation as the pilot instructor who attempts to save his young charges from the excesses of his superiors, often at great personal sacrifice. He makes a promise to his wife, but then seems to compromise it in order to be loyal to his men. The resolution of this conflict makes for a powerful and well-plotted storyline.

The flashbacks to the war are engaging and dramatic, but the film's weak point is the bland Haruma Miura guiding us through the story. In a scene conspicuous for its shallow clunkiness, he berates his friends for equating tokkutai with modern-day suicide bombers. No real camaraderie seems to exist between the friends, and the whole scene seems designed merely to relay the point that modern-day fanaticism and historical Japanese 'heroism' cannot be equated. It is a fop to present-day rightist revisionism that is unworthy of the rest of the film.

Eien no Zero shows ordinary people living extraordinary lives in extraordinary circumstances. A thoughtful, emotional film that, casting flaws aside, proves cathartic and thought-provoking in equal measure.