Manatsu no Orion

This movie actually was quite nice for a war drama. For a World War 2 drama there was surprisingly little fighting going on, but the movie did quite well even without that aspect of the war.

The movie takes place at the end of World War 2, following a Japanese submarine pitched against an American destroyer. Doesn't sound like much of a story, but it was actually quite entertaining and good to watch. And if you enjoyed "Das Boot", then you will also like this movie.

Director Tetsuo Shinohara managed to put together a good movie, and really were able to portray some good drama on the screen, especially since the setting was limited to a submarine and a destroyer. But a lot of credit also goes to the cast who really put on amazing performances, especially the guy playing the Japanese submarine captain.

The movie is built up and filmed in such a way that you almost feel like you are part of the submarine crew and find yourself right there in the cramped space of the submarine.

If you enjoy World War 2 movies and want something that differs from the majority of the genre, then you should give "Battle Under Orion" (aka "Manatsu no Orion") a chance. I was thoroughly entertained and can warmly recommend this movie.

A schoolgirl and a WWII sub veteran meet to uncover a story of sacrifice, tragedy, and redemption; the vet, now gray, tells about the final mission during the last days of the Pacific war. While the story is, at times, predictable and too metaphorical for its own good, its portrait of undersea strategy makes for fascinating viewing. Unlike most films in this genre, the protagonists wage war to live, not to die. and the ironies of violence and death balance with the all too human need to survive.

The WWII plot is more compelling, but there's a pleasing balance in this drama.