Canopy

I read the reviews before watching this movie so I was already a bit prepared of what I was going to see. I read there was not much dialogs and to me for a good movie sometimes it's not even necessary. But in this movie there is almost no conversation at all. The only line the main character had to remember is his name. He said it twice and that's it. I don't say Khan Chittenden failed as an actor because his expressions of fear and anguish are good but since there are two actors I thought a little bit of conversation would have done good to the movie. So the movie will just be liked by people that like jungle scenery. Nature is the only thing that keeps the movie interesting but then I wonder if I was not better going on a walk in the forest instead of watching this movie.

This is a very good film for its story and plot, whatever others may say about a lack thereof. It is without dialogue, which allows the viewer to concentrate on the actual events of the film.

However, the film is lacking in several important aspects. First of all, it is not all that historically accurate. The events of the film are loosely based on a certain circumstantial incident that occurred in real life: two soldiers went out on some scouting mission or whatever and didn't return. They were found just over a quarter of a mile away a week later, dead. Nobody knows what happened; the film basically takes the premise and then creates a completely unrelated story out of it.

Second, although partially filmed on-site where actual military action took place, the so-called "canopy" is nothing like the real southeast-Asian forests.

Third, there is little actual action. Yes, plenty of stuff goes on, but there is little combat. This is a war film, in the jungles of Singapore, no less. There should be combat, because that's what happened.

Given the vast liberties taken with this film, the result is surprisingly good, though it feels a bit unpolished, if not rushed.

Worth the watch if you are not looking for accuracy but want a human-experience thing.

This is a boring and depressing film that you could spare to yourself. There is no action, no adventure, not even a recognizable plot. There is this endless display of green tropical plants that perhaps, being you a fervent botanist, could catch your attention.

If you, just like me, feel that once started a movie you must finish it, you'll probably end like me, hoping that the two characters get soon killed or whatever, just to put an end to your and their suffering.

I'm not joking: you won't forget, not even for a while, that what you are watching is just a movie (a bad one) and that those that you see are actors. I'm sure that many of you have done better with your holiday movies.

Using music, jungle sounds and the sounds of war does set the scene, dispenses with clunky dialogue, character introduction and other film necessities but completely misses the self evident need for pictures. From this point on the movie deteriorates into situations devoid of; a story, a journey, any surprise or any redeemable plot. Likely a very cheap film to make it feels like it was made to show film school undergraduates how NOT to make a movie. Two stars. One for the double meaning of the title. The second for the tear shed by the second actor towards the end. Truly a narrative free zone with a recommendation for anyone writing a screenplay to watch a movie to list it's faults, can you do better? By God, you can.

Be prepared, this movie is about 95% dialogue free. What little there is, is in Chinese or Japanese. The remaining sounds are of the beautifully filmed backdrop, the jungle and all its encompassing wildlife. Oh, I almost forgot the gunfire in the distance. Even though there is minimal talking, as another reviewer mentioned, this film is best viewed at night in a dark room with the volume nice and loud. This way you really feel as though you're a part of what's taking place with the sounds of the jungle encompassing you, if you have a nice home theater set-up. Having taken place in 1942, I was expecting a "period film", but this really could have taken place anytime since then. This film was nothing like I expected but I was in no way disappointed. It was beautifully filmed, acted and leaves you thinking. I highly recommend it to anyone!