Fires on the Plain (2014) User Reviews

Tsukamoto's brutal war remake

[filmbizarro · 8/10 · 2 February 2015]

Shinya Tsukamoto's new movie is based on the anti-war novel of the same name (a.k.a. "Nobi"), written by Shohei Ooka. Perhaps better remembered by our viewers from the 1959 film by Kon Ichikawa. If you have seen the early version, then there is no doubt that you will be familiar with the story of Shinya Tsukamoto's take. But what a lot of people seem to forget when they went into Tsukamoto's version of the story is that while he might be portraying the same hell, his style is and always has been completely sensory. Seen in a massive theater with incredibly loud volume, I was thrown into a graphic and hypnotic re-imagining of a known story and left it feeling like I've been in a tumble dryer with a corpse.

The Japanese are retreating from the Philippines at the end of the second world war. Shinya Tsukamoto himself plays a soldier who is sick of tuberculosis and starvation, but is unable to get help from the field hospital nearby his company's camp. His leader refuses to take him, as there is nothing to gain from this weak man, and the hospital won't treat anything that isn't wounds. He's told that if the hospital refuses him one more time, it is better for them all if he just kills himself with his grenade. Suddenly his camp is on fire after an attack, and Tamura decides to take off on his own. What follows is one soldier's personal hell as he tries to find safety to get back home to his girlfriend. From meetings with locals, to acts of cannibalism, there isn't a moment of rest for our sick protagonist.

There is no doubt that the original "Fires on the Plain" knew more what it wanted to say, but Tsukamoto's attempt to wake us and remind us of the horrors of war is not without effect. Yes, it is the most gruesome and brutal movie that Shinya Tsukamoto has ever created, and in his typical way he doesn't hide away from showing more than most would, but the violence is not the only thing that's on display. The movie is visually intense, mixing the beauty of the landscape with the powerful tail end of a war, and what might be even more captivating is the sound, where every bullet and explosion is out to get you. Watching Tsukamoto's "Fires in the Plain" is a hypnotic, loud and grim event to take part of.

There is no other movie in Tsukamoto's filmography that can truly be compared to "Fires on the Plain". Where you could say that "Kotoko" is within the same walls as something like "A Snake of June", I think that this movie stands alone. Here he attempts to show realism paired with his supersonic chaos. What we end up with is a movie that puts us close enough to the realities of war that we can smell the rotten corpses, but with a psychological and surrealistic style that slowly shakes the ground beneath you.

With its limited budget you can expect that certain aspects of war are trimmed down, but personally I always felt like the war was out there. We're closely following a soldier who does whatever he can to stay away from the war so it always makes sense story wise, but I personally never had a problem with what they managed to show during the more action-heavy sequences. To the contrary, I felt they were extremely effective and jarring, even when stylistic choices were made to hide the fact that it has a low budget. The effects are certainly graphic, but they weren't of usual Tsukamoto style where its over-the-top in an almost anime way (I'm looking at movies like "Tokyo Fist" and even "Kotoko"). Here, the dead bodies on the ground look as if they're from a documentary rather than a horror movie - dirt, flies and maggots, rotten skin. The action gore is obviously of a more splattery flavor, which can be distracting to those who are after a thoughtful drama, but it is perfectly in line with the Tsukamoto experience that I was after when I heard that he was making this.

If the reason behind this remake was to remind us of the horrors of war, then I think they did a good job. This is in no way a pleasant experience. It is a very brutal movie with some downright disgusting scenes of dread. You could argue the need for this remake, as they both tell the same story and have a lot of similar scenes. I am positive that certain people are better off going back to the original movie from 1959, but if you want Tsukamoto's relentless sensory power and graphic brutality then this is a must. This movie truly put me in the midst of an inferno and forced me to feel the heat, starvation and complete confusion that Tamura goes through - sometimes more clearly than the original does to me. The new version of "Fires on the Plain" is a vivid hell.

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Fires on the Plain

[politic1983 · 6/10 · 28 September 2015]

At the less-than-half-full UK Premiere of Shinya Tsukamoto's 'Fires on the Plain' at London's 2015 Raindance Film Festival, the question seemingly everyone wanted to ask was: 'In light of recent changes to the Japanese constitution, what message did you want this film to say about war?' A question he pretty much answered - via an interpreter - as 'war is Hell.'

For me, you don't so much watch a Tsukamoto film as experience it. His 2014 adaptation / remake of Ooka Shohei's / Ichikawa Kon's book / film of the same name certainly fits that statement. He stated he wanted this film to remind people that war is not a positive thing; something he feels has been lost among the new generations of Japanese. With this film, he certainly sets some reminders.

A nameless solider, suffering from TB, is sent to see the medic during Japan's fighting in the Philippines. deemed not unwell enough to be there, he is subsequently sent back and forth between his base and the medical base, seemingly unwanted by either. The medical base destroyed by fire from above, he is left to wander aimlessly around the jungles and field of the Philippines, surviving as best he can.

Tsukamoto claims that he is faithful to the original novel, depicting the natural beauty of the Philippines against the violent, graphic and intense scenes of war; perhaps hinting at some sort of stupidity of war. Well, I've not read the book, or even seen the original film, so I can speak with great authority about this. However, there is a definite contrast between serenity and the frantic Hell of war, which Tsukamoto balances nicely.

As with all his films, there is quick, frantic camera work and intense acting to create a similar emotion in the viewer. However, as with his other films, there is always that feeling that it's on the edge of being comical/annoying in its frequency. War films always get a bit repetitive for me and are never the easiest viewing, and 'Fires on the Plain' is probably that. His previous films just about get the balance right by being entertaining in their urban settings. However, here perhaps the intensity gets a bit too much after a while, relieved only by shots of Filipino landscapes.

'Fires on the Plain' is not Tsukamoto's best work, though probably isn't his worst either. It is stapled all over with his standards of good cinematography, hand-held camera work and making use of a limited budget in an imaginative way. Maybe a larger budget would have allowed him to do more and make a better film, maybe not. But one thing is definite: Tsukamoto is a clear master of creating some intense cinema, that'll leave you sitting un-comfortably (Garth Marenghi).

politic1983.blogspot.com

A hellish trip through the jungles of war

[wu60 · 9/10 · 31 August 2016]

*This is my review from last October, following the Tokyo International Film Festival screening and contains very mild spoilers*

War is hell. Many films and directors have explored this idea and tried to show it in their films throughout the history of cinema. However, many dance around the idea or only show glimpses of it. War films often glorify battle or make it seem somewhat alluring, honourable and necessary. This is not what Shinya Tsukamoto strives to achieve in his retelling of Shohei Ooka's anti-war novel. Tsukamoto, known for his intensely abrasive and surreal style brings us to hell and back with barely enough time to catch our breath.

"Fires on the Plain" is unlike most war movies, even the acclaimed masterpieces. There are no heroes to root for, no scenes of redemption, no one being saved, we never even see opposition forces once. The living hell depicted is similar to a Japanese version of "Apocalypse Now", but never leaving the jungle. Tsukamoto even noted Coppola's influence in a brief talk after the screening.

The director mentioned that he had read the Shohei Ooka novel in high school and knew then that he wanted to make a film version. He had scenes in his mind for the almost 20 years that it took to get this film made. It is a bit of a wonder that it finally got made and it's of no surprise that Tsukamoto had to go the independent route. This is not a film that a studio would want to put money into; similarly it's one that Tsukamoto knew that he couldn't comprise on. If he changed his vision in order to get funding the film would surely be cut and lose impact. Anyone who's familiar with Tsukamoto's films knows that he isn't in the industry to make a buck. It's important that this film got made, especially at a time that is significant to Japan. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the end of the pacific war, but also a time when Japan's current Prime Minister may be making changes that allow for potential future conflict.

Tsukamoto's film uses his familiar visceral style, but isn't as surreal or disorienting as some of his other work. Despite the graphic content Fires on the Plain is quite accessible to the average viewer. It recalls the end of World War 2 as Japan is pulling out of the Philippines. It's shot almost entirely on location which enhances the feeling of being there. We're placed alongside the Japanese soldiers in the muck and dense jungle as they struggle to stay alive. They're left with little to no supplies remaining and even less hope. Everything about the movie is intense. When the bullets ring out the volume is cranked up, when limbs are decapitated, over-saturated flashes of brilliant red spray like a fountain. The heat of the jungle is felt, along with the flies, the maggots, the rotting flesh and the true hopelessness of the situation.

Sometimes things are over the top, but unlike some of Tsukamoto's other films this one is always in the realm of reality. Dead bodies look real, hacked off flesh looks believable and not cartoony or taken to an extreme where it approaches levels of Japanese anime. The film is not an easy watch, but its an important one. As an anti-war message this film succeeds in almost every way.

As Tsukamoto mentioned in the post-screening talk, he never compromised and is proud his vision could finally reach an audience. The film is gaining steam in festivals around the world and recently obtained a wider Japanese release. He mentioned he wanted this film as essential viewing around times of war memorials or remembrances to make sure people don't cloud the true horrors of war. Although this isn't strictly non-fiction, Tsukamoto believes everything he depicted to be true, cannibalism and all. It's a film that's not afraid to embrace a true vision of the beasts war turns men into.

The film comes highly recommended with a warning to the faint of heart. It's not an easy viewing but a war movie shouldn't be all victory, glory and thrilling battle scenes. Tsukamoto shows us there are no winners in wars only horror and hell.

Dentist's drill

[edgeofreality · 22 March 2020]

Horrible and unforgettable I guess, this film set in the last days of the Japaneses occupation of the Philippines.. If you are in the right, masochistic mood, as I partly was, this is stimulating in its gore, which reaches and then goes far beyond most zombie movies. In fact, the 'hero' and much of the cast stumble about in zombie fashion, searching for yams and when these are scarce, bits of human pork - even, in once scene, eating their own. The actors make little impression, becasue, as in many films where most characters are there to be bumped off, they are easy to confuse. There are some weird jump cuts and sudden fades to white, with a harsh score, adding to the excruciating effect of having a root canal done to you by a psychopathic novice.

Best war movie

[tristanjoeemoto · 10/10 · 20 June 2021]

One of my best war movie collections, but Japanese war criminals and their descendants would extremely hate this movie.

No more wars only kill innocent people by bad ones above who plan the war and make money from the blood.

Non Review Review: Why Remake a Classic 50 plus years later

[robbotnik2000 · 7 December 2017]

I'm going to take a chance and review a movie I have not seen, based on a different movie (Dunkirk) I have seen. We are two generations past the end of the Second World War, a War in which my father fought in the Pacific. Many excellent movies have been made about the Japanese experience in and after the War. Two of them were "Harp of Burma" and "Fires on the Plain". They came out when experiences were fresh and the immediacy of the effects were still visible, particularly in Japan and the Pacific. One of the things that has begun to pale throughout the war movie experience is the substitution of effects for story and theme. One of the most blatant examples of this was the recent Russian movie Stalingrad (2013) which went into over-the-top absurdity. When you watch a movie like this, you know less at the end than you knew at the beginning. A more recent effort to recapture the past was the English effort: Dunkirk (2017) which was wonderful acting and effects, but for me no real empathy, but lastly nothing new to say. I have not seen this new movie, I understand it is full of shots of bodies and bleeding and corpses, but this is simply cinematic spray paint to coarsen and emblazon a message rather than get to the original guts of the message. The earlier movies can convey this in a way the later movies have not come close to. My argument is that these later movies convey fakery more than authenticity and reduce our understanding by substituting sound effects and splashy colors that will drown out in both ways the thoughtful originals which actually could make us think. There is more than one way to say, shout, or make us remember that War Is Hell.