"Brutal" is probably the best word for this film. This is not a flick for the light of heart. It is a harsh, violent look at the horrors visited upon P.O.W.s under the control of the Japanese military during World War II. This is also a brilliant look at worldviews in conflict. The bankrupt Japanese belief in honor and ancestry against the Christian view of redemption and forgiveness.

The performances by Keifer Sutherland, Mark Strong and Robert Carlyle are impressive. The script by Brian Godawa threatens to succumb to it's own somber tones but pulls through in the end. This is a depressing film, probably one of the more depressing ones I've ever seen. If you can handle rough content presented in stark terms then this is a film you should consider. Just don't plan on being too upbeat when you're through with it.


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Labels: Brian Godawa, film, Keifer Sutherland, Mark Strong, movie review, Robert Carlyle