LivingDog
I usually only watch Japanese Samurai movies and Japanese anime'. I tried a few Chinese Martial Arts movies and was really annoyed with them. The production, acting and plot are very poor.I ordered this from NETFLIX thinking (for some reason) that it was a modern Japanese samurai story. So when I saw it was made in China - not just Hong Kong, but mainland China - I was hesitant to watch it. Having nothing else to watch I decided to watch this movie thinking it was about their form of martial arts and give this genre' a chance - one more time.First off, it takes place during the Japanese occupation of China. (I won't say any more.)My impression was that this movie is nothing short of perfect. It is film of the highest form. I don't say that about many movies, although I like movies in general, I have said this for only a few. Everything is done right - from cast to production to editing. If I was a director this movie would have made me think over my entire career - and have me learn from it. 12 out of 10.-LD______________________my faith: http://www.angelfire.com/ny5/jbc33/
danc1987
There is no question that the Japanese occupation of mainland China during WWII was marked by unimaginable cruelty and actions so barbaric that any sane human being would shudder at the description of them. This is all obvious to anyone who has had an unbiased, detailed education of that dreadful time period. On the surface, Jiang Wen's film touches on these acts to illuminate what it must have been like for the Chinese to cope with the Japanese "devils". But a thorough viewing of the film reveals so many more questions not just about the Chinese and Japanese but about the universal relationship between war and humans. Wen directs this film in a peculiar way. He uses comedy that forces us to laugh at things that we shouldn't. You find yourself smirking or smiling in moments until you catch yourself and remember that the whole scene in which you were laughing at was where character's lives were at stake. Most people will read this and not see what is so masterful about this approach. What makes Wen's quirkiness work is that it illuminates the naivety of human beings while at the same time brings these characters to life, which in the end leaves us trembling with emotion. It is a film that transcends common conceptions about war. A masterpiece.
andrewschrock
Do I feel late to the party on this one - how could I overlook this for the last 4 years? I was floored.Watching "Devils on the Doorstep" reminded me of the first time I watched "seven samurai". Barring obvious comparisons such as being shot in black & white, using a combination of drama and comedy, and finishing it off with a startling ending, the movie's sense of time was fluid thanks to an excellent screenplay. Although the movie is lengthy, like many gems of Asian cinema, it was anything but a chore to watch it.The plot is deceivingly simple, come alive thanks to Jiang's poetic directorial style. His characterization is succinct, but evocative, built up from his own personal memories. His vision of war has many ties to US cinema, with delirious, often hauntingly surreal, images of people trying to reconcile their own individual nature with that of being part of a collective.I can see why Chinese censors would take offense to the film. China is painted as the victim that it is so often stereotyped as. However, with the country's continued objections against the Japanese glossing over wartime indiscretions, it could be seen as having nationalist overtones. I don't see the film as necessarily sympathetic to the Japanese: at the end of the movie, they are still the "devils". Additionally, when the plot is extrapolated outside of the film itself, the irony is of course that Japan was defeated by a powerful external force due to their brash political maneuvering.
oldblack1
Guizi Lai Le is such a powerful movie that really moves me. Jiang wen's great talent to express humanity in film is approved again. (For those who has not seen his debut: In the Heat of the Sun, you really should not miss it. )I read this movie as a song for humanity. The fate of characters are so dramatic but at the same time so real. Hanaya, Japanese prisoner, after being held and fed by Chinese villagers, is on the edge of being lifted from a Japanese militarism twisted spirit and turning back into a human. However, when he returns to Japanese troops camp, the humanity is ripped off by reality again. Dasan, Chinese peasant, after the villagers being slaughtered and Japanese surrender, turns into a revenging killer of Japanese prisoners and finally end up with being executed as a criminal by Hanaya. The fate of both reveals the weakness of individual in front of the war. The war is a machine and it eats up the humanity. The acting is great. I heard two Japanese actors don't want to be in the movie when they know the plot. But finally they did a good job in this movie. The performance, the set, the local dialect are all giving an authentic touch. Plus it's full of humor. Highly recommended!
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