The Imperial Japanese Empire

Two things cannot be denied about this film. Masuda is a master of directing and the film also has a decent budget, which is noticeable. It was made at a time when the Japanese economic expansion was at its peak, and significant investments were being made in the film industry. At the same time, the growing confidence of successful Japan demanded an improvement of its recent past. The problematic elements that were already evident in Masuda's previous war film, Port Arthur, namely nationalism, sentimentality, and a tendency towards melodrama, are multiplied here. While I was forgiving of these aspects in Port Arthur due to the magnificent war scenes and exotic events being portrayed, I can no longer forgive Masuda's manipulativeness here. As for melodrama, the director squeezes emotions wherever possible, so even brave warriors and prominent politicians frequently cry and whimper if they're not killing. Masuda does touch on some controversial points regarding Japan's involvement in World War II, but he largely trivializes the blame for starting the war and committing war crimes. Yes, Japan declared war, but it was intentionally provoked. Yes, there were executions of civilians, but they were driven by logical military reasons. Yes, there were killings and torture of prisoners, but it was the fault of individuals, not a systemic failure, and the other side also has blood on their hands. Because I know quite a bit about the Pacific War, Masuda's interpretation of the facts often seemed to cross the line of good taste. By the way, General Hideki Tojo, essentially the main hero of Masuda's epic, was a war magnate and a criminal par excellence. He had a huge role in starting the war, profited greatly from it, bribed extensively, and left a bloody trail wherever he appeared, especially in China. Overall impression: 25% (for the craftsmanship). (29/12/2009)