Changi

Rating:
Summary: Changi
Review: Although the story unfolds rather slowly due to the use of back flashes, it ultimately gives a vivid insight into the conditions of a Japanese POW camp during WWII. As I wathced the film, I became more engrossed in the entire story. Well worth a look.

Rating:
Summary: Changi
Review: Although the story unfolds rather slowly due to the use of back flashes, it ultimately gives a vivid insight into the conditions of a Japanese POW camp during WWII. As I wathced the film, I became more engrossed in the entire story. Well worth a look.

Rating:
Summary: A standout gem for WW II aficionados
Review: It is a pleasure to have occasion to rave about quality of acting. In this Australian WW II gem, the actors' portrayal of the full gamut of human emotion associated with the POW experience, and with the contrast of that experience with their lives before and after, is exact, convincing at every turn, and alone makes Changi worth buying. Add to that a compelling story line, constant underlying tension, brilliantly effective use of flashback to make subtle but profound points, and the multifarious talents of the cast, and the result is a real winner. Instinct tells me that this is a bit overdramatized -- that a real POW experience, with the aura of death and threat, would not necessarily be so effectively countervailed by hijinx and camaraderie as is portrayed here. On the other hand, this Japanese/Australian conflict has been too often ignored by "mainstream" WW II movies in the U.S. And it is delightful to see that this Australian-produced item is guided by a sophisticated vision of concept and audience more similar to British productions than to the dumbed-down American media of late.

Rating:
Summary: A standout gem for WW II aficionados
Review: It is a pleasure to have occasion to rave about quality of acting. In this Australian WW II gem, the actors' portrayal of the full gamut of human emotion associated with the POW experience, and with the contrast of that experience with their lives before and after, is exact, convincing at every turn, and alone makes Changi worth buying. Add to that a compelling story line, constant underlying tension, brilliantly effective use of flashback to make subtle but profound points, and the multifarious talents of the cast, and the result is a real winner. Instinct tells me that this is a bit overdramatized -- that a real POW experience, with the aura of death and threat, would not necessarily be so effectively countervailed by hijinx and camaraderie as is portrayed here. On the other hand, this Japanese/Australian conflict has been too often ignored by "mainstream" WW II movies in the U.S. And it is delightful to see that this Australian-produced item is guided by a sophisticated vision of concept and audience more similar to British productions than to the dumbed-down American media of late.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Australian TV miniseries
Review: Six young Australian soldiers are captured by the Japanese and interred in Changi prison camp. Each of the six 1-hour episodes covers one man's recollections, as they meet for their last reunion. Each of the 12 principal actors is very good (six as the young soldiers and six as their older counterparts). This is the kind of engrossing story that you'll never see on American TV. The violence of their captors is quite graphic, but the humor they use to survive offsets it nicely. I highly recommend it.