Aylmer to Zazzoo and Beyond: Emperor

Monday, March 11, 2013

Emperor - Review

EMPEROR
(2013 - March 8)
Drama | History | War
1 hr. 38 min.
Rated: PG-13
Violent content, brief strong language and smoking (historical)
Grade: B-

Director: Peter Webber
Writers: Vera Blasi (screenplay), David Klass (screenplay), Shiro Okamoto (book)
Stars: Matthew Fox, Colin Moy, Tommy Lee Jones | See full cast and crew

A gripping tale of love and honor forged between fierce enemies of war, "Emperor" tells the story, inspired by true events, of the bold and secret moves that won the peace in the shadows of post-war Japan. Starring Academy Award-winner Tommy Lee Jones, Matthew Fox, and newcomer Eriko Hatsune, "Emperor" brings to life the American occupation of Japan in the perilous and unpredictable days just after Emperor Hirohito's World War II surrender. As General Douglas MacArthur (Jones) suddenly finds himself the de facto ruler of a foreign nation, he assigns an expert in Japanese culture - General Bonner Fellers (Fox), to covertly investigate the looming question hanging over the country: should the Japanese Emperor, worshiped by his people but accused of war crimes, be punished or saved?

Emperor is a fairly interesting film, based on real events of events that most people know very little about, including myself. I can't tell you how much is accurate and how much is artistic speculation. Emperor is directed by Peter Webber (Girl with a Pearl Earring) primarily known for TV and TV movies, and that is what this film feels like, a very good TV movie. Aside from some brief but very strong language it seems almost like a film made in the era that it represents. It's not an awful film but neither is it a classic. It's serviceable. The scenes with the Emperor (Takatarô Kataoka) are poignant and effective, however, as General Douglas MacArthur, Tommy Lee Jones' talent is mostly wasted. The majority of the film is General Bonner Fuller (Matthew Fox) having pre-war flash backs or driving around in a Jeep asking lots of questions and getting no answers.

All of that said, I do recommend it for the history lesson alone. Emperor is enlightening about the Japanese nation's psyche both pre and post war, a delicate subject at the time and one that receives very little attention in American History courses.