Interesteg
What makes it different from others?
StunnaKrypto
Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.
Payno
I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.
Madilyn
Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.
fredgfinklemeyer
07/31/2018 Movie does NOT portray history in any way. All you're going to be watching will be a small group of "Aussie cowards" hiding out in the jungle trying to NOT get killed by invading japs. (2) hours of wasted movie watching time.
Lead In Movie Quote: A bitter battle is fought between Australian and Japanese soldiers along the Kodoka trail in New Guinea during World War II.
Comment: NO Bitter Battles in this movie.
Wiki quote: The Kadoka Track campaign or Kodoka Trail campaign was part of the Pacific War of World War II. The campaign consisted of a series of battles fought between July and November 1942 in what was then the Australian Territory of Papua. It was primarily a land battle, between the Japanese South Seas Detachment under Major General Tomtaro Horii and Australian and Papuan land forces. The Japanese objective was to seize Port Moresby by an overland advance from the north coast, following the Kodoka Track over the mountains of the Owen Stanley Range, as part of a strategy to isolate Australia from the United States.
dusan-22
Bad for potential it has. Good actors, excellent camera and smart shots, pretty real soldiers and great war story from WWII! However, nothing is used well to make a film story. There is none to keep your attention. Just group of soldiers moving from spot A to B. Then, there is no drama depiction on any of the characters. The movie even doesn't give you any role to follow, everything is uniformed just like the army. Don't understand the director. I can't see why would someone follow the story unless great Australian patriot. Feature film should be different from documentary for the reason of good and all calculated plot composition. I can't remember I have ever seen a bad Australian film. There is always the first time I guess. Once again, film is saved by very good film stage, so it gets 5 of 10 if you ask me. Just to underline that this grade is pretty strict for the standards of this site.
aaronleverton
ojfosterbrown, the only hyperbole here is yours. The statements you take such a dislike to accurately reflect history. The 39th were poorly trained and ill-equipped and Australians did think the Japanese were about to invade.Ralph Honnor and his immediate superiors were screwed by Australian High Command (Blamey) and the "boys" of the 39th were later directly insulted to their faces by Blamey.Ifra, if you think Private Ryan is an ideal to strive for, then you'd better develop a taste for that Chardonnay.Pacific400, I'm no right-winger, but the fact is Japan has consistently refused to acknowledge its heinous crimes in WW2, why shouldn't audiences be shown what went on? Do you object to films showing Nazi crimes? Did you object to the NKVD machine-gunning Soviet grunts in Enemy at the Gates? Yes, let's not forget the great job the US did, they certainly never have, and they have no problem taking credit for others' work (U571), but how many of them know this story? How many of us know this story? Technical quibbles correct. Old .303s were standard, as were new Brens, militia definitely didn't have Thompsons and may not have had Owens, the thing only went into production in 1941 and the militia may not have had first pick of the weapons...As for those saying the movie is missing the Big Picture, this isn't A Bridge Too Far, it shows the Kokoda campaign exactly as experienced by the 39th Bn, a series of small engagements where some cracked and some were heroes and the enemy were "faceless", "mysterious", utterly unknown by Australians, capable of astonishing cruelty and eventually forced into cannibalism.As to those saying we don't make WW2 movies (or TV), try The Last Bullet, The Heroes, The Cowra Breakout, Attack Force Z (with Mel and Sam), Blood Oath, The Rats of Tobruk, Piece of Cake, Kokoda Front Line (academy award-winning documentary filmed where this film is set in the period immediately after - cameraman Damien Parrer died in combat on his return to New Guinea) and Death of a Soldier (even Paradise Road and Map of the Human Heart). What we don't do is make VN or Korean War movies.This movie had its flaws, all movies do, but instead of castigating a first-time director for his lack of budget, castigate the studios for never having told this story before.A war movie that finally showed what it's really like, "green" reservists climbing jungle-covered mountains while suffering from dysentery, malaria, not knowing where the enemy is and being in desperate need of a crap.
pacific400
I had this misfortune to watch the film Kokoda last night. When I say misfortune I mean the display of mans inhumanity to man. It depicted the joy the Japanese had in mutilated our diggers. One slowly bayoneted through the eye, another tied up and repeated bayoneted, another throat cut.Do we need the graphic evidence on the screen in our living room. I don't think so. We all have to live together in this world and we don't to revive the hate for other races. We see enough of this on the news. As far the making of the movie I believe it was world class and the graphics were a bit too graphic.To those that loved the movie and would see it again I would consider this. What you lived through in the horror you witnessed on the screen is only part of the terror. Add to this the constant heat ad humidity. The bugs, the snakes the stink of human excrement and rotting bodies and of course the rain. Then is this isn't enough try the bugs that clime up your ass when you cross the rivers.Not to mention the other vermin in the water and on the land. Then add the enemy could and possibly was within arms reach waiting to catch you off guard. How would have handled this. How would you have survived and the guys that returned to there family's were total strangers. Most of them unable to love or show affection. There is another side to war the government don't want to show us.During my days in the Military Police (Provo Corp) in Australia during the Vietnam war I met a medic that talked about return guys that were only part of a man. Half a face, legs and arms missing. Audie Murphy, the highest decorated soldier in the American Forces during the Second World War said when asked, how does anybody survive a war, he answered "nobody ever does". He slept with a loaded 45 pistol under his pillow and blew the light switch of the wall one night.Sure, see the movie if you must. But then forget it if you can. Yes, if you can for what you see on the screen while you eat your popcorn and drink you soda drink is only 10% of the terror. One more thing I may add, lets not forget the magnificent job the U.S. Forces did in the Coral Sea and he Philippines.Thousand of Americans gave their lives making the difference and helping to keep us safe. This during a time when Briton turned its back on us. For with out the Americans sacrifice New Guinea wouldn't have mattered. I am not selling the Australian diggers short.They did a great job given the out of date weapons and equipment they had. The natives also played a very big part in the campaign as well for without them we would have lost the battle. They would send radio messages in local dialect totally confusing the Japs. They also looked after our wounded and carried them many miles were just some of the help they gave us. I believe they were never given enough credit for the contribution.By the way on the technical side of the motion picture. Where were the Owen Sub machine guns that were used in New Guinea. All I saw were the First World War out dated lee-Enfield 303,s and a Thompson America sub machine gun. I don't think the Thompson were used that area. Surely they could have found one Owen. Enough of war movies.We all need to learn to live together and we all need to be happy. The sacrifices made by thousands of our diggers and our allies were all caused by a few greedy and power seeking men with giant egos. Mans inhumanity to man. War instigated by a few, paid for by millions of lives. I won't be watching the movie Kokoda again.