anonymous

(2012-04-29 03:45:44)

What an excellent film!

Sam Neill is such a hottie. And I love that Mr. Box! And my favorite scenein the whole thing was the one where the trees were talking to each otherwith the subtitles. Brilliant filmmaking!

SgtSlaughter

(2012-04-28 10:44:37)

Low budget "commandos" flick

ATTACK FORCE Z is the only Aussie war movie I've seen yet besides RETURNFROM THE RIVER KWAI. It's fast-paced, fun, cheesy and plentyentertaining.Jon Phillip Law (DEATH RIDES A HORSE) stars as an Allied commando who leads4 international commandos to rescue a Japanese defector from aJapanese-infested island in the Pacific. The movie features a lot of familiar plot elements, and strongly resemblesthe earlier American features AMBUSH BAY and BEACHHEAD. Only here, the movieis based on fact; a similar mission involving the "Z" Special Forces teamwas actually undertaken in the Pacific. The cast features a lot of youngactors who were unknown at the time, including Mel Gibson (WE WERE SOLDIERS)as the team leader and Sam Neill as the radio operator.The movie is obviously pretty low budget, as the action scenes involve fewextras and are mostly skirmishes between the 5 commandos and Japanesepatrols. There's some great martial arts action as a Chinese commandojudo-chops dozens of Japanese soldiers to their deaths. The final battlescene, in which a handful of Chinese resistance fighters hold off at least afew dozen Japanese soldiers with shotguns is corny, as the Japanese alwayscharge right into oncoming fire and never attempt a flanking movement. Oneresistance fighter stands in the alley blasting away with a shotgun, onlydying once he's taken 6+ direct hits and grenade fragments. The Japanesesoldiers look and act like idiots and use American machineguns, and theAussies have M3 machine-pistols with silencers that never run out of ammoand never miss -- but what the heck, it's pretty entertaining and logic-freeentertainment. The musical score is great patriotic stuff by Eric Jupp, and thecinematography is pretty stunning. The Taiwanese crew does a great job withthe little budget they had. The version shown on TNT and TBS once in a very great while is of goodquality. Unfortunately, there were some scenes in Japanese and others inChinese which lacked subtitles. The closed captions weren't much help eitheras they read, "Speaking in Oriental Language". I haven't seen the NTSC videoyet because it's far too expensive for my taste.All in all, this really isn't the best war film out there. The action scenesbring the worst excesses to WINDTALKERS to mind as they're excellentlyphotographed by defy all logic known to man. Still, the pace is fast, thecharacters good and the scenery is stunning. I give this a6/10.

Jonny Frost

(2012-04-28 01:03:48)

A childhood favourite.

War films formed the basis of many a childhood, mine included, and thisfilmis a firm favourite of mine, my brother and my cousin.Made by the Australian film industry it is one of two films about theAustralian Special Task Force Z during the Second World War. It shows thatthe war in the Pacific was not won solely by the Americans and that theJapanese occupation of China was brutal to anyone who would oppose them.Having seen photos of what the Japanese did to Chinese relatives of mineandto the population of China in general this film goes someway to highlight arather forgotten piece of history.Having said that, taking the film as an action/ war drama it is well pacedand fairly realistic with but one feat of fantasy. As cinematic trivia itisnoteworthy for the performances of Mel Gibson, Sam Neill and singer/actressSylvia Chang pre-stardom. The star that never was, John Phillip Law takescentre stage for the most part but is beaten for intensity by Gibson as theyoung officer. The effects are a bit ropey, the blood has the red paintquality of war films of the late 60's - early 70's, but this adds to thecharm.If you like "men on a mission" films you should enjoy this.NB- For more films on the Z Special Forces see "Heroes" 1 and 2 (made fortv). "Heroes 2" follows the same failed real-life mission as the second ofthe two Australian films whose title escapes me.

greenheart

(2012-04-27 11:28:13)

War...What is it good for?

I presume that this movie was meant to be a tribute for theAustralasian special forces operating in WW2. Now, I've no doubt thatthey were totally professional and highly trained individuals, I justdon't think this movie did them too many favours. They made so manytactical errors and decisions based on emotion that I'm quite sure inreal life, thy wouldn't have made. Individuals leaving their unit asthey'd fallen for a girl! Sorry, but it just wouldn't have happenedwith so much at stake. On the positive side, this had a great cast andterrific authentic locations. The action sequences were well done andthe torture scenes particularly harrowing. But at the end of the movie,I just sat there thinking, what were they really fighting for and wasit all necessary? So many lives taken without a second thought and forwhat? Not a classic, but thought provoking which in my book, is neverbad.