Emperor (2012)

General Bonner Fellers: "Who is this man, really? Could he have stopped Japan going to war, even if he wanted to?"

By Peter Webber
With Matthew Fox, Tommy Lee Jones and Eriko Hatsune

I heard about Emperor a few weeks back and decided it was something I would probably enjoy, mostly because of the historical context and setting. When I watched Across the Pacific (1942) last night, I remembered about Emperor since they are both set during World War II and deal with Japan.

General Fellers lands in Japan, along with General MacArthur, Japan having recently surrendered. General Fellers' task is to determine the role of the Emperor, a supreme being that extends way beyond the political realm and is considered as a God by his countrymen. The Allies want to see the Emperor pay for the war crimes but this would put Japan in a state of uprising, almost anarchy in a country already in ruins because of the war. General Fellers' knowledge of Japan is valuable but also emotional as he met a Japanese in girl in college and she had to go back to Japan before the war, he does not know whether she is still alive or not.

The movie is beautiful not only because of the uniforms and the scenic views of a desolated Japan but also in more simple shots, for example the sequences with a type writer are pretty interesting, just like the flashbacks of Fellers and his Japanese sweetheart walking in a forest of bamboo. The story is nice mostly for those interested in WWII and its aftermath but also for all japanophiles alike.

The film holds a great part of romance, something I tend to find pretty boring and stripped of any surprise, however the aspect of forbidden love and the cultural clash made it at least multidimensional. Matthew Fox seems to struggle with the depth of the characters and his portrayal is a little puzzling at times. I have to admit the first third of the film looked really promising and this feeling left slowly and in the end it makes it a decent historical film but it lacks this extra emotion or detail that would make it unforgettable. It allows great discussion on Japanese philosophy and their sense of honor while providing great context but fails to wrap it up.

I liked: The setting and uniforms. Beautiful visuals.

I disliked: I feel it will somehow only please the history buffs. The American characters feel weaker than their Japanese counterparts.

69/100
I enjoyed it but I expected more from its premise.