Far from Perfect, Far from Terrible

A bit overrated, but still an amazing film

In other words,this film is a surreal ride.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

Not boring to me and not empty, but disappointing. Why?1) Flashing images of Yakuza "dream sequence" - it spoils the atmosphere and is simply tense and harmful for the eyes of the viewer. Come on, Miike, it's not "Koroshiya 1". 2) Violence that takes place from time to time - it's out of place. In "Rainy Dog" it's fine, but not here. 3) Unfunny funny stuff. A van falling apart is something too hackneyed (cf. Takeshi Kitano comedies, American cinema & cartoons) to be funny, while it's often mentioned as the "peak" of this comedy. 4) Too little of actual flying. If it's supposed that the kids can fly in that distant area, show some footage, at least from distance (if you have a very limited budget). Not just a few seconds of that before the final credits. 5) The connection with the real world (the poem-ballad taken from the history and the war plane that had crashed into the pond) is destroying the eerie feel of the production - would prefer the verse created specifically for this movie and the connection to the wild nature (why not actual birds?), not to the downed plane of the WWI or WWII times.It's got to be tweaked to become an excellent movie: more nature, less quirky violence, more funny and natural jokes, and more actual flying. To my view, Japanese "Dreams" & "Dolls" and Russian "Stalker" surpass this one in every aspect, while dealing with similar topics.A 5 out of 10 - a good but mediocre try. Thanks for attention.

THE BIRD PEOPLE IN CHINA boasts some of the most spectacular scenery in cinema history, from unbelievable mountain ranges to raging rivers whose thundering power is palpable. Led by Shen (Mako), young Japanese businessman Wada and yakuza Ujiie venture into the Chinese countryside of Yu Nan in search of jade, which leads them in a roundabout way to the mysterious "Bird people." At times an oddball odyssey (at one point, the three indulge in some toadstools that cause hallucinations, which results in Shen losing his memory), at others THE BIRD PEOPLE IN CHINA recalls Werner Herzog's epic, AGUIRRE: THE WRATH OF GOD. That's NOT an exaggeration. Ujiie falls for the village of the "Bird people," while Wada contemplates "the birth of the Earth." They watch local children being given "flying lessons" that consist of flapping homemade wings. "This place," Wada wonders: "Where could this be...?" "This planet is finished," Ujiie states, matter-of-factly. The two travelers decide to give the act of flight an attempt, to prove that there's magic of a sort still left in the world. "If we fly," Wada says, "they'll be convinced." Wada and Ujiie, makeshift wings attached to their shoulders, then proceed to run at breakneck speed toward the edge of a cliff, screaming as they go. It's a beautiful scene, and the climax is bittersweet. Highly recommended.

Despite my thinking one of Miike's other films, HAPPINESS OF THE KATAKURIS, is a great film, my feelings about his subsequent films I have viewed just aren't as positive. While this movie is much better than the extremely disgusting AUDITION, CITY OF LOST SOULS or ICHI THE KILLER, I only mildly liked this film. Is it weird?! Yes,...but not so funny or endearing as KATAKURIS. It just didn't gel for me. I think a lot of it was that the first 1/3 of the film seemed pretty disjoint and uninteresting. Once they made it to the distant land they were seeking, the film improved considerably but not enough to make me especially like it. It's funny, but a friend told me I MUST see this movie because he knew I'd like it, but I just was left pretty flat. Mostly because the main character and the nutty Yakuza guy he accompanied on the trip just weren't particularly people I could care anything about or care what happened to them.By the way, the film in many ways is reminiscent of LOST HORIZON--not an exact re-make but certainly inspired by it nonetheless.

"The Bird People in China" is one of those films you hear very little about, but that piques your curiosity after reading the synopsis. And then you watch it and realize what a gem it is.Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike is renowned for his ultra-violent films. This is a delightful departure for him and proves what a tremendously versatile director he is. Yes, there are some snippets of violence, including a rather brutal machete attack. But that's all offset by the film's wonderfully whimsical nature.The film revolves around a Japanese businessman sent to a remote Chinese village to inspect the jade mines for his company. Along for the ride is a yakuza man to ensure the businessman's company's debt is paid off.The film not only chronicles their colorful journey - those turtles must be seen to be believed - but then taps into the characters' psyches as they reach the village and suddenly find themselves trapped there. These two disparate men both find themselves enchanted by this magical place.I won't give away much more of the story because you really should watch this film. Miike injects magical realism into his story and some moments are beautiful in every sense of the word. There's also plenty of humor. The van scene is positively hilarious, especially given the driver's deadpan reaction.The film's very much about our need to dream. But it also tackles important issues such as the encroachment of civilization and the importance of keeping some places pristine and innocent, no matter how valuable they might be to the rest of the world.If you like interesting foreign-language films that open a whole new world, then do yourself a favor, see this film. You will not be disappointed.