Devils on the Doorstep

After starring in a couple and directing one critically acclaimed movie. Jiang Wen's sophomoric outing is a bold move, there's no two ways about it. This black comedy got the guy banned from making movies in his home country for a decade. Most of the comedy is lost in translation, but it's still a decent movie, not quite as brutal as one would think. It's a decent watch, but not worth depriving us of ten years of Jiang Wen, he's got great stuff in him.

I try to make my ratings reflect the quality of the films in question. Every now and then, though, there's a disparity between my evaluation of my own experience and my approximation of an objective judgment. A lack of personal affinity with the material if you will. This was one such case for me. I recognize the huge filmmaking talent on display. I got the humor which I thought was refined and able to bridge the cultural gap. But I can't go beyond a respectful thumbs up. It might be an allergy.

The common reaction this film elicits starts with amusement and slowly turns into a creeping sense of dread, disgust, and then sadness. It presents the atrocities war brings as both arbitrary and absurd in its disruption of humanity. The thorough dehumanization corrupts everything it touches. The black comedy compels us to understand by bridging the cruel insanity of it all with our sheltered hindsight which is thankfully far removed from that sad era.

The most impressive thing about this film is the way it effortlessly shifts tones throughout the proceedings. It begins as an absurdist, existential comedy in the vein of Beckett and then subtly transforms into something much more sombre and disturbing. The pacing is very organic thanks in large part to both the smart, unpredictable script and the naturalistic, moving performances. See it.

Jiang delivers a memorable performance in the lead role, backed up by dynamite supporting actors. The film moves at breakneck pace as the situation constantly develops in new directions and turns from comedic to horrifying in its unforgettable final act. The black and white photography is stunning, and the kinetic camerawork and use of close-ups really puts you in the middle of the story. This is superb filmmaking.

If The Cove left you feeling unsure about the Japanese, this movie will certainly push you over the edge. No spoilers, but it starts out as a comedy and then it goes dark. Very dark. A must see for anybody who thinks Japanese and Chinese people are basically the same, and anybody who thinks war is cool. It's banned in both countries by the way. Who knew they didn't have a sense of humor about these things.

One half-expects this to be dogmatically anti-Japanese and a glorification of Chinese valor and resilience. Admirably it's nothing of the sort. Wen Jiang performs powerfully in his own comedy of errors as Ma Dasan, a simple peasant, cowardly, hesitant and not too bright. Dasan is the reluctant captor of two Japanese soldiers, themselves flawed but sympathetic. A humane, moving, often farcical but in the end grotesquely sobering war drama.

Dark comedy that leans more and more towards darkness as it progresses and delivers beautifully at the end. Absolutely stunning in many ways.

One of those movies that people who think war is cool should watch.

I don't want to give the show away, but it's safe to say that there's a slight change of genre about midway through. Great performances throughout, Wen Jiang especially noteworthy. It's great to see a movie about genuinly stupid people that make decisions that are as palpable as they are dumb. Some characters are underdeveloped, others disappear for no reason, but memorable scenes lift it: A little boy is killed, and the camera pans down to see his tiny face twisted in disbelief. Good stuff!

Delightfully chaotic comedy of errors. It's like Shakespeare meets Tarantino.

2.dunya savasi. cin, japon iskali altinda. bir cinli koyune japon askeri rehin birakilir. film epey bir sure yilmaz erdogan tarzi bayik bir mizahla ilerlerken sonlara dogru japonlarin cin koyunu katletmesiyle dogville'e bagladi, temposu yukseldi. finali ilgincti ve guzeldi

Very impressive.

I expected a lot from this movie, and it only delivered only partially for me. It's in black and white, which really fits the tone. The first part is great, I love the absurdist elements, especially in regard to the two prisoners. However, I don't think the movie captures the occupation very well, I would have liked to see the main plot set in peacetime, I don't think it would have lost anything. The second part just gets gory, which is not my taste, and the ending doesn't appeal to me either.

B&W helps to set the story in the past. This movie is great at highlighting the attitudes, atrocities and suffering inflicted upon the Chinese during the Japanese invasion. The tragic timing of the events and the ironic ending evokes a heartbreaking sympathy for the village people as well as disgust for those who escaped justice. Many complex social subjects are effectively and skillfully handled. Satisfying and deeply disturbing. I'd like to watch an English dubbed version.

Very real story about the arbitrariness of those thrown into a war.

Apparently this is a comedy

Remember that random Japanese military officer from JCVD's Street Fighter movie? Yeah, he can really act and so can everyone else in this fantastic movie.

Devils on the doorstep manages impressingly well to balance between the comic and the grave. At the same time the story fails to give enough depth to many characters and situations, ultimately taking the edge of the film.

Its all just a fucking joke in the end

I much preferred the subdued, but humorous beginning to the unnecessary messy ending. The handheld shots were nausea-inducing, and not in a good way. Use of locations and acting (and the dialect) were great though.

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Os Demônios na Minha Porta estreava há 20 anos no Festival de Cannes. Curiosamente esse filme é muito engraçado, a gente fala que tem que acabar com os fascistas e tal e aqui vemos as dificuldades que pessoas boas tem de o fazer. Não adianta minha gente, enquanto eles nos matam, a gente só sabe fazer ciranda e sarau de poesia mesmo. Sorry, tô emocionada. DVDRip no Piratebay.

First time I have felt genuinely sad watching a movie