m-i-voicu A moving and quite different disaster movie. It gives us sadness, stoicism, everyday solidarity and love of place where an American film would serve up a roller coaster of forgettable adrenalin-sodden individual heroics.The science is credible, the special effects (at least on my grainy streamed version) convincing and believable, and the reactions of the Japanese people are portrayed with a realism rare in a disaster movie.There's one moment where a trite pop song sabotages a touching farewell, which in itself is an eminently Japanese touch, and the last minute or so strain credulity. But other than that it's emotionally consistent and quietly powerful. As a film, 7/10 - it's no Citizen Kane. As a disaster film, 11/10: it injects a rare degree of intelligence and nobility into a pretty debased genre.

Simon Booth Due to rather dubious plate tectonics, Japan starts to slip under the sea. Initial predictions say it'll take about 40 years before the country is submerged, but a rogue scientist adds in some even more dubious science and determines it will actually take less than 1 year! The government think he's a crackpot, but evidence soon starts bearing his theory out.This big budget disaster movie follows the formula set by any number of Hollywood films of the late 90's (I assume, having seen none of them), with the scale of disaster and tragedy bringing out the nobility of the human (well, Japanese) spirit in acts of heroism and sacrifice, and proving the power of love or something like that. i.e. it's as naive in its psychology as it's geology... we all know that half the populace would be out raping and looting the minute they thought the police had their back turned, and the other half would just panic and be useless.The film does have some very nice special effects, but is not as slick or expensive looking as an equivalent Hollywood production would be. It is at least as nationalistic, humourless and lacking in self-awareness as that Hollywood film would be though, and probably has even worse acting. It does have the hot evil chick from Battle Royale as one of the leads... but she's not even slightly evil, and is therefore much less hot.The film is much too long at 132 minutes, and gets worse and worse as it progresses towards a conclusion that had me in danger of puking. I certainly didn't care in the slightest whether Japan sank or not by the half way point, and well before the end I was trying to think of ways to expedite the process should I ever find myself in that situation for real.But, it does have nice special effects, and Kou Shibasaki is still pretty hot, so I magnanimously give it... 3/10.

Harry T. Yung As done with economic theory, disaster movies can be sub-divided into micro (Poseidon, The Towering Infernal) and macro (Deep Impact, Armageddon). SoJ falls somewhere in between. It's neither the destruction of our entire planet, nor does it pertain only to a cruise ship or a building. It's about the threatened obliteration of an entire island nation.I have not seen the 1973 "original" and can only dwell on the current "remake". It gives you everything you expect from a disaster movie – the CGI mayhem, the scientific backbone, the action and reaction of various government officials, the plight of the "little people", lovers caught in a struggle of life and death. But somehow that doesn't seem enough.The mood is gloomy throughout, accentuated by the faded brown hue and grainy shots. There are not only one, but two claustrophobic deaths you can choke on. What we don't find are the occasional upbeat moments, even in the face of heroic sacrifices. Here, I must digress and mention the excellent made-for-TV docu-drama "Krakatoa: The last days" (2006) that I happened to have watched just 7 hours after watching SoJ. Krakatoa is REALLY gloomy, but for a good reason – it tries to recreate a REAL disaster, possibly among the most devastating known in human history. SoJ however is pure fiction, and the audience has the right to expect more uplifting treatment of the material.The more positive note on this movie comes from the two leads. Tsuyoshi Kusanagi of the top Japanese pop group SMAP plays a likable, gentlemanly role similar to the one he had in Yomagaeri (2002), and more – with heroic self-sacrificing. Immensely popular Kou Shibasaki (Crying out love in the centre of the world) is distinguished not by her beauty, but by her charm as a character actor. In SoJ, she finds another role that is a perfect match for her screen persona.Some local critics point to the lack of chemistry between the two protagonists and I'll not debate that point. What I find refreshing is the un-Hollywood treatment. On the night when he comes to say goodbye before he seeks refuge in England, his sincerity finally breaks down her inhibitions. Returning his love and promising to join him in England soon, she offers herself to him. After an initial moment of emotional response, he backs off, gently declining her offer, saying that as they will be together in England soon, he can wait. The real reason, however, is that he is not going to England, but a suicide mission – the last chance to save Japan from sinking. He did not want to take advantage of her. By Hollywood standard, this is unrealistic fairytale. But despite Hollywood, noble sentiments still exist.In the end, the movie is far too long, clocking in at 135 minutes, and poorly paced. Taking away 30 minutes, in my view, should put it in much better light with the audience.

colvico May be spoilers so do not read if you do not want to Just like watching the TV news , everything is already happened, a great tsunami looms over a city bay and CUT , no more to see, Tokay suffers a large earthquake , did anyone see more than the 5 seconds I saw? If you want to make a love story , make a love story but if you want to use a disaster movie title , do please be kind enough to show me THE DISASTER , pd after watching this movie watch JISHIN RETTO or any GODZILLA film to satisfy the part that was willing to see people screaming and buildings collapsing that did not get a chance to do in this movie. Don t take me wrong I love disaster movies and I love the original Nihon chimbotsu and Jishin retto, I even like the latest Poseidon , not to much of a story there but a very good and graphic disaster sequence , New Nihon chimbotsu looses the point as many times as pearl harbour or the day after tomorrow but at least this two movies do show good disaster sequences, and also enough with the expensive FX that did not show anything , give me fake buildings if you like as long as you do destroy them properly , I know I must sound like a sadistic freak, however I did go to see Love actually when I felt like going to see a romantic film , grrrrrrr even kimpachi sensei makes me cry and this movie didn:t . there is also a TV series called napping chimbotsu made in 1975, I have on DVD and it is much better