rps-2 There isn't one Japanese prison camp movie cliché that doesn't turn up here. Indeed it's a catalogue of cinematic clichés...brutal guards shouting in Japanese...a mustachioed camp commandant imitating Sesue Hayakawa...attempted rape and subsequent attempts to save face...a repentant commandant after the end of the war is announced...stereotyped Brits...A German-Jewish refugee....and on and on and on. The movie is loosely based on fact. But it's doubtful that life in the internment camp was as dull or boring as this movie. Even the tropic scenery comes out flat and uninteresting. It's not a bad movie. It's just that it's not a very good movie!.Anyone planning yet another Japanese prison camp movie should study this one carefully to acquaint themselves with what not to do

ellethekitty As someone interested in history, I found this movie totally laughable. In fact, it was so bad I could barely laugh. Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those people who require absolute authenticity in a movie just because it is based in history. After all, movies are dramas and dramas require dramatic license. But This script was so awkward, with the most unbelievable and contrived conversations and dialog. For instance, the women on detail doing work on the men's baths are not likely to be discussing penis size casually. The Japanese, who did commit atrocities, were not likely to have burned a woman alive for a small crime. Not because they were unaccustomed to cruelty, but because fuel was scarce. One dimensional characters, unsophisticated plot. In short, this movie had fake dialog, unbelievable premises, and was a waste of time. if you would like to see a good movie about POW life, Try Empire of the Sun. Even Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence had believable moments, despite its convoluted agendas. Everyone voted to give this movie an average of 6.8 stars must have been on the cast.

moonspinner55 During the first 30 or so minutes of "Paradise Road", one is apt to ask one question incredulously: "They're still making movies about WWII?" Not-bad factual story based upon the diaries of Betty Jeffrey, this occasionally brutal but gripping film has female detainees in a Japanese-run prisoner-of-war camp in Sumatra organizing a choir, which raises their spirits and even captivates their captors. Director Bruce Beresford stages the indignities of the prisoners for maximum impact, yet neither this nor the music renders the picture fresh (it won't fool anyone who has seen 1950's "Three Came Home", or half a dozen other POW dramas). Glenn Close, the musically-trained den mother of the pack (and choir leader!), looks great with hardly any makeup and in a closely-cropped hairstyle; it's always fine to see her at work, and one can perceive initially why she signed on for this project (the epic sweep of wartime, the nostalgia and female camaraderie), yet her character's hushed-but-stern sanity and reasoning gets to be a bit much (as do the divergent accents of the group). "Paradise Road" obviously gave work to a quite a number of Asian actors--not to mention talented ladies--but it's of a genre that went out of fashion decades ago, and nothing in it is special enough to warrant a resurrection. ** from ****

Dan1863Sickles One of the most bittersweet moments in film is when a vehicle meant to show off a fading but well established star becomes an unintentional tribute to a scorching young talent who arrives out of nowhere. PARADISE ROAD was meant to be a vehicle for Glenn Close, but when you watch it today it's only Cate Blanchett who really shines. Her character is meant to be quite minor -- the Australian farm girl who is punished by the Japanese for speaking out. The problem is, the camera catches all this beauty and strength and wit and resourcefulness in a girl who is only meant to be briefly interesting. Cate stops the film dead every time she is on the screen! The film is okay, but it would have been more interesting if one of the Japanese officers could have seduced Cate Blanchett and made her his mistress. Instead of having a punishment scene when Cate makes fun of the Japanese flag, I pictured her having to apologize personally to the commander, perhaps over a cup of tea. The thrill of having a real cup of tea after months of misery would be great to see on the face of Cate Blanchett. And of course her face could show suspicion and doubt and pleasure all at the same time -- Cate Blanchett is very talented. But her face would be showing her weakness for the pleasures she's missed, and soon she would be taking hot baths and wearing silk kimonos and slinking around the commander's hut like a real Australian geisha! That would be a lot more exciting than watching Glenn Close make like Mary Poppins for two hours. Or listening to Frances McDormand do a silly "German" accent. She sounds like Roseanne Barr doing Bela Lugosi! PARADISE ROAD is a so-so movie over all, but Cate Blanchett is thrilling even in her first film role.