'Army on the Tree': World War II film leans into absurdist theater

Japan Times

3 days ago

The 80th anniversary of the end of World War II has produced a modest crop of commemorative films in Japan. Kazuhiro Taira's 'Army on the Tree' stands out by virtue of the fact that it isn't compromised by iffy politics or glaring budgetary constraints.
This is a war movie that doesn't avert its gaze from the ugliness of conflict, but should also appeal to a general audience (though overseas viewers will have to get past that infelicitous English title first).
It's adapted from a celebrated stage play conceived (but never completed) by the late dramatist Hisashi Inoue . The war's legacy was a running theme in Inoue's work, and he remained adamant throughout his life that ordinary Japanese people shared responsibility for what had happened. This comes through loudly in 'Army on the Tree,' which was staged posthumously in Tokyo by Inoue's Komatsuza company in 2013, based on the brief notes he had left behind.
Inspired by real events, it's a story that goes from 'Fires on the Plain' to 'Waiting for Godot' as a pair of Japanese soldiers defending the island of Iejima in Okinawa Prefecture find themselves up a tree, literally and metaphorically. Lieutenant Kazuo Yamashita (Shinichi Tsutsumi) is a veteran officer from the Japanese mainland, determined to do whatever it takes to protect the country. Steeped in the old-school Bushido warrior code, he's a stark contrast to Seijun Agena (Yuki Yamada), a local recruit whose loyalties are more to his community than the imperial flag.
The two men become unlikely companions after U.S. forces land on the island in 1945, leading them to hide in the capacious branches of a banyan tree while they wait for reinforcements. Even as the sounds of fighting subside, the pair stay put, only venturing down at night to forage for food. Days become weeks, then months, then years. Starvation and madness beckon, but the two men also stumble toward a shared recognition of what makes them human.
Taira's adaptation significantly opens up what was originally a three-man play. Shooting entirely on location in his native Okinawa, the director expands the story's cast and adds a half-hour prologue that depicts life before the invasion. This makes the film a little unwieldy, though it fleshes out the protagonists' backstories and allows for some brief, brutal combat sequences that resolve any nagging doubts about why they would maintain their defense for so long.
The movie doesn't lose immediacy once it transitions to a more dialogue-driven two-hander, thanks to some immersive handheld camerawork and bracing sound design. Shooting the story in sequence allows Taira to capture the dramatic transformation his two leads undergo, as they become increasingly weatherworn and emaciated, while presumably enabling the actors to sink deeper into their roles.
Tsutsumi is as solid as ever, but the bigger surprise is Yamada, whose career to date has traded more on his looks than his dramatic range. He rises to the physical demands of the role — maggot eating and all — without the performative flourishes of Tatsuya Fujiwara, who starred in the original stage production.
The film drags during its final act, which features multiple dream sequences and a few moments that come dangerously close to mawkishness. It gives the impression of a story that doesn't know how to end — though given the subject matter, that's entirely appropriate.