SFIFF Movie Review: The Sun
I was all worked up to see The Sun. I really enjoyed Alexander Sokurov’s 2002 one-shot-wonder Russian Ark and I was prepared for a visually stunning film. The film stock that he chose to use baffles me. It was grainy and cloudy, At first I thought it was our copy of the tape, but I found out he has used this look in previous films. It drove me nuts. If he had shot the film to resemble old World War II footage, I would have appreaciated it much more. I think the film quality got in the way of what could have been a beautiful and puzzlingly charming story about Emperor Hirohito’s last days leading up to his surrender to General MacArthur in WWII.
I found Issey Ogata’s portrayal of Emporer Hirohito enchanting. For me this movie felt like a fantastic idea that just didn’t deliver. It’s riddled with awkward cuts and confusing scenes that don’t seem to have much of a point. Add a splash of bad special effects and a sprinkle of grating performances and the power of this movie is drowned out. If you are a World War II buff, it’s an interesting portrait of Horihito. If you aren’t a fan of Sukorov’s previous films or don’t know much about WWII history, this movie is probably not for you. Personally, I’m on the fence. I’m glad I saw it, but it left me feeling frustrated over how great it could have been.
Showtimes:
Thu, Apr 27 9:15pm Kabuki
Sat, Apr 29 3:15pm Kabuki
Wed, May 03 7:00pm PFA Berkeley
Director: Alexander Sokurov
Russia/Italy/France/, 2005, 110 minutes
SFIFF link