Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Devils on the Doorstep / Guizi Lai Le (China, 2000)

Devils on the Doorstep is an almost entirely black & white movie from China and deals about the Japanese occupation during the final year of the conflict. Don’t expect any large battles or huge action, it is a movie which focusses on a small village and their people who suddenly have to deal with two kidnapped Japanese soldiers. Should they take care of them well or kill them? Its story evolves slowly but it grants you the time to get used to the characters because for western people it is a bit of getting used to a different kind of acting and telling a story in this film. 

Though the story is in the beginning rather light hearted it changes in the latter part to a heartwrenching film. The story of simple men and women and how their lives are being changed by war is maybe even better anti-war propaganda than lots of explosions and blood. Just try it, and give the film some little time to find its wat to your heart,