Blu-Ray Review: WARRIORS OF THE RAINBOW: SEEDIQ BALE (Well Go USA)

Editor, U.S. ; Dallas, Texas (@HatefulJosh)
Blu-Ray Review: WARRIORS OF THE RAINBOW: SEEDIQ BALE (Well Go USA)
I previously reviewed Warriors of the Rainbow upon its domestic theatrical release, my thoughts are below, along with some comments on the international version and the Blu-ray edition.

For thousands of years historians have filled millions of pages with the stories of brave warriors defending their homelands against insurmountable odds, and for as long as there have been narrative films, these stories have been told and retold to varying effect. Wei Te-sheng's Warriors of the Rainbow is the latest in a long line of such films. The battle between indigenous tribes and the march of either imperialism or modernity is a frequently visited subject. Taiwan's indigenous peoples suffered such an incursion in the first half of the twentieth century as a part of Japan's rabid march across Asia in an attempt to unite the entire continent under the rising sun flag, however, they would not go quietly into that good night.

The story focuses on the warring tribes in the Mehebu forest in central Taiwan, and in particular the tribe led by a legendary warrior known as Mouna Rudo. Chief Mouna is a survivor of the initial battles with the imperial Japanese army, and in 1930, he led a rebellion against the hostile Japanese police state that united many tribes in the region, and severely damaged Japan's capacity to contain his people. This shouldn't been seen as a spoiler, it is all historical fact. While it would be tempting to sell Warriors of the Rainbow as an action film, or even a piece of propaganda, it would be selling this film short, as it is far more than that.

Chinese filmmakers are no strangers to propaganda films, but this Taiwanese film is a far different beast. Whereas Chinese films often take the form of jingoistic xenophobia like the recent self-congratulatory works celebrating the anniversaries of the communist revolution, this film takes a long and fascinating look into Taiwanese history, and celebrates its indigenous heritage, which seems to be something that China is allergic to doing. Warriors of the Rainbow also takes on a historically easy target in the imperialist Japanese, however, it doesn't make caricatures of them in the same way that films like Legend of the Fist or the Ip Man films do. If anything, I would compare Warriors of the Rainbow to the 2009 masterpiece City of Life and Death as far as its depiction of the villainous Japanese, though this film takes a somewhat different tact.

Where Warriors of the Rainbow succeeds is where its Chinese counterparts so often fail, and that is in creating an emotionally engaging story that flows naturally into violence and action, rather than a flat story that uses plot points only as excuses to get into the action. The thematic use of ethnic pride and the characters subtle and realistic self-doubt and inner conflict all come through heroically in the face of a story that could very easily have fallen into melodrama.

Mouna Rudo is a stoic and very contained character, though he is not without bite. His rage, though contained, seethes through his incredibly expressive eyes and no-nonsense demeanor. Lin Ching-Tai, who played Chief Mouna, was not a professional actor, but his performance in the film is magnetic. His charisma is undeniable, and when he talks, you listen, which makes it all the more believable that he is this character who carries so much weight in the film. His young tribesmen, who all belong to the generation after his, also seethe with rage against that Japanese, though their emotion is not tempered with the wisdom of age like the Chief's, and this, too, feels very honest and real.

Though it is the story that will keep you riveted, let it not be said that Warriors of the Rainbow is boring. The film features a number of very exciting action set pieces, both between tribes and with the Japanese. The cinematography in the jungle locations, especially during these action sequences, is superb, and truly shows the beauty of this land that the Mehebu forest tribes people are fighting for, and links you to their struggle to hold on to their ancestral homes. My only quibble, and it is minor, is that the CG in the in the film isn't quite up to par with what we're used to in big budget American films, but the story is so involving, and the action so intense, that these moments and fleeting and not worth getting bothered by.

Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale
is the shortest two and a half hour film I've ever seen. I cannot imagine a moment being cut or a frame out of place to make this film the wonderful work of art that it has become. I know that there is a longer cut for Taiwanese audiences, (actually, it was released in two parts) but the director assured us in the audience that the international cut is his film, and I commend him for creating such a brilliant piece of emotionally effective cinema.

***

The international version has been seen and commented upon by no less than three ScreenAnarchy writers, and I'll share their opinions, since I have not had the opportunity to watch the full two-part epic:
This epic, two-part account of the Japanese invasion of Taiwan and the spirited defense by the indigenous aborigines through the early part of the 20th Century was well worth the four-and-a-half hour running time. Even though Hong Kong audiences were not deemed worthy enough to have an English-subtitled release of the two films, their power and strength transcend the language barrier and make for an incredibly entertaining piece of Cinema.
- James Marsh
I think Seediq Bale is an amazing accomplishment for an action film. There is so much cool, exciting, well-crafted action in the film. The historical backdrop does provide a very interesting context, especially since the story of the Seediq is almost unheard of. In my opinion, however, Seediq Bale is more impressive for its action than its ability to move the audience emotionally.

- Alexander Thebez
The most surprising thing about Seediq Bale is how little we care about either side winning. The uprising reaches a dramatic climax at the end of part one, with the camera pulling up over a courtyard of headless bodies. But there is no thrill of victory or redemption, and it is hard to imagine where director Wei Te-Sheng is going to get two more hours of material. What the film tries to do in those last two hours is draw a stirring conclusion to a suicide mission with inspiring fables and montages. But it is an empty shell of heavy-handed melodrama, poorly used CGI and historical edification. 
- Kathie Smith

Three very different opinions, but then again, isn't that why you come to ScreenAnarchy?

The Discs:

While I didn't get the chance to watch the entire epic, I did have the opportunity to give the A/V on both sets a pretty decent run through, and I can say that this is another winner from Well Go, who don't seem to have the capacity to release poor quality product. The beautiful cinematography is treated with respect and the images are crystal clear, with the bold color schemes and action effectively represented on screen. The only noticeable issue for me, and it was no fault of the transfer, is that the film's less than perfect CGI becomes even more apparent in HD than on the big screen, but again, that is not Well Go's fault, simply a matter of Taiwan not having the technical capacity that Hollywood has. The sound on the disc is another floor shaker from Well Go. I love getting Well Go Blu-rays for review because it means I get to crank up my system and immerse myself in some incredible sound mixes, Warriors of the Rainbow is no exception, top shelf stuff.

The two versions differ dramatically in terms of bonus material. The domestic (shorter) release has only about 35 minutes of total extras. These include twenty minutes of raw behind the scenes footage, six minutes of "Making Of" material, and some trailers. Nowhere near what the film deserves. However, for those of you willing to make the leap to the two-part version, you get a boatload of extra stuff. In addition to all of the content from the single disc edition, there is a two hour "making of" production diary in HD that is incredibly revealing in terms of what it took to get Warriors of the Rainbow made. It isn't a fully produced documentary feature, but there is enough material here to get a good feel for the film's challenges and successes.

I love this film and it is another one that looks like it's going to end up on my 2012 top ten list somewhere. I highly recommend Warriors of the Rainbow, especially the two-disc edition.

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