Even though it is distant, quiet and maybe even at times inert, I must say I was strangely fascinated during most of this film.
A decision was made to make it look like an old, decaying photo – which is cool at first, but eventually leads to eye strain. Seriously. Everything is hazy and brown – and since this is shot on video it is even more striking.
It’s funny – I know next to nothing about Emperor Hirohito, so I can’t tell you how true this movie is. But it is hard not to compare this to Olivier Hirschbiegel’s Downfall. In that film, Hitler rants and raves til he becomes an Internet meme. In this film, Hirohito quietly studies marine biology.
