Hell in the Pacific

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Matthew D Mankind only survives when we work together. Director John Boorman’s WWII survival thriller Hell in the Pacific (1968) is as simple and effective as films come. Boorman’s direction lets us get to know this stubborn American pilot who crashes on a remote island as the calm and resourceful Japanese sailor who is also stranded. Editor Thomas Stanford’s sharp cuts keep Hell in the Pacific moving fairly quickly between jokes, fights, encounters, and co-operation. Cinematographer Conrad L. Hall’s wide shots of the island’s natural forest beauty is lovely like the vast shots of the sea waters. The sudden close-ups on faces and eyes make for gripping visual storytelling even without a common language between the two main characters. Set decorator Makoto Kikuchi makes a life raft and other survival gear out of bamboo for tons of fun props. Composer Lalo Schifrin’s film score ranges from strange jazz to inspiring classical for a pleasantly tranquil musical backdrop. Makeup artist Shigeo Kobayashi’s makes both men look haggard like they’ve been stranded. I love how simple Reuben Bercovitch’s story is with nice characterization and caution from screenwriters Alexander Jacobs and Eric Bercovici. They try to kill each other, then argue, then cooperate to build a raft. It’s a nice message that opposing soldiers of war can only survive once working together bringing their own skills to their survival cause. Hell in the Pacific is worth a watch, if only for the charismatic performances of the two iconic actors from America and Japan. Lee Marvin is excellent as the stubborn, angry, thirsty, and inventive American Pilot. It’s fun seeing him interact with Mifune. Toshirō Mifune is amazing as the resourceful Navy Captain Tsuruhiko Kuroda. It’s a riot watching Mifune fish with a makeshift fishing rod, gardening with an impromptu rake, and crafting a raft out of bamboo. He feels more patient. It’s very amusing watching Marvin and Mifune interact and learn to trust one another despite no common language. They need each other to survive and it shows the value of teamwork. Overall, Hell in the Pacific is gripping with wonderfully understated performances from American acting icon Lee Marvin and Japanese acting legend Toshirō Mifune. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/19/25 Full Review DanTheMan 2 Humans are social creatures, they crave contact with one another to remain sane and this is where John Boorman's Hell in the Pacific shines brightest. Grappling with the arresting relationships of character, communication and survival, it focuses on the bond that can form between enemies in the most horrifying conditions; overcoming prejudices and moving past the fears of what you do not know and using what you do know and the basic need to survive to pull through and band together. The minimal dialogue and powerhouse performances from its two cast members help to sell an authentic portrayal of the frustration of restricted communication, Toshirō Mifune is also deliberately unsubtitled to better portray this (although if you know any semblance of Japanese, the mystery can be lost). Combining these with its setting, Boorman's directorial flair and an underrated score by Lalo Schifrin that mixes classical elements with jazz, Hell in the Pacific is a slow, methodical and intelligent piece of hard-hitting cinema, that will leave you just as frustrated as its characters. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/13/23 Full Review Pierre L what bullshit war! なんてでたらめな戦争だ！ что за дерьмовая война! quelle connerie la guerre ! Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Audience Member Quite a good film starring 2 of cinema's greats, America's Lee Marvin and Japan's Toshiro Mifune. Set in WW2 where 2 rival soliders have washed ashore on an island, at first tormenting each other and then learing to work together despite the language barrier. More of a visual film due to not much dialogue and no subtiles (Which the director did intentially) but still worth a watch. Felt like a feature long Twilight Zone episode I will say. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/12/23 Full Review delysid d Lee Marvin is an F-ing Bad Ass! Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/14/19 Full Review Audience Member Great movie my favorite Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/29/20 Full Review Read all reviews

Hell in the Pacific

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