Devils on the Doorstep (2002)

Best movie ever!

Absolutely the worst movie.

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

'Devils on the Doorstep' is a surprisingly original and well-made film from China, detailing their occupation at the end of World War II by focusing in on a small village under Japanese rule. The film mixes war, violence, comedy, fear and tragedy in a careful manner, making sure that the sometimes opposing styles never clash. The only problem I have with the film is its somewhat uneven and oddly paced structure, which unfortunately does hinder an otherwise perfect and very well made feature.Perhaps one my favourite aspects of 'Devils' is its photography which is mostly shot in black and white save for a scene near the end. The whole film looks marvellous and the lighting is used appropriately to cast dramatic shadows where needed, helping to create very memorable and inspiring scenes. The actors themselves do a brilliant job bringing their characters to life, being animated at all times, never once giving a dull or dry performance. When taken in addition to the fantastic direction from Wen, these details make 'Devils' an absolute joy to look at and it's images and characters will not be easily forgotten.The films also displays intelligent and thought provoking themes throughout, focusing on war, survival, revenge, the human spirit and many others. The themes are perhaps not as focused as they could have been, and this admittedly does bring the uneven structure of the plot to the attention more, however I say this only because with a film as well made as this, you have to include even the tiniest of mishaps to form a conclusive and informative review. Nevertheless, I recommend you watch this film for yourself the next time you have the chance, no matter who you are: this is a must.

The movie is about the Japanese occupation of China during WWII. It is very humorous and shows the human side of people in the war, be it Japanese or Chinese. Because of that the movie was heavily criticized by the Chinese government who accuses it of being too sympathetic to the Japanese. They even object to one scene where a Chinese peasant feeds a Japanese prisoner because (as they put it) no self respecting Chinaman would do that when food was scarce.While most war time movies seen in the West concentrate on war in Europe and Pacific, this one gives another perspective. Though at times hilarious and grotesque the movie ends in tragedy as the might of war taker over humanity again. It's a must see: 10/10

This is a really beautiful movie. The picture is marvelous, the plot is great; it's amazingly funny, I surprised myself keeping laughing very often on jokes in Chinese language!!!...Black and White is a really justified choice. The story is of the japanese occupation of China during WWII is very new to westerners. Cruelty of the then Japanese occupants is sudden and devastating. The end is a terrible movie scene, one of the most stunning ends I've ever seen.I'm usually into us or european movies, and not at all into asian movies, but I think it's one of the greatest chinese movies I've ever seen, with hong-kong's "in the mood for love" and taiwanese "yi yi". But it's much easier to see : anyone could see it without getting bored.It's been acclaimed in France and Cannes Film Festival. It should have deserved an international acclaim. I keep recommending it around me in Paris. Hope it's played elsewhere in other western countries; and in Japan of course... 10/10

Like Emir Kusturica's Underground, Devils on the Doorstep is a great, epic comedy-drama which examines how history can effect and destroy a small group of people. Like Underground, Devils mixes Rabelaisian humour with powerful drama to create a rousing, albeit bitter, commentary on the foibles of the human condition.I watched the 139 minute version at the San Francisco International Film Festival, and when the film was over, the audience broke out into thunderous applause. I believe that 139 minutes is long enough for this film, although it would be interesting to see the 162 minute version.Devils begins as a humorous comedy-drama examining how a group of Chinese villagers react to two Japanese POWS who are dumped mysteriously into their village. It is both touching and hilarious to see how the villagers deal with the POWS. However, Devils takes an unexpectedly tragic and violent turn in the last quarter of the film, when the realities of WWII destroy the lives of all the villagers.The climatic party scene near the end of the film is one of the best scenes I have ever seen- the laughter and joy at the beginning of the party cushion us for the horrific violence which ensues.Watch Devils on the Doorstep and enjoy the human comedy, but be warned about the last act of the film, which is unforgettably powerful and wrenching.