1909. Ahn Chung Gun's attempt at assassinating Ito Hirobumi is
stopped by a soldier who seems to know exactly what will happen, changing the course of history.
2009. In a now alternative timeline we see not only Japan victorious
after WWII, but Korea under Japanese control.
When a terrorist group fighting for Korean freedom, the Hureisenjin,
attacks an ancient artefacts exhibition of the prestigious Inoue Foundation, two JBI (Japan Bureau of Investigation,
you gotta love it) agents, Korean born Sakamoto Masayuki and his long time friend and partner, Shojiro Saigo of Japanese origin,
are introduced to save the day (and preferably the hostages while they are at it, why not).
After a massive display of firepower in which neither SWAT nor JBI shows
much mercy towards the terrorists, numerous flying bodies and dialoguing from both sides, the Hureisenjin is vanquished
as even their leader, after addressing Sakamoto in Korean, is shot dead.
Subsequently, the JBI finds the hostages packed together in a room, save
from firepower and unharmed, so questions arise as to the motives and goals of the Hureisenjin.
Sakamoto, intrigued by the Hureisenjin leader's words, and unable
to abide his friend Saigo's request the let the matter rest, starts his own investigation. He focuses on the Inoue Foundation, eager
to find out what it was they processed that the Hureisenjin were so willing to die for to obtain.
But Sakamoto is hindered in his search for the truth by his own superiors
and slowly but surely he's beginning to doubt his own identity, his investigation turning more and more into an obsession. When
his superiors take him off the case and his best friend Saigo is used against him, things get out of hand quickly as Sakamoto
refuses to back down.
Sakamoto gets set up. Framed for a murder he did not commit, he is
forced to flee the JBI and leave his life behind as he knew it. Ready for answers Sakamoto finds refuge within the Hureisenjin
where the truth is finally revealed.
My Thoughts:
2009 Lost Memories was a surprise to me. IMDB's ratings are low
for this movie so I didn't have high hopes this movie was going to be remotely good at all. Boy was I ever in for a fun treat.
Not only did the two main actors, Jang Dong-Gun (Sakamoto) and Toru Nakamura (Saigo) give a wonderful performance, I found
the story to be quite 'intelligent' and thought provoking and the cinematography surprisingly beautiful.
I wasn't too familiar with Jang Dong-Gun's career, but I was quite
impressed with his acting skills as well as his ability to speak Japanese, which is, being of course South Korean, not his
native language. Toru Nakamura, one of my favourite Japanese actors, can't really go wrong in my book. The role of Saigo,
a family man devoted to his job and his country, seems to work well with him even though they sometimes portray him a bit
too old fashioned and traditionally Japanese to explain his later motivations.
My only real concern with this movie was not the overly traditional
way the Japanese were portrayed (think of Saigo wearing a kimono when off duty, strutting around a very traditional Japanese
house with a very traditional garden), but more the lack of chemistry between the two men. Somehow I had a hard time believing
these guys were such good friends, despite the 'look-at-us-bonding-all-brotherly" scene at Saigo's house (did I mention already
this was a very traditional house?).
I doubt these men will ever drink sake or dong dong ju together
after working hours, and I honestly think it shows a bit in the movie.
Despite the movie's efforts to focus on Sakamoto's dramatic search
for his roots and loyalties, Saigo is the more tragic character of the two. His heartbreaking decision, so easily overlooked
because of his seemingly stoic posture, to me is much more shattering than Sakamoto's reconciliation with the ghosts of his
past could ever be.
The pacing of the movie is good, even though I think it stalls a
bit, falling into a horrible cliché with the overly dramatic and 'boy-we-didn't-see-this-one-coming' death of a child nobody
gives a owl's hoot about, to prepare you for a climatic ending.
But it never drags on, nor does it rely too heavily on the personal
drama set on both main characters. Which can be a good as well as a bad thing. To me, the girl wasn't even remotely interesting
and probably only thrown in to please male viewers and to make sure Sakamoto didn't end up all alone in the end (although
in my opinion they could have chosen a prettier chick for you guys to look at).
I may be giving this movie too much credit by giving it an eight
out of ten, but then, I'm biased and easily charmed by a certain Japanese actor. Of course this movie has flaws, after all,
when dealing with issues as sensitive as time travel and the changing of important historic events, it's almost unavoidable.
But it's also politically daring and pretty darned good to look at. And in a time where ridiculous wastes of movie tape such
as the latest Rambo garbage gets high scores, that's got to be good for something.
