Variety
Long on the muddy-bloody details of jungle warfare and short on fleshedout characters...
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Kokoda
A platoon of Australian soldiers from the 39th Battalion is sent as forward patrol outside the village of Isurava on the Kokoda track in New Guinea, during World War II, but sustained Japanese bombardment and initial attacks cut them off from their supply lines and communication. Isolated, they endure without food for three days, carrying their wounded. As they emerge exhausted from the jungle, Isurava is about to fall to the Japanese, and they must gather their last ounce of strength and courage to rejoin the battle.
200699 minsAustralia
DramaWar
- Director:
- Alister Greirson (feature debut)
- Writer:
- John Lonie
- Cast:
- Tom BudgeJack FinstererSimon StoneJack McInnesShane Bourne
Kokoda | Reviews
71%7 reviewsRotten Tomatoes® Score
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Sydney Morning Herald
The movie is half a great film about Kokoda. It shows us what this dirty, nasty, very personal corner of the Pacific war was like, in gruesome detail. It then historicises it, with speeches about great deeds, the main one being delivered by William McInnes as the colonel. I know that such speeches were made at the time by commanders in the field. Bringing them off in a movie without sounding preachy is another matter, and Kokoda fails that task. Some may like these high words, but the film could have relied on deeds...
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New Zealand Herald
Account of the campaign to defend Australia from the Japanese is gruesome and briefly jingoistic, but polished given its makers' youth...
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