There are two things that stand out when watching a Shinya Tsukamoto film: you have been through an experience; and the style – style that is substance itself. His previous, “The Killing” (2018) felt a little toned down and lacked what makes Tsukamoto Tsukamoto. “Shadow of Fire” gets under the skin a little more, and while it has a distinct look, it doesn’t quite have the colourful (or lack thereof) vibrancy one would expect from the master of independence.
Following the Second World War, with Japan a black market of exploitation and survival, a young woman (Shuri) works an inn, but serves as a front for prostitution for returning soldiers, pushed by her forceful pimp. But a homeless boy, (Ouga Tsukao), arrives at her door and latches on to her. A returning soldier and former teacher, (Hiroki Kono), starts as a customer, but returns daily, without funds and a lack of work, and they become a makeshift family.
But the soldier‘s stresses of war take their tole, and his aggressions break up the ‘family.’ Soon, the boy is back on the streets and taken in by another solider (Mirai Moriyama), a man whose intentions appear unclear. Along their journey, the boy is exposed to broken returning soldiers and the long-term struggles to be faced.
Split into two halves, the first half, despite its simplicity, is an intense, psychological piece, as a woman has to deal with men of three generations exploiting her. And while the men show their struggles, she has to keep hers hidden to survive. This creates a dark and brooding atmosphere, ready to break at any moment. The dim lighting, against bright colours of fire give this a distinct look.
But while a well-developed intensity, this single setting can only last for so long, and so Tsukamoto correctly moves things on. The problem, however, is that the second half is a little too bland. The intensity drops, and it becomes something of a conventional narrative with a moral message.
And this is where Tsukamoto lacks a little. At his best, he offers intense energy coming off the screen, seeping into your veins, packaged in an innovative colour palette. The story and message are not what sticks with you, but the visual images and intensity. As such, the second half is not particularly memorable. And while the first half has an intensity, it isn’t as visually striking.
Tsukamoto is a good director to capture the experience of war, or post-war trauma, creating, intense, close experiences, which can reflect the post-wat chaos. But as with “Fires on the Pain” (2014), they haven’t quite had the same impact as his Eighties and Nineties work. Modern, urban alienation is what he captures best, conveying the essence of that in his work. A haiku for the modern world.
With the subject matter, perhaps style for style’s sake wasn’t quite the approach required, and so Tsukamoto aims for a little more. The coda shows that this will be got through with perseverance and hard work. There is a long struggle ahead, and it’s best to remain honest while the world around you loses its head.
The first half is good in terms of atmosphere, with some good cinematography, if perhaps a little dark in parts. But it isn’t sustainable for an entire ninety-minute feature. The second half just doesn’t have that same air, and so lives in the shadow of what came before.
politic_1983 