Kokoda (film)

Infobox Film
name = Kokoda
imdb_id = 0481390
writer = Alister Grierson
John Lonie
starring = Jack Finsterer
Christopher Baker
Ben Barrack
Shane Bourne
Angus Sampson
Travis McMahon
director = Alister Grierson
producer = Catriona Hughes,
Leesa Kahn
distributor = Palace Films
released = 2006
runtime = 92 minutes
language = English
budget =

"Kokoda" is a 2006 Australian film directed by Alister Grierson and is based on the experiences of Australian troops fighting Japanese forces during the 1942 Kokoda Track campaign.

Due to budgetary restrictions, Grierson and co-writer John Lonie were forced to scale down the story, concentrating primarily on the trials and tribulations of one lost patrol.

Plot

A motley crew of Australian militiamen or 'chocos' from the 39th Battalion are stationed in a New Guinea village just after the Japanese invasion. The 39th Battalion are the only troops available to hold off the Japanese advance until the AIF arrives to relieve them. The story centers on an infantry section of the 39th Battalion. The section with their leader, an AIF Captain who has served in North Africa, is on forward patrol when they are attacked by a Japanese force. Their captain is killed early in the battle and the section is left leaderless, so they decide to fall back. One of the men, Ballarat, is bayoneted in the face by a Japanese, and a Bren gunner called Blue offers to stay and provide cover. However they are cut off and surrounded in the dense jungles, with little hope of escaping. The Australians try to remain hidden until night, when Darko and Jack decide to go and find out where Blue is. They stumble across Blue who is tied up and is being tortured by Japanese soldiers. Darko and Jack look on helplessly as the Japanese soldiers stab him in the stomach with bayonets, and finally decapitate Blue with a Samurai sword. They return to their hiding place, shaken by what they have seen. The Japanese ambush the section and they run further into the jungle. Caught behind enemy lines in harsh terrain, Jack is trying to maintain command of a small group of men. Suffering from malaria and dysentery, all the men decide to make their way to Isurava, where the remainder of the 39th are fighting a desperate battle.

Sam becomes injured and orders the rest of the section to leave him behind. However, they have none of it and carry him up steep cliffs. After a full day of walking the men are exhausted, Sam decides to get out and leaves the unit. The men awake the next day to find him gone. It is not clear what happens to Sam.

The men continue, however and they become ambushed by a Japanese patrol. The Japanese are killed, and Max is badly wounded by a gunshot to the stomach and is unable to walk. He is carried by all the men.

The section makes it to a New Guinea village that has been destroyed by the advancing Japanese, and the Australians decide to take refuge. The Australians bury the dead New Guinea villagers and an argument arises between Jack and Darko over Max. Darko wishes to leave him behind as he is slowing the section down and they are needed at Isurava. Jack, however, wants to stay with him. However, Max decides to stay and let the others go and Burke will stay with him. The men agree and Jack, Darko and Burke head off to Isurava. The journey becomes treacherous and Burke's dysentery is getting worse.

Meanwhile at the village, a few Japanese arrive to search the village and in a desperate attempt to save the life of his mate, Johnno fires at the Japanese and makes it into the jungle; however, he is tracked down and gunned down by the Japanese. A day or so later a New Guinea tribesman comes back to inspect the village and finds a badly wounded Max in the hut, which ultimately saves him.

After a gut wrenching climb, Jack, Darko and Burke are found by the AIF who take them to Isurava where the situation is in dire straits. The AIF has arrived but they too are weak from the trek to Isurava. The 39th is no longer a fighting unit and almost all of the men are too sick or wounded to fight. The three men check themselves into a makeshift field hospital for treatment. However an AIF officer comes in and wants any available men from the 39th to help hold the line. Jack, Burke and Darko volunteer and they are assigned to a position held by men of the 2/16th Infantry.

That night the Japanese attack in waves against the Australian positions. The Australians who are only equipped with rifles and machine guns desperately hold off the Japanese. The Japanese are gunned down by the superior firepower of the Australians, but in the final seconds of the fight Burke is shot through the chest and dies in Darko's arms as the fight rages on. The Japanese end the assault and the battle is over.

The next day, what's left of the 39th is paraded at the Isurava village. The men are tired and haggard and receive news that they will be taken off the line and that they have just saved Australia from an imminent invasion. After the speech by the 39th Officer, Jack and Darko withdraw with the rest of the soldiers. (The Australians withdrew from Isurava to take up positions at Brigade Hill.) While withdrawing, Jack and Darko spot Max being carried by Fuzzy wuzzy angels to an aid station. He has survived.

Based on true story

The movie was inspired by the true story of a forward patrol led by Lieutenant Sword that found itself cut off from supply at the beginning of the battle for Isurava. After many frightening days making their way back to Isurava with no food, carrying the wounded and suffering from the effects of tropical diseases, they emerged from the jungle near Alola. Upon hearing that the 39th Battalion was about to be overrun, they joined a party of severely wounded men and made their way back to the battle. [Fitzsimons, Peter. "Kokoda." "Hodder Headline" 2005, p. 295]

Reception

The film received generally positive reviews from critics Fact|date=March 2007. Beyond Hollywood.com called the film 'a gem'. Paul Byrnes from The Sydney Morning Herald called the film "a glimpse of what this dirty, nasty, very personal corner of the war was like." In Australia the film made over $3 million in its first few weeks and became one of the highest-grossing Australian films of the year. Some critics went as far to say that "Kokoda" could be compared to Peter Weir's film "Gallipoli". Fact|date=March 2007. Some critics felt that character development was slim except for Jack and his brother who are later found out to be of German-Australian descent. The performances by Jack Finsterer, Travis McMahon and Steve Le Marquand were highly praised by critics, considering most of them had never done a film on this large scale. The film was also praised for its realistic portrayal of the Australian 39th Battalion during the campaign as well as the jungle setting which critics found "haunting, scary and very realistic." Many Kokoda veterans have also praised the film, many calling it "the closest thing you can get other than experiencing combat on the Kokoda Track yourself".

Awards

The film received 6 nominations. Two 2006 AFI nominations for best costume design and best visual effects, one nomination from the Film Critics Circle of Australia for best cinematography and three from the IF Awards for best cinematography, best editing and best production design.

ee also

*List of Australian films

References

External links

* [http://www.kokodathemovie.com Official website]
*imdb title|0481390|Kokoda
*rotten-tomatoes|id=kokoda|title=Kokoda
* [http://colsearch.nfsa.afc.gov.au/nfsa/search/display/display.w3p;adv=yes;group=;groupequals=;holdingType=;page=0;parentid=;query=Number%3A691682;querytype=;rec=0;resCount=10 "Kokoda" at the National Film and Sound Archive]