trevillian2 First off I would say you will want to watch this movie more than once for a couple of reasons. Main one for me is in reading the sub-titles etc. I missed out on a lot of the action and byplay of the various actors. Unless you are fluent in Japanese, you have to read to follow the plots, of which there are many. The subtitles pass so quickly that I was just getting the gist of the dialog in some spots, so I will need to watch again now that I have it down fairly well. There are so many roles to follow and all of them are interesting, so you don't want to let anyone fall away as he returns later in the film and you will want to remember what he was doing earlier in the movie. All are based on real people of the times, and very real events. As the story progresses I was caught up in the increasing action and urgency of the rebellion. The young officer who is so deeply involved and is such a zealot for the army continuing to fight is truly frightening as you can see some of this rabid resolve right now in some of these Jihad warriors in the mid-east. Just goes to show that Berserkers are not only from the days of Viking raiders. By the way this movie is not suitable for young viewers, it is matter of fact, but graphic in various death scenes.

nomoons11 Whether you already know about the events of the day of the Japanese surrender on August 15th 1945 or you are a newcomer to the topic, this film has something for both.Most film goers get to see the good guy side of films and rarely get to see a film made by the losers of war and the way they thought and felt. I've seen a few of these films from Japan and Germany and it's eye opening to see their mindsets during this period.Right off your gonna get a pretty clear picture that the Military ran the show. The Prime Minister of Japan was the guy who made the decisions along with the cabinet but Japan back in this time...was almost..if not...a military state. Behind the scenes you will see military men who know no other way of life, but it was all about to change...and they didn't react to well. I mean, who would enjoy surrendering? I know I wouldn't but what you get is an unruly few who think they have the will of the people and the emperor in mind when they decide to try and overthrow the Surrender Proceedings and takeover the Imperial Palace. Imagine being the most powerful force in the world for centuries and within a short span of 3 to 4 years...it's all over.It's just a fascinating watch all the way through to finally get to see what was in the minds of the Japanese Soldiers and Politicians during the last day before their surrender. Most accepted with regret..but with grace also. Others didn't take to it too well.If your looking for a war film with some action then you better look somewhere else cause this isn't that kind of film. This is war drama all the way. Watch this film and you'll get an idea of what it was like...back when "Japan's Longest Day" occurred.

MartinHafer This is an interesting historical piece. It's the recreation of the last day of Japan before they announced their surrender to Allied forces on 8/15/45. And, it plays like a docudrama--with great attention to detail.The film is quite unusual in that the title credits for "Nihon No Ichiban Nagai Hi" do not appear until 21 minutes into the film. The time before this all is a condensation of the events in the final weeks of the war--the Potsdam ultimatum, the entry of the Soviet Union into the Pacific war and the use of the two atomic bombs. It is amazing that even after this, many of the more militaristic in the Cabinet wanted to continue fighting! To break this impasse, the Emperor himself decided that enough was enough--surrender must take place on the 15th. The bulk of this film is what occurs in the hours following his decision--when certain elements in the government refused to actually follow the dictates of their Emperor. To them, it was honorable and necessary to continue this futile struggle.The production is first-rate all around. Several big-name Japanese actors starred in this film--including Chishû Ryû and Toshirô Mifune. Interestingly, the actor who played the Emperor is difficult to ascertain, as you only catch tiny glimpses of him. I think this is because the cinematography was meant as a metaphor for the man--someone few Japanese had even seen and had never appeared in public or on radio to that point.By the way, while this film is excellent all around and also shows to a modern audience just how militaristic and determined the Japanese were (presenting a good argument for the use of the atomic bombs) , you should be aware that like the failed insurrection, it is very bloody--very. This is not a film for kids or the squeamish.

PWNYCNY What is a soldier, who has been told from first day of his enlistment that surrender is not only unacceptable but is treason, to do when he learns that his government, including his own military superiors, are going to surrender? This movie pulls no punches in showing what happened when that exact scenario occurred in Japan in the closing days of World War Two. The two words that can best describe how the Japanese soldiers must have felt are betrayal and despair. The movie further underscores the essential hypocrisy of the Japanese imperial leadership and the sudden realization that everything they had been spouting about the Bushido spirit was just hot air, mere hyperbole. As the movie so graphically shows, the junior Japanese officers who revered their generals simply could not accept what seemed to them a shameless repudiation of principles that they were told were sacrosanct. The movie is excellent for several reasons: first, it tells a compelling story; second, it has an all-star cast; third, it is structured as a documentary; fourth, the story is candidly and forthrightly portrayed; fifth, the movie has excellent continuity; sixth, it avoids becoming moralistic; and seventh, it educates the audience about a critical event in history.