Who payed the critics

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

For many, Kokoda is an unknown battle between The Australian infantry/bushman and the Japanese regime. This is a relatively unknown part of WWII. The first fighting occurred between elements of the Papuan Infantry Battalion and the 39th Australian Infantry Battalion at Awala. Although steadily reinforced by the battalions of 30th and 21st Brigades, the Australian force was unable to hold back the Japanese. It was poorly equipped, had not yet developed effective jungle warfare tactics, and was fighting at the end of a very long and difficult supply line. A number of desperate delaying actions were fought as the Australians withdrew along the Trail. They finally stopped on 17 September at Imita Ridge, the last natural obstacle along the Trail, a mere 8 km from the junction with the road to Port Moresby.The film depicts a gritty, realistic approach to the front lines of these battles and what the men had endured traversing through the jungle and bush. The editing at times is a bit choppy but within the story you feel as if you are there. Cinematography is amazing, scenery uncanny to many other war films as camera placement is superb.The Kokoda Trail fighting was some of the most desperate and vicious encountered by Australian troops in the Second World War. Although the successful capture of Port Moresby was never going to be precursor to an invasion of Australia, victory on the Kokoda Trail did ensure that Allied bases in northern Australia, vital in the coming counter-offensive against the Japanese, would not be seriously threatened by air attack. Approximately 625 Australians were killed along the Kokoda Trail and over 1,600 were wounded. Casualties due to sickness exceeded 4,000.If you are a war film buff and enjoy the actual placement of cinematography and telling of a story then KOKODA is one for the books. I applaud the style and efforts of this film all the way around. I give it a solid 8/10

I honestly cannot believe some of the reviews I have read here about this movie and most of them are by Australians! When it comes to downplaying our history and not giving thanks to the men and women whose sacrifices actually have allowed us the benefit of being able to give an opinion without being dragged from our beds and executed, I honestly used to think Canada held the distinction for being number one, but you guys take the cake.People wanting this to be more like "Saving Private Ryan" or calling it a Propagandist movie? REALLY? The person who said that we should not be bringing up some of the war atrocities by the Japanese really needs to buy a reality check. World War II was not pleasant, it was not what Hollywood made it out to be in the 50's and 60's and the most brutal examples of inhumanity happened in the Pacific Theater, including brutality to the Winnipeg Rifles (Canadians captured while defending Hong Kong) I knew nothing about this engagement before seeing this movie and all I can say is if something like this had happened between U.S. troops and the Japanese there would be hundreds of books and movies regaling us all with the magnificent heroics of the men involved.My hat is off to the first-time director who managed to pull this together and tell a story that REALLY needs to be told. Watching a movie like this or reading a book about it is in a way, an opportunity for the viewer or reader to say THANK YOU to the men that served.To those of you, especially those of you from Australia, who had your sensibilities hurt by it and gave it a low rating, SHAME on you! The movie is worthy of watching if for no other reason than learning about some of the history of World War II.

ojfosterbrown, the only hyperbole here is yours. The statements you take such a dislike to accurately reflect history. The 39th were poorly trained and ill-equipped and Australians did think the Japanese were about to invade.Ralph Honnor and his immediate superiors were screwed by Australian High Command (Blamey) and the "boys" of the 39th were later directly insulted to their faces by Blamey.Ifra, if you think Private Ryan is an ideal to strive for, then you'd better develop a taste for that Chardonnay.Pacific400, I'm no right-winger, but the fact is Japan has consistently refused to acknowledge its heinous crimes in WW2, why shouldn't audiences be shown what went on? Do you object to films showing Nazi crimes? Did you object to the NKVD machine-gunning Soviet grunts in Enemy at the Gates? Yes, let's not forget the great job the US did, they certainly never have, and they have no problem taking credit for others' work (U571), but how many of them know this story? How many of us know this story? Technical quibbles correct. Old .303s were standard, as were new Brens, militia definitely didn't have Thompsons and may not have had Owens, the thing only went into production in 1941 and the militia may not have had first pick of the weapons...As for those saying the movie is missing the Big Picture, this isn't A Bridge Too Far, it shows the Kokoda campaign exactly as experienced by the 39th Bn, a series of small engagements where some cracked and some were heroes and the enemy were "faceless", "mysterious", utterly unknown by Australians, capable of astonishing cruelty and eventually forced into cannibalism.As to those saying we don't make WW2 movies (or TV), try The Last Bullet, The Heroes, The Cowra Breakout, Attack Force Z (with Mel and Sam), Blood Oath, The Rats of Tobruk, Piece of Cake, Kokoda Front Line (academy award-winning documentary filmed where this film is set in the period immediately after - cameraman Damien Parrer died in combat on his return to New Guinea) and Death of a Soldier (even Paradise Road and Map of the Human Heart). What we don't do is make VN or Korean War movies.This movie had its flaws, all movies do, but instead of castigating a first-time director for his lack of budget, castigate the studios for never having told this story before.A war movie that finally showed what it's really like, "green" reservists climbing jungle-covered mountains while suffering from dysentery, malaria, not knowing where the enemy is and being in desperate need of a crap.

A totally pathetic attempt at movie about sacrifices of Australian Soldiers during the New Guinea Campaign. Total waste of money even if you only see it on DVD. Thankfully the video store provided a free weekly hire with the DVD else it would have been a complete waste of money. Probably made by arty types and full of the symbolism that today's Chardonay socialists seem so into. Frankly this movie is an insult to the memory of the brave chaps that never came back. Somebody please provide the funding to make a decent movie at least the equal of Saving Private Ryan. Hopefully the RSL will put as much distance between itself and this movie as possible. The story needs to be told from all sides the Australians, the locals & the Japanese - Although getting the latter to tell the truth about anything that happened during the second world war is highly unlikely. Basically its rubbish, don't see it, don't buy it. Walk away