2 February 2007

Kokoda: 39th Battalion is one of the those film's that's undergone a slight title change for export, expanded from the more singular Kokoda so that those not familiar with its subject matter will at least have an idea of the genre in which it sits. Then again, I don't remember Gallipoli, also an Australian film whose focus was a WW2 battle in which the odds were stacked against the Australian soldiers. But I digress. The press release details the film thus:

A small platoon of reservist Australian soldiers have been sent as an advanced patrol up the Kokoda trail – a critical supply line that separates Australia from full blown invasion. After sustained bombardment from the Japanese, the men are cut off from their supply lines. Isolated in the jungle behind enemy lines, they must make their way back through the most unforgiving terrain on earth to reunite with the main body of Australian troops.

After three days without food or sleep, carrying their wounded and suffering the horrifying effects of dysentery and malaria, they emerge from the jungle exhausted to the point of collapse. But on learning that Isurava is about to fall they pick themselves up and rejoin the battle...

Inspired by real events and the Kokoda / Isurava memorial inscription of 'courage, mateship, endurance and sacrifice', Kokoda: 39th Battalion evokes the visceral and terrifying realities of warfare and their devastating effects on the human condition.

What isn't mentioned here is that Kokoda was made not by a studio or veteran filmmakers, but a group of graduates from the Australian Film and Television School over a period of two years and was the feature debut for director Alister Grierson, director of photography Jules O'Loughlin and editor Adrian Rostirolla, amongst others.

Kokoda failed to secure a UK cinema release – period war movies are out of fashion again – but is coming to UK rental DVD on Monday 4th February from High Fliers Films, which will be followed on 10th March by a retail DVD release from Showbox Home Entertainment at the RRP of £12.99. No details are available yet on the picture, sound or extras, but we'll update when we have them. Reviews are a little thin on the ground but have generally been positive, Urban Cinefile describing it as "a stirring and valuable tribute - and a fine piece of cinema," while Infilm Australia remarked that the film "honours well the men who fought this campaign." We await with interest.