a heartwarming family film

Rating: 7/10 (1 February 2016)

I saw it, and I liked it. It is such a good family film with high production values. It is mainly about a child, albeit small for his age, who showed to other people what determinism - or in a more religious perspective, faith - is all about. Sounds cliché and predictable, but what makes this film good is how it was told through a little boy, through his innocence and simplicity. Indeed, much can be learned from a child, despite the character's shortcomings for just being an ordinary boy in the neighborhood. The little boy was bullied for being 'little', and he cannot be even considered smart for his age. The setting was World War II, the time when able-bodied men were sent to war in the Far East. The boy has an older brother who satisfied the age requirement, but wasn't able to make it for being flat-footed. So their father was sent instead, and this was heartbreaking to the little boy.
There was hatred of the Japanese almost everywhere, and well, predictable enough, there was a Japanese living in their village who have sided with the Americans. The vengeance for their father was directed to this Japanese, which lead the brothers in committing a crime. The older brother was imprisoned and being a religious family, the little boy had to serve penance for the delinquency that he has committed. From this part, everything almost revolves around a list and the determination to fulfill what was on the list. The good thing is that this was well-acted and well-directed. If there is something to dislike, then some would probably believe that it is the contrived plot marked with a lot of coincidences. For me, however, these coincidences are pleasant contrivances in a sense that they are used to illustrate something valuable in our humanity. The illustration was compelling in a sense that it was used in context with the innocence of the boy. This made things amusing because the coincidences made him believe in himself for having extraordinary powers. Perhaps the village people are foolish enough for crediting the little boy for the atomic bomb. However, it can also be viewed as words of encouragement to the little boy and a celebration of the coincidence amidst depressing times. There is a lot of humanity in this film. If you believe in a supreme being, you will see faith, and if you do not, you will see determination. The turn of the story at the end can be considered cliché, but then by that time the film had successfully made its point already.
P.S. I also think that this is one of the most underrated films that I have ever seen.