You are here:

Fires on the Plain

Name: Fires on the Plain
Director: Shinya Tsukamoto
Released: 2015
Duration: 87 min

Representation Score

3.6/10

Limited

2015

Director

Shinya Tsukamoto

Runtime

87 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Shinya Tsukamoto’s film is a visceral study of human endurance that prioritizes existential realism over demographic inclusivity. It succeeds as a cultural critique, deconstructing the myth of wartime heroism and the corruption of imperialist structures. However, the film lacks diversity in traditional categories. The narrative is centered on a homogeneous group of male soldiers, leaving little room for gender, racial, or LGBTQ+ representation within the primary survival arc. Ultimately, the work functions as an anti-authoritarian piece. It trades social representation for a deep, intellectual deconstruction of morality and the physical decay caused by systemic collapse.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Fires on the Plain have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film centers on a group of retreating soldiers in a hyper-masculine environment. There are no characters with LGBTQ+ identities or same-sex relationships.

How does Fires on the Plain portray gender?

Minimal

Women are rarely present in the main survival narrative, appearing mainly as memories. The story focuses on the breakdown of social structures without challenging gender hierarchies.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Fires on the Plain?

Limited

The casting is primarily homogeneous, reflecting the historical Imperial Japanese Army. The narrative emphasizes Japanese soldiers despite the Philippine setting.

How does Fires on the Plain represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The film critically examines the imperialist war machine and military hierarchy. It portrays the erosion of traditional morality due to systemic collapse.

Does Fires on the Plain include disability representation?

Fair

The film does not include characters with disabilities but vividly explores physical and mental trauma. Wasting bodies are used to illustrate the horrors of war.

Present on Screen

Provides a powerful critique of imperialist institutions and the military machine.
Effectively deconstructs traditional notions of wartime heroism and soldierly codes.
Offers a profound exploration of moral relativism during systemic collapse.

Limited or Absent

Lacks representation of diverse gender identities and non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth characters.
Features a homogeneous cast with minimal focus on local ethnic populations.
Provides almost no presence of women as active agents in the narrative.

Official Synopsis

In the final days of World War II, occupying Japanese forces in the Philippines face resistance from the local population and the American offensive. The dwindling Japanese soldiers attempt to survive through the horrors of war.

How are these scores produced? →