Perhaps a subtle anti war movie, Desperado Outpost is clearly ahead of its time for character development and story of flawed corruption and distinct honor. This would be the first of several similar themed war themed films directed by one of my all time favorite directors, Kihachi Okamoto. His experience in the Japanese Air Force during World War II would have lasting impact on his life as shown through his career with his anti-war stance while portraying the absurdity of it, as demonstrated through some of the outrageous situations that play out between Desperado Outpost and future films.

For the plot, the movie plays out more as a Japanese western set in Northern China during World War II. Makato Sato plays Okubo, an extremely likable deserter posing as a military reporter searching the truth regarding his brother’s suicide. He goes to a military camp closest to the one where his brother was stationed. There he meets the reluctant, newly appointed battalion commander Fujioka, played by Tadoa Nakamaru. He directs Okubo to where his brother was stationed, Desperado Outpost, assuring him he won’t learn anything more about what happened to his brother. Despite the warning, Okubo is determined and skeptical as he moves onward. Along the way, he runs into an old flame, Tomi (played by Izumi Yukimura). She is rooming with the camp prostitutes and is determined to marry Okubo, despite the circumstances. He also encounters Manchurian bandits, whose leaders are played by the always great Koji Tsuruta and Misa Uhera. Throughout his journey, he must evade Chinese military forces that have orders to shoot on sight. Eventually, he reaches Desperado Outpost, where he meets the remaining base commander, Ishii (played by Ichiro Nakatani), and a group of bored, hungry misfits. It is there that he begins to realize there is more to his brother’s death than he first believed, with the mystery gradually unfolding.

Overall it’s a well-paced story with a strong mystery. We are entertained by cast members whose roles range from fighting the boredom of war to fighting for their lives. Okamoto seems to always have a rich way of telling a story that was ahead of its time compared to many mainstream films around the globe. He carefully crafted and took human emotion to a level not seen in many typical Japanese films of the period, or even films in general of the period. The action when it happens is quick, sometimes savage, yet filled with intensity and a certain absurdity given the situation while carefully not glorifying the actions taken. As stated, it’s essentially an adventure styled after an American Western, with it’s setting taking place in WWII. There are moments that do not glorify the cause. In fact, if anything they mock its absurdity. For example, in one sequence, Nakamura’s battalion commander shoots people for fun until Okubo stops him from shooting a young woman. Then, the previously shot old man gets up, and runs off, faking being shot, which delights Okubo but angers the commander. This gives the film a lighter approach to the subjects without necessarily disrespecting the nature of it.

There are many light moments due to the developing personalities of the characters whose chemistry feels ahead of its time. In the first act we have Sato’s Sergeant Okubo, who keeps an open mind which provides rich interactions between him and the rest of the characters, such as Tadao Nakamaru playing the first camp battalion commander. The commander makes you feel uneasy at times because you aren’t quite sure of his initial intentions. Okuno plays well against this commander’s reluctant, untrustworthy nature. The true reward of chemistry comes from Okubo and Ishii.  Even the battalion commander claims, “I have a hard time figuring Ishii out,” which in part makes Ishii more memorable. He seems very optimistic and dedicated to the cause. He knows more than he lets on, but the back and forth between him and Okubo is rewarding development between the two characters who start out on a rough patch, especially when Ishii has secrets he intends on keeping. However, both men share the same dedication and optimism, which provides fun interactions between their respective characters. The best comedy comes from the garrison played by Sachiro Sakai, Nadoa Kirino and Mickey Curtis who give the most clownish responses to the situations around them. This plays well against the men who take their job extremely seriously, specifically Niwa, played by Yosuke Natski.

One thing to take away is that there are quite a few characters that leave an impression. Tomi is another example as a delightfully determined female character who carries herself as best she can with some lighthearted results. Her angle is to stay beside Okubo, although he is more occupied with his brother’s death than the prospect of marrying. While this may sound cold to some, he still gives her signs that he does care, such as leaving her a large sum of money and keeping her out of harm’s way the best he can in a war-torn environment. We get a special appearance by Toshiro Mifune, playing a former battalion commander who lost his sense of reality due to shell shock. Although this was played for laughs during the time. It may come across as a bit too brash today, given the knowledge and increased sympathy toward PTSD and shell shock.

From an acting standpoint, everyone shines here. It’s strongly refreshing to see faces from tokusatsu films get a chance to really perform in ways a lot of fans never see them. Okamoto precisely directs his characters at their best taking full advantage of the actors’ abilities and ensuring the talent of the actors and actresses was not neglected. His approach to the battle scenes is equally effective. Unlike many Toho war films, Okamoto avoids lingering on extended combat sequences, instead presenting them with a raw immediacy that balances excitement with the ever-present tragedy of war. It’s a restrained style that complements the film’s anti-war themes and makes each confrontation feel all the more impactful.

For the music, Okamoto’s go to composer, Masaru Sato (my personal favorite Godzilla composer) provides the score. While not exactly his most memorable (compared to his kaiju work, Akira Kurosawa fare and 1966’s Sword of Doom), the score still supports the strong tone for Desperado Outpost‘s atmosphere, shifting from somber to triumph while also incorporating a mix of Western tunes.

There’s very little negative I can really say. It’s everything I want to see in a film in general. It accomplishes in areas where other Toho features have a hard time doing, which is properly balancing its comedy, action, story structure, drama with a hint of romance (the tragic kind) and most of all, strong, consistent character development.