Film: Prisoner of War

It may be spooky season,  but for me, a good action film is always in season. What caught my interest about Prisoner of War was that it is a war drama that stars Scott Adkins. Adkins, a well-known UK action actor/stuntman, is best known for sprinkling his particular set of skills in some of the best action films in recent years (see John Wick 4). His movies are not only full of great action,  but he has proven to be a great actor as well. (Again, John Wick 4, I was blown away by his character.) So, in reality, Prisoner of War, the new film by Louis Mandylor, is the perfect film for him. It’s everything you want in an action film. It has a robust, dramatic story, intriguing characters, and some impressive and brilliantly shot action sequences.

Prisoner of War takes place in the mid-1940s, on the Pacific front during World War II. A British pilot, Wing Commander James Wright (Adkins), is shot down and captured by Japanese forces. He is then taken to an internment camp run by Lieutenant Colonel Benjiro Ito (Peter Shinkoda). With courage and inner strength, Wright and the other captives find ways to fight for their freedom from Ito and the camp itself.

Most WWII movies focus on battles and destruction in Europe, while many stories from the Pacific front get lost to history. Prisoner of War makes sure at least one story doesn’t go quietly. I was intrigued, for sure, but I wasn’t expecting it to be as emotional as it is.

It wasn’t just about the harrowing experiences POWs received as captivates. It’s no secret that the violent treatment of POWs is considered a war crime, but it’s a different beast when that treatment includes fighting for your survival against expert, well-rested adversaries. Lt Col Ito found entertainment in using the men under his command to demoralize his prisoners, that is, until Wright was transferred to his camp. Wright wasn’t just your run-of-the-mill British SAS officer; his background was varied, which included being trained in Japanese and other Eastern fighting styles. With Adkins cast as Wright, Prisoner of War became an entirely different type of war film.

Blending real-world events with powerful martial arts choreography was a unique experience for this Adkins fan. It utilized action as an element within the emotional plot, and not as a vehicle for adrenaline. Even the intention behind the action is unique to this film. On one side, Ito’s soldiers, the action has a sense of enjoyment and pride, while on the other side, the prisoners are participating in the violence as survival. 

Since Adkins is an actor who does many of his own stunts, the filmmakers of Prisoner of War have the unique opportunity to pull back the camera and allow the action and emotion to play out in front of the audience. They didn’t have to worry about quick cuts to hide the transition from actor to stunt team, which means more focus was placed on the story developing between Ito, Wright, and the other POWs. It’s for this reason that the film will stand the test of time and will, or should, be included in the list of well-made, well-told war films.

Another way this action movie is proving to be more than what it out-worldly appears is how it was shot. Mandylor and his cinematographer, Niccolò de la Fère, allowed the emotion to seep into the screen through their choice of a muted golden color film palette. The gold emits a sense of warmth and love for those who gave so much for the world we now thrive in. For me, that color palette, along with the action sequences, makes this action film stand out from the rest. 

Prisoner of War is full of action sequences that are felt through the cinematography. In other films, the focus has been on the beauty of violence, but in Prisoner of War, it’s something different. In this film, the way the sequences are shot focuses on discipline and intention. There was a reason for the action, a deliberate motive for the violence, and when you have an objective to the brutality, the outcome is an intense reflection of what is all at stake.

While I have to admit, this isn’t the exact film I was expecting, I’m grateful I was privileged enough to view it. I also want to see Adkins in more films like this. This film didn’t exploit his impressive martial arts background, but instead allowed his talent to add depth to the story. It is a film that focuses on a practitioner instead of a practitioner dictating the story. Prisoner of War is the perfect vehicle for Adkins, but it’s also a good film. This film is full of heart, not just wonderful action.

Prisoner of War is available for UK streaming on October 6th and a DVD and Blu-Ray on November 10th.

Written by Lisa M Mejia
Images provided by Strike Media