Review of Kokoda (2006) by David G — 28 Jun 2011

Being a fan of the genre, I'm always on the lookout for obscure war films and this is one of the better examples, a tale of an Australian "choco" (reserve) section who find themselves cut off during the Japanese assault down the Kokoda Track in New Guinea in 1942.

This type of "behind enemy lines" story is by no means new to the war genre and the film does plod along rather slowly with characters who aren't exactly as fleshed out as they could be, but it well depicts the horrors of the Pacific War, not just the bloodshed but the nastiness of malaria and dysentery and the constant struggle against the terrain and climate.

First and foremost it's great to see a film that acknowledges the heroism and sacrifice made by the Australians during the war in the east, brave men who were fighting for the very survival of their nation long before the almighty US Marines arrived.