Review of The Bird People in China (1998) by Reid V — 12 Nov 2011

For those who question Miike's versatility, I present Exhibit A, The Bird People in China. Genre-bending, insightful and poetic, this film displays the great humanistic touches that contradict Miike's reputation as hyper violent and sexual filmmaker.

Bird People begins as a quirky, gently comic adventure story and gradually morphs into an intriguing exploration of the very nature of human emotion, loaded with symbolism, a deep, true warmth and some utterly terrific imagery. To analyze the film's rabid lust-for-life philosophy and examine the complexities of the script would take another article entirely, but in short, Miike's wild directorial flair continually pushes the question of whether technological progress, modern day civility and even spoken language itself are adversaries or allies to man's untamed desire to be free. This is achieved through a variety of reasons, but a few worth mentioning: the graceful nature in which it was shot, and Miike's trademark humor--self-deprecating, occasionally misanthropic and surreal, but ultimately biting.

Perhaps what I liked most about the film was that it resisted the urge to draw a line in the sand with regards to the themes it developed. Is the film for or against the influx of technology and modernization? I think you can make a good case for both sides. That wisely keeps The Bird People in China from being too moralizing, and more... well, human.