Review of Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale - Part 1: The Sun Flag (2011) by Dave C — 03 Jun 2013

Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale (2012) "Sàidékè balái" (original title): Finally a film that deals with the indigenous/aboriginal/tribal people of Taiwan and focuses on the invaders of the island and the horrific tragedies that befell those native peoples resulting in the nigh extinction of their kind due to the first ever use of 'Poison Gas Warfare' in South East Asia.

.. heads roll in this film like you've never seen before, not an easy sight for those viewers who have weak stomachs, but this is the reality of WAR and it's bitter tasting after-effects! I admire the Directors perseverance because this movie almost never reached fruition and was inhibited and delayed by all sorts of hitches along the way.

A definite must see film for all those viewers interested in Taiwan, War in the Pacific Theater and how these incidents involving the Japanese, Taiwanese and Seediq peoples have led to the resulting stand-off situation that persists like a nasty water-blister to this very day! Unsettling and rather long-winded and drawn-out some might say at a whopping 2hrs30mins [or even 4hr FULL VERSION], but how else would you expect to broach this massive yet little known or exposed situation? There was no other way round it but to dive in head first and see what could be created to represent the facts as best as humanly possible, on film would allow! Full marks on that point, so I really hope this film get's more exposure internationally in the long run because "WARRIORS OF THE RAINBOW: SEEDIQ BALE" deserves to be seen and absorbed by audiences.

It needs to be pondered on as it offers much "food for thought" in this day and age. For those enthusiasts on the topic, Taiwanese Metal band ChthoniC [?? aka Shan-Ling] first brought the topic of this film to my attention years ago, with their fantastic album "????? / Seediq Bale" back in 2005.

Had it not been for THAT album, I would be just as naive on this subject today as I was back then [...and as most people around the world remain] to this day! A heavy film, but ultimately a welcome piece of art that brings reality to those of us who weren't there to experience what happened in 1945.

Sadly the film has seen limited Cinema exposure in Theatres from April 27th, 2012 until now but will hopefully gain steam since it's DVD release, August 7th, 2012. Keep your eyes peeled for Director Te-Sheng Wei's massive Epic, definitely a Director I shall keep my eye on in future as well! [SCORE: 95/100%].