"Wallamaloo, you stupid bastard!"
In 1942 a battalion of poorly trained and ill equipped, conscripted Australian soldiers (named Chocos, as they were expected to melt under the heat of battle) were left to hold against the advancing Japanese army on the Kokoda trail in New Guinea. This is the story of one platoon's desperate fight to survive.
Rather ridiculously, Australia seems to be a forgotten force in WWII as far as the rest of the world is concerned and it's good to see a film about the large contribution that they made in the Pacific. What is a shame however is that the film sank without a trace and there are only three reviews on letterboxd - so let's sort that out, eh?.
A decent war film full of small acts of heroism, cowardice, terror, brutality, sweat, overheating Bren guns, moments of peace, comradeship, ultra-cool uniforms, stubbornness, sudden death, dirt, rain, hats, and above all the will to survive. The pacing is a little slow at times but it's well shot with tight, claustrophobic camera-work, good performances and a very nice sound design. Kokoda is a film that deserves way more exposure than it got.
"Courage Endurance Mateship Sacrifice"
Original letterboxd review
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