Higuchi Shinji’s Lorelei may have the typical elements of a submarine movie (depth charges exploding, steely-jawed captain grimacing), but is nonetheless a genre stand-out.
Produced by Fuji TV’s Chihiro Kameyama - the Japanese Jerry Bruckheimer, who was also responsible for the megahit Bayside Shakedown films - Lorelei is the first Japanese film of its kind in nearly five decades. It is not for a lack of stories: in World War II, Japanese submarines engaged the enemy hundreds of times. But of the 174 subs that fought in the war, 128 did not survive it. In other words, not many happy endings.
Based on a best-selling novel by Fukui Harutoshi, Lorelei finesses inconvenient historical facts by a frank resort to "what if" fantasy. The starring sub, the I-507, is a gift of the dying Nazi empire to the Japanese navy in the closing days of the war. It is equipped with imaging technology far in advance of the era’s primitive sonar - and is a manga-esque invention.
The script by Suzuki Satoshi (Spellbound) verges on the over-obvious, just as the film’s premise verges on the incredible. As Commander Masami, Yakusho Koji keeps all afloat with a strong, but low-key performance that redeems even some of the clunkier lines. His Masami is a man sick of war, resigned to his certain defeat. He does the stern sub commander act to perfection, but has human affections, human flaws.
The supporting players look like a crew who have been through hell together. One reason may have been the grueling shoot on a full-scale mock-up that looks realistically cramped and stifling. Even the American sailors are reasonably life-like - not the usual caricatures found in Japanese war movies.
Director Higuchi, an effects specialist, and his team may not have had a Hollywood budget, but their I-507 is a swift, dark, muscular thing of beauty. Also, the depth charge explosions, with camera shakes by cinematographer Sato Akira and sonic booms by Skywalker Sound, are appropriately stomach-churning and teeth-rattling. Find a good, close seat, grab your armrests - and take the plunge.