Battlefield Baseball is not exactly what you would call a sane movie. Though, I guess I should back up a minute first.
Baseball movies are almost always feel-good chick flicks. Bull Durham is about romance. Field of Dreams is about hope. The Rookie is a lesson in perseverance. For Love of the Game is about … well, who really knows what that one’s about other than Kevin Costner’s penis is laughable (at least, according to the rumors regarding early test screenings).
But really, who cares? The point is that, ironically enough, baseball movies ultimately aren’t for guys. They’re a way for girls to get guys to watch chick flicks. Except, of course, Major League. That one’s for guys.
Have no fear, though. There’s another that’s totally for guys, if only because, by process of elimination, it’s definitely not for women. As I mentioned in the beginning, it’s not a sane movie. But why is it for guys then? Hit the jump to find out why.
SUPAH TOHNADOH!
Okay, here’s the toughest part of this review: attempting to give a straight enough synopsis of the movie. Here’s my attempt: The principal of Seido High is ready to do anything to have the best baseball team and thus win the High School Baseball Championships; unfortunately, Gedo High, a rival high school, and their zombie maniac team are a big obstacle to all the other high schools. Mainly because they kill everyone during the game.
During the first game between Seido High and Gedo High, most of Seido High team is literally wiped out. By chance, Megane/Four Eyes, one of the few players left alive, discovers that Jubeh, a newly arrived punk student, has the strength, power and a super throw that could match the power of the Gedo High team. Though, Jubeh lost his father previously while playing baseball and now blames himself for this and nothing will convince him to play baseball ever again. Time’s ticking down closer and closer to the rematch with Gedo High, and Four Eyes and the principal must do everything in their power to get Jubeh to join their team. Only when he’s a member will Seido High have a fighting chance at making it out of this game alive … maybe.
Those two paragraphs are more serious than Battlefield Baseball could ever hope to aspire to be. The movies is essentially the Japanese baseball equivalent of Shaolin Soccer, except more absurd. A lot more absurd.
Which really works well for the movie. Yudai Yamaguchi, recognizes that he’s got a low-budget film, and rolls with it. Apparently based off of a hit manga (though truthfully, the crazy level hits even higher than you can think), the film uses a completely over the top style for the overall presentation and this aspect is very well executed. Well, at least for those who like this style as people who don’t appreciate silly and slapstick jokes probably won’t enjoy it very much. To fit the animated style, the story is fast paced, the characters look hilarious and the action scenes are hyper and totally unbelievable. Most of the film’s aesthetics are extreme and ridiculous, but is obviously meant to look this way, and that is exactly what makes it enjoyable to watch.
Tak Sakaguchi, star of Versus, plays the role of Jubeh. His dark and lone hero style really matches the looks of what, conceptually, Jubeh should be. Highly skilled in multiple forms of martial arts in real life, Sakaguchi manages to show off his stuff in a few scenes. As always, he remains totally cool and charismatic, and there’s a certain amount of humor seeing him playing it straight (for the most part) in a movie where everyone else (and yes, I mean everyone) is hamming it up.
Most of the characters have a very distinctive funny design that can’t be taken seriously. The funny aspects really help in compensating for the pretty low acting level of most of the actors in the film. A hilarious contrast is when Sakaguchi will randomly break out into a song narrating his life and tribulations. Honestly though, maybe he shouldn’t have put that baseball through his father.
Fighting Baseball. Players being hit so hard that their skin flies off. Family reunions. A character regressing in age with each subsequent appearance of him. Legalized murder. Cyborg revivals. These are just a few of the things that you’ll encounter in Battlefield Baseball. It’s absurd for absurdity’s sake. It relishes in this fact. It never tries to take itself seriously. That’s a good thing. It’s not even close to what any competent person would probably say is a good film, but it’s definitely an incredibly fun one. The individual components might be fairly weak, but together, they form a fairly strong chain. Kick back with some friends, crack open a beer or two, and have fun.
Oh, and I almost forgot-happy birthday, Cloe!