Masahiro Motoki plays Wada, a company representative on a business trip to a remote area of China where a potential jade mine has been found. Unreachable by road or train, Wada has to take to foot and raft to reach his goal. He is accompanied by Shen, his guide (wonderfully animated by Mako), and Ujiie a rather obnoxious member of the Yakuza. Ujiie’s gang is owed money by Wada’s company and he joins the expedition to find out whether the debts can be repaid from the proceeds of the jade. He spends much of the journey bullying Wada.

The first half of the film follows the progress of the expedition as the group encounter various obstacles along the way. Through these short episodes the dynamics of the group are developed but these also provide many comic interludes that keep the film entertaining. Wada is constantly tormented by Ujiie’s cruel streak which is never far from the surface. Ujiie himself is struggling with inner demons that come to the fore in the film’s tense climax.

Eventually the group reach their destination; a small village beyond the reach of modern society where the villagers follow a strange tradition of teaching their children the theories of flying using artificial wings. Whether these theories actually work in practice is not known and Wada discovers that the origins of the tradition come from a very surprising source. Both Wada and Ujiie become enamoured with the beauty of their surroundings, realising that their lives have been tainted by modern society. They also both realise that any attempts to mine the jade will mean the end of the village and the destruction of one of the last preserves of older and simpler ways.

The scenery used in the film is quite breathtaking and the cinematography is masterful. Takashi Miike employs a light comic touch throughout the film that is typical of his style but its almost hard to imagine that this was lensed by the same man responsible for ‘Ichi the Killer’ or ‘Dead or Alive’. Apart from a single bloody action scene (which is fantastic for its excess and also clever use of lighting) and a tense climax this is not a thriller at all but a thought provoking and sensitive film.

Wada (Masahiro Motoki) a Japanese salary man is sent to China to survey a remote village for a strain of Jade. On his way to China he meets Ujiie (Renji Ishibashi) a Yakuza who collects debts. Ujiie forces Wada to take him along on his journey with the intention of collecting the Jade for his organization. Their guide once they arrive in China is Shen (Mako Iwamatsu) who leads them to this peaceful village that has the jade. Once there they become enchanted with the surroundings and don’t want to leave.

The Bird People in China opens with a brief back story for Wada that is shown in a frantic pacing we have come to expect from Takashi Miike. The film once the lead character arrives in China moves slows down to show the difference between Japanese and Chinese cultures. Shot on location Miike captures the essence of the scenic mountains and green landscapes as his camera observes everything as it unfolds which submerges the viewer into this world he has created. Miike strips everything down to their bare essentials focusing more on story then visuals.

The most violent scene in the film comes in the form of a dream/flashback when Mr. Ujiie is cornered by several men in a car garage. What ensues is the type of moment we have come to expect from a Miike film as Ujiie and his attacks battle out in a flurry of bullets. This scene precedes Ujiie’s breakdown which happens after he sadistically hacks a turtle in little pieces. Miike during this scene keeps the violence towards the turtle off screen, still the scene retains all of its power and it is a disturbing scene that I found hard to stomach.

Wada went to this remote village in search of their jade only to find out that the real treasure is this undiscovered place. The overall tone of this film is one of Miike’s most light hearted works. He has proven that he can work in comedy, drama, action or horror genres through out his career. Those who have not been convinced of Miike’s talents as a filmmaker will have no doubt after watching The Bird People of China. Through his diversity and craftsmanship Miike proves that he is one of cinema’s most visionary filmmakers working in film today.

Review: Easily one of the most prolific directors of our time, Takashi Miike has proven again and again that he is a powerful force to be reckoned with. He has the ability to turn a low budget, and potentially worthless picture, into a gem. Whether by the use of excessive sex and violence, or through mature and competent storytelling, Miike turns heads. That’s a fact, like it or not.

Fans of Takashi Miike seem to know him more from his extreme efforts and sometimes they can be unsure how to react to a movie like THE BIRD PEOPLE IN CHINA. The Miike fan base has grown significantly over the last couple years, largely because of films like the DEAD OR ALIVE trilogy, ICHI THE KILLER, and the infamous FUDOH. Because of this, expectations develop and can easily cloud your viewing experience if his film isn’t totally excessive.

Spawned from a novel by Makoto Shiina and adapted for the screen by Masa Nakamura, THE BIRD PEOPLE IN CHINA sums up much of Miikes' talent to create one of his most compelling works to date. The rate at which he matured since the original V-cinema days is more than obvious if it had not been previously with films such as KENKA NO HANIMACHI and RAINY DOG (only to be surpassed later on by YOUNG THUGS: NOSTALGIA, AUDITION, AGITATOR, and GRAVEYARD OF HONOR).

Gone are the bloody limbs, gratuitous sex and black humor. All that remains is pure, untainted content with a new approach (at the time) by an outstanding crew in a far off place. This is the real thing folks, a real quality film with a new depiction of a traveling theme between many Miike movies – a man in a foreign land forced to contemplate his surroundings, and to seek the very depths of his soul in finding of himself.

As we adventure with Wada, Ujiie, and Shen through China in search for another place to desecrate and industrialize, we are able to sympathize with the characters’ emotions easily. Initially we understand the greed for this potential jade mine, then we see the village near the mine and its inhabitants and feel compelled to put a stop to the evil. The people of the village are above us and are at peace with themselves, which is ultimately the reason they can “fly.” Ujiie finds himself helplessly drawn to the simplicity of things and Wada secretly begins to question his own plans to invade the village.

Masahiro Motoki‘s (GONIN, GEMINI) portrayal of Wada was almost too convincing. As we follow his character through the mountains of China we can clearly see the deterioration of his sense of supposed normalcy. The materialistic needs begin to shatter and his desire for the contrived, polluted world begins to dissipate. Although for Wada this happened at a much slower rate than that of Ujiie, who was excellently played by Renji Ishibashi (DORA-HEITA, 47 RONIN). Ujiee’s need to escape the yakuza life must have been in the back of his mind all along, which eventually becomes more than obvious after he violently tries to put a stop to the discovery and standardization of his new found, secluded love. With these two strong actors, the story unfolds with a copious amount of believability. It should also be noted that the choice to cast Mako (best known for his roles in the CONAN films) was a wise one. Without him, this would have been a whole different movie.

Surely, making the film was an arduous journey full of many difficulties to both the cast and crew. Luckily, the great Koji Endo and Hideo Yamamoto give their signature contributions once again to a Miike film. Endo’s score is beautiful and suiting; Yamamoto’s photography is able to capture the beautiful landscapes of China with ease.

Hailed as an adult fairytale, THE BIRD PEOPLE IN CHINA helps us to momentarily live out each of our own fantasies of a simple life. Rarely does one get something out of a film, and because of this I am thankful. A sentimental, emotional stroll through our hearts’ desire sounds appealing, doesn’t it?

Wada, A harried Japanese businessman is sent to a remote Chinese village to investigate a jade mine, along with a surly yakuza member named Ujiie (this is a Miike film, after all) and their slightly addled guide, Shen. As they make their way to the village, leaving the modern world behind, they find themselves drawn to the simpler, quieter life and into a mystery surrounding a young girl who is teaching the village children how to fly.

Miike's not above putting messages in his films - even his more outrageous titles might deal with some issues - and this time around it's a commentary on the modern world and it's tendency to rob life of its spice and vigor, as well as its potential for corruption. For Wada and Ujiie, the trip to the village represents, both literally and figuratively, a trip back to their roots, to a more basic and fulfilling existence that is far removed from the materialism, wealth, and power represented by urban living.

Unlike the Miike films you may know and love, The Bird People In China keeps it subtle and understated throughout, with only the occasional quirkiness thrown in (i.e. the turtle-powered raft the characters use to make it across a flooded river). And once they make it to the village, it's easy to understand why the characters would become so enamored with it. The Chinese landscape, as captured by award-winning cinematographer Hideo Yamamoto, is absolutely breathtaking.

There are a few moments when the emotional gist of the film falls a bit flat, especially concerning the transformation of Ujiie. At times, the film becomes too understated for its own good, resulting in moments that should be slightly more emphatic emotionally not quite having the heft they could've had. However, it's quite refreshing to see that Miike is quite capable of a gentler touch, of producing something quite unlike the more sadistic stuff that has the entire cult film world in love with him. Even with its flaws, The Bird People In China is downright heart-tugging compared to Miike's usual fare.

Japanese businessman Wada (Masahiro Motoki- Gemini) is assigned to investigate a potentially lucrative vein of jade in a remote Chinese mountain village in the Yu Nan providence. His anxiety, a combination of his anxiousness to please with the assignment and being in a strange unfamiliar place, is compounded when a yakuza, Ujiie (Renji Ishibashi- The Sea is Watcing), tags along. Ujiie claims that Wada's company owes his organization money and that they are trying to keep the jade mine a secret so they can continue to stall the payoff. It is Ujiie's job to shadow Wada and see if the mine is as valuable as it is rumored to be.

After undertaking the arduous journey (which includes fragile minivans on muddy back roads, torrential downpours, losing all of their luggage, a night spent eating some hallucinogenic mushrooms, and traveling across raging waters on a small raft pulled by turtles) with their guide, Mr. Shen (Mako), the duo find themselves briefly stranded in the remote village. There, the elder, shellshocked, Ujiie instantly warms to the idyllic lifestyle. Wada curiously unravels a village fable involving the ability for people to fly. As their time draws closer to leave, each has been won over by this calm paradise, and the question is raised whether this paradise will be ruined by the inevitable progress from the jade mine.

Based on a novel by Mako Shiina, Bird People in China has touches of the fanciful, but remains more grounded than its title may have you think. It is much more a magical realism vein. The fantasy is right there in the uncharted location, a remote barely touched land, and how it contrasts with an increasingly urban world. Though there are places like it that still exist, it feels unreal in this day and age. The film puts you in that same pace as a Werner Herzog film, particularly the likes of Fitcarraldo, where civilization barely makes a dent against the raw natural order.

While this sort of tale of man and nature may sound a little too rudimentary on the surface, Miike manages to invest the film with enchantment, heart, and only one, well handled, preachy scene near the end that argues the pros and cons of modernization. By the finale, it does make a fair assessment and doesn't espouse to either side, but it does suggest that places like the village will be magical for those that are openly seeking it out and that, with some hope and a little magic, a balance could be found between the worlds...

Conclusion: Wonderful film, full of humor, heart, winning characters, and a beguiling setting. ..

Masahiro Motoki is Wada, a Japanese salaryman sent by his company to a remote part of China to investigate a potentially large jade deposit near a small village. As he meets up with his guide (played by the great Mako), Wada is joined by yakuza thug Ujiie (Renji Ishibashi) who is charged with seeing that Wada's company pays their debts. The journey is long and arduous, with a few comedic and perilous surprises along the way. But nothing compares with what they find when they finally reach their destination. In a village virtually isolated from the outside world, Wada and Ujiie discover a place of great beauty and innocence, a place where dreams seem real and the bird people live.

Miike masterfully weaves mystery and wonder among reality to give Bird People a sense of otherworldliness without actually dipping into pure fantasy. The lead characters begin as Japanese stereotypes, but evolve into people of greater depth and resolve. Wada is the prototype businessman with his nose ever in his work who becomes enchanted with a village girl who trains small children to fly and sings the haunting English folk song "Annie Laurie" for reasons that become clear as her story unfolds. Ujiie is a man tortured by nightmares of yakuza violence who falls in love with this untouched village and eventually vows to protect it from development, despite what the villagers might want. What starts out as an adventure to find a treasure trove of raw jade becomes a study of what is truly important in life and the need for myth and dreams in a world overrun by rational and often jaded modernity.

The Bird People in China ends appropriately with an image that suggests that myth will survive and reality may be no more than what we make of it. Whether you want to believe it or not doesn't matter. If for only two hours, it becomes possible to be drawn into a mysterious and faraway place where light humor, stunning cinematography in a lush outdoor setting, and memorable characters come together in an unforgettable experience.