Soldiers of the Far East(2021 War Film)

Soldiers of the Far East is a 2021 British-Australian live-action/historical war film loosely based on Children of the New Forest by Frederick Marryat. It stars George Smith, Blake Richardson, Reece Bibby, Brad Simpson, Connor Ball, James McVey, Tristan Evans, Luke Hemmings, Calum Hood, Michael Clifford and Ashton Irwin. James McVey serves as the narrator and George Smith serves as the protagonist of the film.

Plot
Lieutenant General James McCartney(James McVey), a WW2 veteran narrates the story. The year was 1942, a British 14-year-old sergeant, George MacArthur(George Smith) was sent to Singapore to fight the Japanese in the Battle of Singapore. There, he met Edward Richardson(Blake Richardson), a 17-year-old sergeant major and Richard Brown(Reece Bibby), a 19-year-old lieutenant.

They fought the Imperial Japanese forces for 7 days until their lieutenant general, Arthur Percival(Ian McKellen), surrendered to the Japanese. George, Edward and Richard were soon captured and were sent to prison camps. Along with the other soldiers in the army. They soon met more soldiers from the army. John Morrison(Connor Ball), a Scottish 15-year-old private, William Smith(Brad Simpson), a British 15-year-old corporal, James McCartney, a British 25-year-old lieutenant general, Charles Evans(Tristan Evans), a British 24-year-old lieutenant, Robert Lee(Luke Hemmings), an Australian 23-year-old captain, Rongo Brown(Calum Hood), a Maori 22-year-old colonel, Clifford Jones(Michael Clifford), an Australian 23-year-old sergeant and Aaron Fletcher(Ashton Irwin), an Australian 25-year-old major general.

They soon got to know each other in the prison camp known as Changi prison. Despite being constantly being beaten up by the Japanese. They saw everything happening in front of them as POWs in Singapore, from Japanese soldiers shooting blindfolded Sikh men from India, too being malnourished themselves. Especially George who was still a young teen. He started getting sick more easily and was becoming weak. Edward, Richard and the other friends in the prison camp tried to look after him despite the horrible conditions they were in.

Soon, Imperial Japanese forces invaded Burma and decided on a project that will kill tons of Australians, Dutch, British and Indians. They will make them build the Thai-Burma war cemetery. Edward and Richard went spying on them without being caught while William and John tried to look after George. Edward and Richard came back to their shed and told their POW mates everything.

That they have to go up north from Singapore, to Malaysia and to Thailand. They wouldn't be airlifted but they would have to be transported by train there. According to James, this was the worst event that had ever happened and wouldn't bare to see every Aussie and British suffer while building the bridge. Also George was so weak he was in no condition to build the railway. Robert said that he would try to find somewhere to escape and go back to Australia so that George would get proper healthcare.

Everyone was scared, scared that the Japanese would found him and execute him like what happened to those Sikh Indians. But this left Robert with no choice so he went off and escaped. A few days later, he was caught by the Japanese, blindfolded and was taken to a field. All the POWs(especially the main ones) saw what happened to him. He was shot dead by a Japanese man. Everyone was scared.

One day, all of the prisoners of war in Changi were sent to Thailand to build the infamous death railway. It was tough and scary. James told the audience that it was the worst event that has happened while he was in the military since he was 18. Nobody was able to survive the project. During the process, many prisoners of war suffered during the construction. Edward saw George's health deteriorate and was falling ill and exhausted.

They started building the railway. Nobody knew what day was it, what month or year was it during the construction. A year later, the railway was completed but George fell severely ill he passed out feeling exhausted. Edward and Richard took him to their trailer followed by John, William, James, Charles, Rongo, Clifford and Aaron whom they shared it with. They needed to find a hospital for him to be treated before they will be liberated.

Luckily, Rongo was trained as a military medic so he knew what to do. As soon as he treated George, he is conscious again but still didn't feel good. Richard then said that George will go back to his parents once the war is over but George later blurted that his parents were killed in action. There was still a battle going on back in their home in Britain and many people were killed. Edward decided that he will adopt George after the war hoping that his illness will be gone.

The year is soon 1945, George turned 17, Edward turned 20, Richard turned 22, John turned 18, William also turned 18, James turned 28, Charles turned 27, Rongo turned 25, Clifford also turned 25 and Aaron turned 28. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki caused the Japanese to surrender and every country the Japanese have occupied were liberated. The prisoners of war who survived are able to go back to their homes.

Rongo, Clifford and Aaron went back to Australia while the others went back to Britain. James told the audience that throughout the 3 years of suffering in prison camps, he and his mates have survived the odds. He then said that he, Richard, Edward, John, William and Charles have adopted George as their own son. They sent him to a veteran's hospital the next day where George has been treated. He was diagnosed with cholera after approximately a few years of malnutrition.

The veteran doctors were shocked when the POWs who care for George managed to remain healthy after suffering in horrible conditions in the far east for 3 years. He soon felt better and was taken home by his new family. Afterwards, James told the audience that he has been living a civilian life since the war and that he lived with his fellow POW mates. The film didn't end there yet.

20 years later, George has been suffering from mental health issues. So much he requested to go to Thailand to see the railway. At first, Edward rejected because he had heard from Rongo, Clifford and Aaron that they were fighting a war in Southeast Asia at the time. The Second Indochina War or known to the Americans, the Vietnam War. James helped the audience defined the Vietnam War saying that it is an Indochina war where Communists from the North wanted to get the Americans out of South Vietnam. But the Americans got help by the South Korean, Australian, New Zealand, Lao, Cambodian, Thai and Filipino armies supported by the Taiwanese, Brazilian and Malaysian army. They all tried their best to defend Saigon but failed.

But George insisted to go to Thailand so the hardest decision is to go there. Even though there is a communist regime going on there too. George, Edward, Richard, John, William, James and Charles went to Kanchanaburi, Thailand and founded the war cemetery. They discovered that their old friend, Robert's grave is there instead in Singapore where he was executed. While talking to each other, John founded the Japanese man who mistreated them. His name is revealed to be Hyousuke Gyakutai-Tekina.

Hyousuke became familiar with the men he imprisoned and abused in Singapore and apologised. George then got mad, he punched him to the ground. He then said that he doesn't deserve to be forgiven as he abused and mistreated his people. Later, Richard apologised to Hyousuke stating that George has been suffering from mental health issues after falling ill in the camp. Hyousuke himself apologised and confessed that everyone in the Imperial Japanese Army has been brainwashed and forced vulnerable Australian, British, Dutch, Indian and New Zealand prisoners into labour. They left the war cemetery and went to their resort so that George could control himself and not let emotions take over him.

A few days later, George later recovered from his trauma in support of his new family and forgave Hyousuke himself. His family of fellow POWs and Hyousuke became friends and promised that they could visit each-other in Asia but couldn't due to the Vietnam War. And then the film ends with the now veterans leaving as George said, 'never again.' James defined what George was saying, stating that what he meant was 'he will never fight any war, ever again.' This is the sign that he retired and moved on.

Cast
George Smith as George MacArthur, an inexperienced 14-year-old sergeant(15 in 1943, 16 in 1944, 17 in 1945 and 37 in 1965) who serves as the main protagonist of the film. He was the youngest member of the British army in Singapore before retiring and moving on to civilian life. He is named after King George I, King George II, King George III, King George IV, King George V and King George VI who was king during the second world war.

Blake Richardson as Edward Richardson, a 17-year-old sergeant major(18 in 1943, 19 in 1944, 20 in 1945 and 40 in 1965) who serves as the deuteragonist of the film. He was the fourth youngest member of the British army in Singapore before retiring and moving on to civilian life. He is named after King Edward the Elder, King Edward the Martyr, King Edward the Confessor, King Edward I, King Edward II, King Edward III, King Edward IV, King Edward V, King Edward VI, Edward VII and Edward VIII.

Reece Bibby as Richard Brown, a 19-year-old lieutenant(20 in 1943, 21 in 1944, 22 in 1945 and 42 in 1965) who serves as the deuteragonist of the film. Before the war, he joined the British army at 15 and was promoted lieutenant after the old one decided to retire. He soon retired after the war and moved on to civilian life. He is named after King Richard I and King Richard II.

James McVey as James McCartney, a 25-year-old lieutenant general(26 in 1943, 27 in 1944, 28 in 1945 and 48 in 1965) who serves as the narrator of the film. He is the second lieutenant general to Arthur Percival who surrendered to the Japanese. He soon retired after the war and moved on to civilian life. He is named after King James I and King James II.

Connor Ball as John Morrison, an inexperienced 15-year-old Scottish private(16 in 1943, 17 in 1944, 18 in 1945 and 38 in 1965) who serves as the deuteragonist of the film. He was the third youngest member of the British army before retiring and moving on to civilian life. He is named after King John.

Brad Simpson as William Smith, an inexperienced 15-year-old corporal(16 in 1943, 17 in 1944, 18 in 1945 and 38 in 1965) who serves as the deuteragonist of the film. He was the second youngest member of the British army before retiring and moving on to civilian life. He is named after King William I, King William II, King William III and King William IV.

Tristan Evans as Charles Evans, a 24-year-old lieutenant(25 in 1943, 26 in 1944, 27 in 1945 and 47 in 1965) who serves as the deuteragonist of the film. He is the first lieutenant to Richard Brown who was 19 at the time of British surrender to the Japanese. He soon retired and moved on to civilian life. He is named after King Charles I and King Charles II.

Luke Hemmings as Robert Lee, an Australian 23-year-old captain who serves as the tritagonist of the film. He was the first and only main character to die during the second world war when he was executed. This scared his army friends because they saw Sikh soldiers end up that way. He also didn't join Rongo, Clifford and Aaron to fight the Viet Cong in the Vietnam War.

Calum Hood as Rongo Brown, a Scottish-Maori 22-year-old colonel and skilled medic(23 in 1943, 24 in 1944, 25 in 1945 and 45 in 1965) who serves as the tritagonist of the film. Unlike the British main characters who were retired from the military, he, Clifford and Aaron remained in the Australian military and joined the Vietnam War. His fate is unknown but it is likely if he died or he survived and retired after the Vietnam war.

Michael Clifford as Clifford Jones, an Australian 23-year-old sergeant(24 in 1943, 25 in 1944, 26 in 1945 and 46 in 1965) who serves as the tritagonist of the film. Unlike the British main characters who were retired from the military, he, Rongo and Aaron remained in the Australian military and joined the Vietnam War. His fate is unknown but it is likely if he died or he survived and retired after the Vietnam war.

Ashton Irwin as Aaron Fletcher, an Australian 25-year-old major general(26 in 1943, 27 in 1944, 28 in 1945 and 48 in 1965) who serves as the tritagonist of the film. Unlike the British main characters who were retired from the military, he, Rongo and Clifford remained in the Australian military and joined the Vietnam War. His fate is unknown but it is likely if he died or he survived and retired after the Vietnam war.

Ian McKellen as Arthur Percival, a lieutenant general who was 55 during the Battle of Singapore in 1942. McKellen only got a cameo role as Percival.

Hiroyuki Sanada as Hyousuke Gyakutai-Tekina, one of the prison guards of Changi Prison who abused every POW including the main characters. He apologised to George and his now legal guardians but George knocked him off saying that he doesn't deserve it despite his actions.

Development
After the success of 2017 war film, Dunkirk, Christopher Nolan went to Kanchanaburi, Thailand just for a short trip until he realised that there were also British soldiers dispatched in South East Asia. Not just British but also Australians, New Zealanders and Dutch soldiers. He decided to make a film about being a POW during the second world war in Asia along with reading The Railway Man knowing that life in a South East Asian prison camp was horrid at the time too.

Casting
Just like Dunkirk, Nolan wanted to cast young and unknown actors who had experienced acting before. They include members from British bands, New Hope Club and The Vamps along with members from Australian band, 5 Seconds of Summer. They have all appeared in Australian-American animated series, A Crazy EX Battle(5sos only), Australian-New Zealand-British-American-Canadian live-action teen drama mystery series, The Darkest Awakening and British-Australian live-action musical series, The Secondary School Choir. Casting Arthur Percival was difficult as it is only a cameo role until Ian McKellen decided to take the role.

Filming
Filming was scheduled for April 16 2020 but it had to be postponed to August 2020 in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The prison war camps scene is set in Singapore's Changi Prison before the death railway. The death railway scene is set in various locations such as the River Kwai and the Hellfire Pass in permission with the Thai Government. The scene set 20 years later is set in Birmingham, West Midlands, England and the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery.

Rating
The film is rated PG-13 due to the following:
 * Violence
 * One of the Japanese guards shown abusing the POWs
 * The war scene
 * The Japanese shooting blindfolded Sikh soldiers in front of the main characters
 * The Japanese executing Luke by shooting while he was blindfolded
 * Some swear words
 * Words like 'shit' or 'idiot' were used throughout the film
 * Mention of 'war,' 'abuse,' 'trauma' and 'depression'
 * Graphics
 * George vomiting in the camp from cholera
 * Blood is shown on some of the character's faces
 * Dead bodies

Theatrical Release

 * September 2 2020- United States, Canada, United Kingdom
 * September 12 2020- Australia, New Zealand

Digital Release

 * October 2 2020- Netflix, Download
 * October 12 2020- DVD, Blue-Ray