Al Tinsley

I'm interested in knowing if there is a divide between Japanese and American viewers. Because this was just awful to watch. Too much dead air watching people with blank expressions (but maybe emotional expressions to the japanese viewer?), people looking like they are going to say something but the pregnant pause turns into a cut to another scene. Way too many pregnant pauses that lead to nothing. There was one dramatic scene of a guy getting out of his chair and slow walking to dramatic music, giving the impression that he was going to do something, but he just sat down in another chair - and scene! And there is just no way that flipping through manuals again and again and again makes for drama. And why does only one guy, the prime minister, get to show any emotion?

A very good movie worth watching. My first reaction is that the 1860's characters were overdone in their evilness. But then I realized that may be because I'm white and can't imagine people could be that evil. But they were, and they are. Could have gone a little more into the how and why to tie it into present day culture but this will do.

Every now and then Netflix tosses out a jewel for our pleasure. This is a good movie.