PING PONG review

Too few of you will listen to this review and seek out this film, but then, that’s the problem with having a movie called PING PONG.

The instant reaction from everybody I call to excitedly tell them that this could very well be one of my favorite films I’ll see this year. They always say, “It’s called PING PONG?” as if to say… “Are you Insane?”

Possibly. The film may be titled PING PONG and certainly that is the surface level of the film, but ultimately PING PONG is the best Japanese film I’ve seen in years. Completely different from 99.9% of the films we associate with the entirety of the Asian market. This isn’t a film about kung fu or martial arts. It isn’t a horror film or crime movie. This isn’t some strange bizarre film dealing with deeply perverse and sickening imagery. This isn’t a film regarding the repression in the society and a love that breaks through it all. This isn’t a film concerned with any of the genres we typically associate with the area. HOWEVER, it is a film that succeeds as well as any of Miyazaki’s films, it is as triumphantly fresh as BATTLE ROYALE, as accomplished as HERO and as perfect as SYMPATHY FOR MR VENGEANCE.

PING PONG is about friends, heroes, competition, ambition, purpose, direction, affirmation, love, passion, dedication and PING PONG!

In a way, it is most related to the American film ROCKY, except that the story structure and perspective are completely different, yet intimately familiar. It fools you into thinking you know who the film is about, then changes, then changes and changes again… Each time making you cheer and set yourself for an outcome that ultimately… you’re wrong about. And gleefully so. When the film was over, I sat there… dumbfounded, with a gleeful smile and that feeling of having witnessed complete and utter perfection. It could not have ended differently, though 3 minutes prior to the end, I would have told you a different ending.

It isn’t about twists and turns, it’s about a story regarding 5 competitors, 3 from childhood and two more at young adulthood. Each of them have dedicated a part of their souls to the dream of being great PING PONG players.

The three childhood friends are Akuma, Smile and Peko. Smile and Peko are best friends, with Peko being the unofficial leader of the trio. Akuma (Koji Ogura) works hard to play PING PONG as great as he can. Smile (Arata) plays to play with Peko, but never to win. And Peko (Yosuke Kubozuka)… Peko believes he will be the greatest professional Ping Pong player on the planet… and he believes that there can be nothing cooler than that. AND he made me believe that, and I believe that Ping Pong is absurd. The actors behind Smile and Peko are simply amazing, perfect and great. A case of the perfect people as the perfect characters in the perfect film.

Then there is China (Sam Lee)… Sometimes referred to as “Kung Fu,” he’s a ringer that a Ping Pong society in this area of Japan has brought in to “WIN” with. He had failed to make the Chinese National Team, went to Japan and is a paid “ringer.” Everyone is terrified of him, because… well the Chinese are known for kicking all sorts of ass in Ping Pong.

Lastly, there is Dragon (Shido Nakamura). Dragon is awesome. Not since the likes of Ivan Drago or Clubber Lang have I seen a competitor on screen of such ferocious determination. Dragon lives to be great at Ping Pong. His single, unflinching purpose in life is to be great at it. He is that athlete that trains to be a great athlete and has the natural swagger that comes with that. He’s unbeatable, because the question of losing never comes up. He is a great character.

There are other characters to be sure. People that have no interest in this silly thing called Ping Pong. Coaches, Granny, teammates and so on. Everyone is absolutely perfect in this film.

The less I say about the film the better it is for your experience. I’m going to cut the review short, because frankly I have to. I couldn’t conceive of explaining more about this absolutely magical film.

PING PONG is the best film I’ve seen this year thus far. I found the film on DVD and bought it, watched it 3 times the first day I had the DVD. At the Japanese Academy Awards it was Nominated for seven including Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Lighting, Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress and Best Picture. It lost Best Picture to a film I haven’t seen called THE TWILIGHT SAMURAI, which basically swept their awards… a film I must see obviously.

If you have ever found a foreign film at my suggestion, I plead with you to discover this film. It will never get distribution in the United States, though I could imagine any number of studios attempting to remake it… sadly. The film is perfect and I’m flabbergasted that I love a film called PING PONG… it just doesn’t make a lick of sense, but what does?

This is the first film by Fumihiko Sori, a director that has quite a future ahead of him I predict. One of the most accomplished premiere films I’ve ever seen. Cinematic, refreshing and even quite daring. A complete triumph. A reward for the viewer that seeks it out.