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5.8/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.8/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Port Arthur remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have a soft spot for 1930s-style melodrama, you might get a kick out of this. If you are looking for a gritty, historically accurate war flick, stay away. It’s definitely for the crowd that enjoys slow, sweeping camera movements and stagey dialogue.
Honestly, watching Port Arthur feels a bit like digging through a shoebox of old, black-and-white photos you found in an attic. It’s got that specific kind of dust on it. The romance between Boris and Youki is the central anchor, but it feels more like a script requirement than actual heat between the actors. Youki spends a lot of time looking worriedly out of windows. It’s a very specific kind of worried look.
The geopolitical stuff here is pretty surface-level. The movie is much more interested in the personal stakes, which is fair, but the war feels like a cardboard cutout set behind the lovers. It’s not quite as intense as the naval sequences in Shipwrecked, which at least gave you a sense of scale.
The cinematography has these moments where the light hits the faces in a way that feels almost painted. It’s beautiful, sure, but it stops the momentum cold. Sometimes I just wanted them to get on with it already. ⏳
It’s not a masterpiece, and it probably wasn't trying to be one when it was made. There's a weird, stiff charm to how it handles the conflict. You can tell they were trying to be serious about the politics, but it keeps tripping over its own feet. If you've seen enough of these, you know the rhythm—the betrayal, the tragic parting, the lingering gaze. It’s all here, plain as day. Sometimes simple is fine, even if it is a bit forgettable.