I've just finished watching The Bird People in China and have skimmed the other reviews on IMDb. Like most of the others, I do enjoy Miike's work, though not to the level of unconditional love that seems to be common here. In my limited experience, around nine Miike films so far, none have been a waste of time and several are fairly amazing. Notably Audition, though definitely not for the faint of heart.

This film left me with mixed emotions. It truly has touching moments, but it also suffers from common issues with Miike films... disjointed structure, unmotivated action (particularly from the Yakuza character), a bit of excessive violence, a kitchen sink approach to ideas... every possibility explored, even when simple would have been more effective, and finally a liberal borrowing from other films. In fact I'm surprised this hasn't been mentioned in other reviews. Miike clearly took much of the premise and emotional content from the movie Local Hero. A corporate drone begrudgingly travels to a remote village and, to his amazement, is touched by the locals and the lifestyle. There's more to the similarities but I don't want to give away too much. Though I will note that he pays homage to his source material by throwing in a Scottish song as a major motif. I also didn't buy into the ending... it seemed to detract from the more realistic aspects of the film.

All of this aside, the film is worth seeing. The scenery is amazing and fairly unique, the photography handsome (considering the budget), Masahiro Motoki as Wada is quite good (as he was in Okuribito/Departures), many of the secondary characters are wonderfully drawn (another Miike specialty), it's genuine and funny at times, and it takes you on an unusual journey, an actual adventure... rarely a dull moment.

I got hold of this film simply because I spent some time travelling in Yunnan last year. Seeing it today was magical, so evocative of the people, this lush country, the amazing sense of isolation and belonging. Made me want to throw down this job and go straight back again. This is an enjoyable, thoughtful, well made film; the star really has to be the setting though, that feeling of all the time in the world, being with the aged mountains to watch the days go by. You can really understand what drives Ujiie near the end of the film. The sense of impending loss, as even now China marches its wilderness towards modernity, balanced with the benefits its people hope for. The phenomenon of the global tourist has to now decide how it accepts the replacement of the way of life for the self-determining people they go to visit.

A businessman is sent to a remote village to investigate a jade mine. He's joined by a debt-collect Yakuza. But what they find is much more valuable. I can't really go into any more detail though. Partly because I don't wish to spoil one single moment of the magic or wander of this great film and partly because even if I were to go into detail my mere words wouldn't do it justice. The is a film you have to watch, nay, experience for yourself. Do NOT go into it expecting over-the-top violence, graphic deviant sexuality, or any of the other ingredients of more well known Takashi Miike films as this is more than that MUCH more. One of, if not THE best film in Miike's quite impressive extensive cannon.

My Grade: A

DVD Extras: Commentary by Miike expert, Tom Mes; Takashi Miike interview; Bio/Filmagraphies; Promotional material; Annie Laurie bio and poem; Theatrical Trailer; Trailers for "Shinjoku Triad Society", "Rainy Dog", and "Ley Lines"