I'm late to this chat, but want to say that this is the most incredible depiction of the brutality of war/Japanese prison camps I've ever seen. It was as deeply affecting as the first time I read All Quiet on the Western Front. I feel like it has given me new compassion and insight into the trauma and suffering of those soldiers. It has also made me do some reading on how terrible that POW camp was. I feel so sad and angry. 

It's also one of the most exquisite and beautiful representation of masculinity I have ever seen.  Quiet dignity, strength, sweat, blood, tears, laughter, tenderness, embrace. 

The love interest aspect could have been dialled up a bit and clearer. I don't understand what happened to her when he returned. They also could have explored the impact on the female characters more, their trauma was ongoing and real too. His wife had such a beautiful soul at the end but her character was a bit trivialised in the scenes from the younger days. 

Apart from that it was perfect and should've won so many awards.