Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale
  • Studio: Well Go
  • Release Date: Apr 27, 2012
Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale Image
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Metascore
62 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 10 Critics What's this?

User Score
9.0 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 4 Ratings

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  • Starring: Jun'ichi Haruta, Masanobu Ando, Sabu Kawahara
  • Summary: During the Japanese rule of Taiwan, the Seediq were forced to lose their own culture and give up their faith. Men were subject to harsh labor and kept from traditional hunting; whereas women had to serve the Japanese policemen and their families by doing the household work and giving up their traditional weaving work. Above all, they were forbidden to tattoo their faces. And these tattoos were seen as the Seediq's traditional belief to transform themselves into Seediq Bale.. Mona Rudao, the protagonist, witnessed the repression by the Japanese over a period of 30 years. Sometime between autumn and winter 1930, when the slave labor is at its harshest, a young Seediq couple are married and a joyful party is thrown. At the same time, a newly appointed Japanese policeman goes on his inspection tour to this tribe. Mona Rudao's first son, Tado Mona, offers wine to the policeman with gusto, but is in return beaten up because his hands were considered not clean enough. With anger, Tado Mona and his brother Baso Mona attack the policeman. And from that day onward, their tribe is living in the shadow of being the object of revenge by the Japanese. In a few days, a group of youth surround Mona Rudao. They strongly request him to lead the retaliation against the Japanese. Mona Rudao struggles for a long time between extending his fellow's lives and fighting back for dignity, until he sees these youngster's faces - clear without Seediq's tattoos - that he made up his mind. He tells the youngsters, "Japanese troops out-number the stones in Dakusui River, more intensive than the leaves in the forest, but my determination fighting them is ever stronger than Mt. Kire." "Children! On the tip of the Rainbow Bridge led to home of our ancestor's spirits, there is another beautiful hunting range. Our ancestors are all there! Remember, only brave spirits can enter this place, and we can never lose it. My fellows, let us hunt the heads of our enemies, and we wash our spirits with blood so that we walk the Rainbow Bridge to be always with our ancestors." The film Seediq Bale depicts the Wushe Incident, which occurred in central Taiwan during the Japanese rule. When the Seediq Bale, believing in the Rainbow, and the Japanese, believing in the Sun, met one another, they fought. The leader of Seediq Bale, Mona Rudao, led 300 warriors fighting against 3000 Japanese troopers. The only thing they forgot was whether it was the Rainbow or the Sun they believed in; they actually believed in the same sky.… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Deborah Young
    Apr 23, 2012
    80
    Spectacular rain forest combat scenes are non-stop in an authentic-feeling actioner recounting an aborigine rebellion in 1930s Taiwan.
  2. The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
    Reviewed by: Adam Nayman
    Apr 26, 2012
    75
    At times, Warriors sacrifices dramatic nuance for scale, but even its most rousing passages are tempered by a sense of loss. Rather than simply enshrining its underdog heroes' efforts, it considers their cost.
  3. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: G. Allen Johnson
    Apr 26, 2012
    75
    Warriors of the Rainbow is Taiwan's "Braveheart," with a nod to "The Last of the Mohicans."
  4. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Robert Abele
    Apr 26, 2012
    60
    Warriors is a bruising, relentless experience, one more tiring than inspiring.

See all 10 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. GarrettH
    9
    Incredible! You need to watch the two part series, it's fantastic. I can't believe the official ratings are so damn low. Has no one seen Braveheart or Last of the Mohicans? Although parts of the plot are confusing from a Westerner standpoint, it gives us new perspective. You really can't beat the melee hand to hand combat scenes!… Expand
  2. JCM
    9
    Warriors of the Rainbow is one very detailed, very violent, and a very questionable movie. If this movie had a wide release it would be the topic of controversy and controversy it has already generated in its country. As with any violently heavy historical event, the filmmakers have the challenge of accurately representing the people, conveying a message of the event, and most importantly respect those involve in the incident. With such a difficult balance and a trouble production history which resulted in being one of the most expensive Taiwan film ever made, the end results it a great piece of history being told to audience. There's two version of Warriors of the Rainbow, one being the US version which is two and a half hours long which is the one I'm reviewing. While the two hour US version is good, you'll be satisfied if you watched the uncut four and a half hour version which is the version I'm reviewing. The uncut version of Warriors of the Rainbows is divided into two segments, the first being The Sun Flag which contains most of the story. The Sun Flag segment concentrates the struggles of between oppressive Japanese and the oppress Seediq and the events leading to the WuShe incident. Despite its long length I'm surprise at the lack of depth in character development which mostly due to the movie having many characters both on the Japanese side and the Seediq side. What's amazing is that The Sun Flag segment summarized over 30 years of events and in depth setting up the second segment. It surely feels like the filmmakers did their research and with a passion to adapt this event into a feature film, this is most notable by the fact the director chose to keep the Seediq native language intact instead changing it. Though what's unfortunate is that the movie doesn't explain the Seediq culture which results in these people looking like savages unless you know your historical background. This doesn't accurately give the Seediq a fair representation for those who know nothing of the WuShe Incident thus making the Japanese look like the heroes. All in all, The Sun Flag segment sacrifices characters depth for a well thought out and detailed piece of historical cinema with detail to accuracy. The second segment and easily the most violent is The Rainbow Bridge, which is literally in the movie. The Rainbow Bridge segment does not cover as much as the first segment, but focuses on the consequences after the Seediq attack on WuShe and the battle between the Seediq and Japanese. Now while this segment does not cover as much, it focuses on the people more and doesn't cram your heads with even more historical events. I should note that both segments combined have a lot of violence which works in case of the movie since it helps sends an unsettling feeling toward audiences. You know you're watching a good movie when it makes go through many emotions and this certainly has that effect on viewers. Unfortunately we also get some unintentionally hilarious effects as with a CG rainbow bridge and are at subpar level. I also found the women committing suicide to be both shocking (and unbearable to some audiences) as well as powerful. The story never sends a message of nationalism; it's a very detailed account of a violent piece of history. Audiences will in no doubt question the leadership of Mona Rudao and his actions which are cruel and can be interpreted as heartless in a desperate time when leadership is required in this battle. The ending will definitely leave audiences divided too, while I personally will never forget the ending some will find it to be disappointing. I should warn the movie is graphic and could be a little more than some of us could handle, especially when the body count ranges in the triple digits with a lot of beheading. .

    Warriors of the Rainbows will provide the audience an experience that they'll soon not forget. It's bigger than any Transformers movie; it's as detailed as Carlos miniseries, and it's just as impactful and memorable with any passion projects. Warriors of the Rainbows is a difficult watch and no doubt very powerful piece of cinema that's definitely worth your time and should not be missed. At best, it's a very exhilarating flawed masterpiece.    … Collapse
  3. DanielOnFilm
    8
    Warriors of the Rainbow is both beautiful, and horrifying. It's shot in rich colors; the tribesman are bathed in blue nights and vibrant red camp fires. Days are spent running through brilliant green forests. Violence is kept out of the frame for the first half of Warriors, but thereafter, depicted on screen. We can clearly see the warriors take the heads of their enemies as a blood sacrifice to their gods. Full review on my blog.… Expand

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