The East
Blue Finch Releasing
Moral objections to the warfare around soldiers were, in fiction and in reality, a commonplace adage. Disgust and displeasure at killing or participating in morally dubious actions are never given the propensity they should be given. When war features like 1917 and Dunkirk idolise heroism at the heart of great acts of courage, few wish to point out that war is not just a physically dangerous playing field but a mentally and morally challenging arena. The East grasps at that, with its out-of-fortune soldier portraying the moral conflict between serving his country and living with the guilt of it. Director Jim Taihuttu shows the progression of unchecked ruthlessness in this Indonesian-based feature.
A power trip from the responsible parties is the spark that sets The East off. History repeats itself, or is at least adapted within this feature. Taihuttu and leading man Martijn Lakemeier provide an entertaining and interesting Dutch perspective of the war. Audiences may be used to Americanised or star-studded glories of the British Empire, but The East has no time for such facts. They are not massaged and are shown with cutting brutality and realism. It is the exceptional discussion The East creates that Taihuttu must adapt most of all. Lakemeier is a safe set of hands for that adaptation. He cuts through with a strong performance, and a necessary one it is. He captures the conflict of man and mettle, the idealistic, patriotic tint is swept away and in its wake is a cutting and uncomfortable discovery.
That discovery is a vital decision, an active one made by Taihuttu through his work here. His direction strikes up enough confidence in dealing with these notes of troubled minds. Taihuttu presents a bright colour palette with flair, and the disillusionment it portrays between the actions of a character and his beautiful surroundings is superb. The East observes dark actions to the backdrop of breezy beaches and idyllic living. Or what would have been idyllic if it were not for warfare and inner conflict. The bureaucracy of military living is captured well, and The East does well to connect the bureaucracy with the moral panic deep at its heart. Soldiers march on solely because their orders tell them to. Taihuttu makes the point that soldiers are closer to drones, and the few that wake themselves up and face the issues head-on are those that will be uncomfortable and concerned with the changes they’re observing.
Those changes are presented with clarity and a broad, artisanal merit. Taihuttu does not decry war as a senseless battle between morally ambiguous fools but digs deep into the mentality behind warfare and conflict. That desire to fight for what is right and the difference of interests between unit and individual is well developed with a great cast, and there are moments within that would decry warfare as a common evil, but accept it also. That is the philosophical debate on display in moments throughout, but Taihuttu is never far away from crafting an exceptionally solid war feature too. The East is smart to challenge the tones of militaristic indoctrination but does well to sidestep the real heart of the problem. How to stop it.