After waiting for months, the American film Unbroken finally entered the cinema. This film received a lot of attention from the Japanese music world, considering that the famous singer Miyavi plays a role in this truly moving feature film. Miyavi was offered a role in Unbroken and after a short moment of hesitation, Angelina Jolie joined the team and decided to also play a role.
Unbroken tells the true story of the American Athlete Louis Zamperini during the Second World War who crashed into the sea with his fighter aircraft, and two other individuals. They end up being adrift at sea for 48 hours before they finally fall into the hands of the Japanese, and are put into a labour camp.
In the beginning of the film there is no sign of Miyavi but halfway through he makes his first appearance in the same labor camp where Zamperni is being held, and introduces himself as Omori. Miyavi plays the role of the Japanese corporal Matsuhiro Watanabe who is known among the prisoners as “The Bird” since nothing seems to escape him. It is easy to distinguish Watanabe from the other soldiers as he constantly carries a bamboo stick as to torture his prisoners with. However rather quickly his eyes fall on Zamperini and Watanabe then proceeds to start torturing him constantly.
Who knows Miyavi as the cool, friendly musician who is always on-stage, will not recognize the Miyavi in the film Unbroken. In this feature film, he plays a merciless torturer who knows no emotion nor empathy when there is something to his disliking. He clearly shows you that by smacking you down instantly. Even though his character has a terrible personality Miyavi landed the role perfectly, especially the moments where Watanabe leers penetratingly and arrogantly into the eyes of Zamperini.
In the labour camp Zamperini gets humiliated daily by Watanabe. Eventually the situation seems to improve when Watanabe informs Zamperini that he is planning to leave the labor camp. At that instant it looked like Miyavi’s screen time has concluded, but not even 10 minutes later he returns on-screen and in another labor camp where Zamperini has to chop up coal for the Japanese.
Unbroken is the first feature film Miyavi played in, and I think he did an excellent job in portraying Watanabe. He plays a character who was truly hated by the entire audience; his expressions, the way he moves and the manner of speaking in such a sarcastic hateful way was impressive, and just made Miyavi’s Watanabe completely believable.
‘Unbroken’ is currently playing in several cinemas in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Rating: 80/100
