Fukushima 50 (2020) (Blu-ray) (English Subtitled) (Hong Kong Version) Blu-ray Region A

There has been a number of documentaries about the fallout of the nuclear disaster, which is still not fully resolved even today, but Fukushima 50 is the first direct dramatic recreation of the immediate aftermath. An island nation vulnerable to natural disasters, Japan has made its share of outlandish disaster films, most notably The Sinking of Japan. However, Fukushima 50 will hit close to home for Japanese viewers as a reminder of how close they came to a Chernobyl-level nuclear event.

Based on the non-fiction book by Kadota Ryusho, Fukushima 50 is focused on the events of March 11th – the date the earthquake and tsunami hit – and the intense initial five-day effort to stabilize the six nuclear reactors after the cores of three reactors melted. Mostly set in the main control room and other sections of the plant, the film focuses on site superintendent Yoshida Masao (Watanabe Ken) and plant supervisor Isaki Toshio (Sato Koichi) as they try to do their job while fending off the orders of micromanaging government bureaucrats and power company executives.

Veteran director Wakamatsu Setsuro (The Unbroken) and screenwriter Maekawa Yoichi take the approach of a standard mainstream disaster film, carefully striking a balance between a sober-minded procedural and an emotional human-interest drama. The film shifts perspectives between those inside the plant and the workers' families as they wait to hear their loved ones' fate from their temporary shelters. As a film that sets out to pay tribute to these workers, the approach does manage to strike an emotional chord with the audience.

The film also points fingers at both the government and power company TEPCO (though TEPCO's name has been changed here) for their lackluster response. Not only do they issue orders that are not suitable for the situation at hand, to the chagrin of Yoshida and his crew, the unnamed prime minister's sudden visit to the plant is portrayed as disruptive and counterproductive. While Shin Godzilla did a better job of satirizing the role of Japanese boardroom politics in the government response to the 3/11 disaster, Fukushima 50 is scathing enough for a big-budget mainstream Japanese film.

Fukushima 50 is not a cautionary tale about the dangers of nuclear energy or even a film that seeks accountability. It's a "comfort food" disaster film that aims to celebrate the efforts of heroes who literally saved Japan, and it's a very effective one at that. Like many Japanese films and TV series about the workplace, it's a heartfelt tribute to the bravery of everyday people who simply set out to do their jobs well. For achieving its masterful juggling act, Fukushima 50 is one of the most accomplished Japanese disaster films in recent years.

by Kevin Ma