Maboroshi no Yamataikoku
2008 / 118m - Japan
Drama
3.0*/5.0*
Where the Legend Lives poster

Plot: Miyazaki is a professor with a passion for history. His big goal is to find traces of Yamataikoku, which is rumoured to be the origin of Japan. His research is at a dead end, until one day Kazuki, a radio host who is interviewing him for her show, decides to join him on his big adventure.

Watches

April 13, 2017

3.0*/5.0*

A film that hinges on Takenaka's performance. He gives color to an otherwise rather pedestrian film, but does so in a blunt and unsubtle way. I like Takenaka and I believe he gets away with it, but I wouldn't be surprised if he gets on people's nerves here. And if so, there's not that much else to bring this film alive.

It's not that Where the Legend Lives is bad, it's just not very notable. The plot is rather basic (don't expect anything fantastical), the presentation is predictable and though quite long, the pacing is fine. It's a pretty average Japanese drama, with a high energy lead role. Solid filler.