The Battery (Movie)

"Takumi's baseball is the sign of loneliness. Such baseball is nothing but pain."

Japanese Movie

battery (n): the pitcher and catcher of a baseball team [m-w.com]

Because of the different dramas I’ve seen, I've grown an affinity to Japanese baseball. So when I learned about this movie, I immediately grabbed a copy (err, okay, leeched). This is also one of those that have been able to cross over to a drama which led me to conclude that maybe, this was indeed good. Other examples of those movie-to-drama titles are Ichi Ritrou Namida, Sekai Chuusin de Ai Wo Sekabu, and Taiyo no Uta (these links are of the dramas). To say, the drama versions were not necessarily better than the movie and vice versa; they have their own faults. And, they were not necessarily “good” for them to be able to reach out to television – it’s just that they were only popular.

Anyway, back to baseball. Yep, baseball’s a frustration and I haven’t lost hope that I’ll be able to play ball at this age. I keep imagining how adrenaline stimulating it could be there, out on the field. Two outs, bases loaded, a chance for a grandslam… Naaahh.

The movie has nothing really special to boast about: it was another run of the mill films, nothing spectacular or flashy or anything. But it was still something worth to sit the next 120 minutes to. The Battery is a movie that leaves you a smile on your way out of the theater. In short, it is a feel good movie that tackles some really tender human issues like the longing of your mother’s recognition, passion for the game, sports camaraderie, and friendship.

I found it easy to identify with the characters though the lead was a bit too stiff. I also give my applause to Gou-chan because I felt that his acting was amazing. He was able to provide a believable contrast to his partner Takumi. Seiha, Takumi’s little brother, provided most of the kawaii moments much to my liking. Oh how I wanted to pinch those plump cheeks.

The Battery’s foremost strength is in presenting human emotions as truthful as possible through the lens and narrative devices of the film. And it is that that makes it emphatic enough.
For the numerous baseball themed media I’ve seen, I’ve never come across one that focuses on the “battery,” or the pitcher and catcher’s partnership like this one. And for this, the film has contributed to the corpus of baseball themed narratives.

Another interesting point though. I think scholars of sexuality may have a field day in this movie. Takumi and Gou-chan’s (pitcher-catcher) relationship is pregnant with interpretations that is worth probing into. While watching the movie, I felt that there was an intention to highlight their homo-social bonding. So much depends upon this male-male bonding and it was impossible not to notice this. There was even one scene that was BL-worthy: Gou-chan on top of Takumi.

I read that this was based on a novel and it was obvious so. There were a number of subplots that were, in fairness, resolved within the 2-hour time-span. And all these things are bound by one vision – that baseball is amazing: it ruins and fixes a lot of things, things that matter the most.

Verdict: Not so bad, not so good. It’s ok if you miss it but if you’re looking for time to feel good and laid back for 2 hours, this is the film for you. If you’re looking for a sports film about achieving something great like reaching Koushien or winning a championship, this is not the film for you. This is a film about genuine human emotions and experiences.

Info
Leeched from: avistaz.com
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