StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Billie Morin This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

Janae Milner Easily the biggest piece of Right wing non sense propaganda I ever saw.

Sienna-Rose Mclaughlin The movie really just wants to entertain people.

vogonify One of Takashi Miike's best works, The Bird People in China is also one of his lesser known films. A strange concoction of the real and the imaginary, of travel and adventure, of beliefs and morals, of civilization and memories, this is a tight-rope act which could have fallen flat in the hands of an inferior filmmaker. The story is of two Japanese, a wide-eyed young man and a battle-scarred yakuza, who go in search of a precious stone in China. They are guided by Shen, a Chinese interpreter who very quickly makes this a trio in adventure. What follows is a quirky mix of comedy, fantasy and a fascinating touch of sadness. This film, more than any other, demonstrates the value of Miike to modern film history.

Patryk Czekaj One of the most underrated movies directed by Takashi Miike. It's a poetic art-house production, which focuses on the most covert aspects of the human psyche, evaluating the dream-like realm of our minds. A Tokyo-based salary-man is sent to the most remote place in China (where no information goes in or goes out) on a mysterious mission to follow a precious Jade Jewell trail. Along with him comes a fierce Yakuza enforcer. While the two men arrive in a strange village, they discover more than they really bargained for. It's an adventure of the most inscrutable kind, showing how the frightening unknown can change the way we perceive our world. It's also about the far-reaching changes that people go through when they're suddenly placed in front of some strange and unparalleled new sensations, frequently resulting in some unexpected alterations of our every-day lives. The thought-provoking tale about men flying on colossal wings gives the film a much needed sense of surrealism, merging what's real and what's beyond human control.With a contemplative storyline, mesmerizing and fascinating imagery, audacious and sinister sense of humor, and a most haunting song you'll ever hear, The Bird People in China comes both as a very strong position in Takashi Miike's directorial career and as a perfectly satisfying and detailed exploration of human emotions.

aeioutahiti I am a fan of many Japanese movies, I study Japanese and sometimes I dream that I fly but this movie ... I could only watch 30 min of it. What I will remember 1 year from now ? That I heard the f.. word every 4 minutes or so, forced bad acting, sound of rhythmic drum beats (pop music pattern) dubbed over Chinese traditional music which is annoying and makes no sense, too many and too long over forced scenes of violence, dull uninteresting landscapes. A reviewer, on another site, said to stick with it, it's a rewarding film if you have the patience. Well I just could not swallow all this for more than half an hour. I am glad I stopped it.

parien I got hold of this film simply because I spent some time travelling in Yunnan last year. Seeing it today was magical, so evocative of the people, this lush country, the amazing sense of isolation and belonging. Made me want to throw down this job and go straight back again. This is an enjoyable, thoughtful, well made film; the star really has to be the setting though, that feeling of all the time in the world, being with the aged mountains to watch the days go by. You can really understand what drives Ujiie near the end of the film. The sense of impending loss, as even now China marches its wilderness towards modernity, balanced with the benefits its people hope for. The phenomenon of the global tourist has to now decide how it accepts the replacement of the way of life for the self-determining people they go to visit.