IMDb 8.3 2022 HD

Enemy Alien

Enemy Alien

2022
Documentary
13 min NR Australia
10 / 10
8.3 IMDB

A poetic retelling of the experiences of Joseph Murakami, a fourteen-year-old boy from Darwin, who is summarily rounded up and interned by his government on the basis of…

Personnel // Cast & Crew

Director Gabriel Murphy / Annabel Mills
Starring
Takumi Kasuga / Hiroshi Kasuga / Akane Kasuga / Brayden Fu / Shan-Ree Tan / Derek Gum / Joseph Murakami

How Viewers Describe This Film

Common themes and sentiments

poignant moving historical somber emotional reflective heartbreaking understated powerful artistic challenging injustice

Reviews

I
Isabelle Dubois
Mar 27, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

This film is a quiet storm. 'Enemy Alien' takes the harrowing experience of Joseph Murakami’s internment and transforms it into a deeply felt cinematic poem. The performances, notably from Takumi Kasuga, are subtle yet profoundly moving, capturing the…

D
David Sterling
Mar 27, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

'Enemy Alien' attempts a poetic rendering of a difficult historical event, focusing on the internment of Joseph Murakami. The performances are earnest, with the younger cast members carrying the emotional weight of their characters' plight. The film’s tone…

S
Sophia Chen
Mar 27, 2026
4.5 / 5
4.5

A truly essential piece of cinema, 'Enemy Alien' is a brave and necessary retelling of Joseph Murakami's story. The film’s poetic sensibility doesn't dilute its power; instead, it heightens the emotional impact of his internment. Takumi Kasuga’s portrayal…

M
Marcus Bellweather
Mar 27, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

This is less a conventional drama and more an atmospheric meditation on historical trauma. 'Enemy Alien' centres on Joseph Murakami’s internment, a subject handled with a delicate, almost elegiac touch. The performances, particularly from the Kasuga family actors,…

E
Eleanor Vance
Mar 27, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

A stark and moving portrayal, 'Enemy Alien' uses poetic language to illuminate a painful corner of Australian history. Takumi Kasuga, as young Joseph, anchors the film with a performance that is both vulnerable and resilient. The director, though…

FAQs

The film's plot summary explicitly states that the internment of Joseph Murakami leaves 'wounds unhealed to this day.' This suggests that 'Enemy Alien' goes beyond merely depicting the events of internment. It delves into the long-term psychological and emotional repercussions for Joseph and potentially his family and community. The narrative likely explores how such experiences shape an individual's identity, sense of belonging, and their relationship with society for years to come.