Although many Kitano crime films contain a humourous streak, I was not quite ready for the irreverent mix of laugh out loud comedy with coldly executed violence. Having said that, the film does feature some excellent tense sequences- in fact I would say that the atmosphere created, while deliberately inconsistent, works very well. Not as touching and beautiful as Hana-bi, nor as outright brutal as Violent Cop, this is a strange mix, a gangster thriller/comedy in the truest sense.

Starts off pretty basic, but gets more and more endearing as the film progresses. The beach scenes are all great, fun stuff, and the movie does a stellar job transitioning from the goofy middle section to the violent scenes towards the end. Top notch crime film, with a welcome lack of glossy melodrama.

An odd film. It starts off as a gangster film but quickly shifts in to some incredibly strange mood piece. Tonally it's all over the place and the story can be hard to follow being relegated to the backseat as it is, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't find it good fun and there are certainly some moments that are both memorable and confounding, especially the fireworks fight on the beach which makes no sense really yet looks so stunning that I couldn't care less.

You have to have the right expectations which is don't expect a gangster film with a lot of violence. There are some violent scenes, but most of it are the gangsters having fun. My favorite scene is the Roman Candle fight. I enjoyed this movie, but came in expecting something else.

A gangster elegy.

Great movie, foreshadowing was well-done, i expected nothng but guns blazing action, but was more than pleased to receive the concept of a Yakuza lifestyle in a different perspective

919

excellent yakuza movie

Mixed bag this. Occasionally funny and the final half hour is strong in the sense that it makes me excited for something after a long period of standstill. But there never seems to be anything at stake here, it's fairly obvious where the story is going to go and nothing really seems to matter. Perhaps that was the point of it all. Great choice of location for the latter half of the movie.

#943

One of Kitano's best and most whimsical of movies. It mixes violence, manhood, love and tenderness in a seamless way. It also has one of those tragic poetic endings that Kitano has made a trademark of his. Lovely, fun, exciting and poetic. And very violent, but in an ascetic kind of way. As if Buster keaton made action movies. Great film

This film's nihilistic tone makes Kitano's Murakawa a particularly tragic figure, as he is both childlike and morose. The contrast between the beautiful beach scenes and the Yakuza violence is also intriguing, but the film's overall effect is a bit uneven, in particular Murakawa's state of mind is somewhat unclear even as the film closes.

This didn't click with me initially, and I'd blame the slow start, but honestly, it's all pretty damn slow going. The trick is to surrrender to the lazy pace and just enjoy it, much like (lame sexual reference). It plays out a bit like "Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot" but with more guns, blood and tits and without all the french people. Delightful.

beautiful minimalistic film, poetic phrases and quick bursts of dry violence all in Kitano's style. this is not some normal gangster movie, but it develops the 'human' side of the gangsters. very endearing and it'll remain as one of my favorite unconventional gangster flicks

This Japanese, would be scarface ends on a note that's more "huh?" than anything I would ever care to see again. Why not have him go over the next hill.

A somewhat boring film with an ending that doesn't help its case either.

Not my favourite film but still an arlight watch. The silent scenes are really tense.

A film that has some genuine surprises and contains some remarkable and memorable scenes. Probably this director's best movie.