The Yakuza

Well shot, well plotted, and well acted; generally above average, although there's something about it that keeps it from being an all-time classic. I wouldn't say it's Orientalist - I think there are nuances Schrader knows and picks up on that keep the foreign culture from being strictly one-dimensional.

An American with a past in Japan (Robert Mitchum) is sent back to find the kidnapped daughter of a friend, but to do so he has to recruit a man (Ken Takakura) who owes him a debt...and resents that fact deeply. Pretty solid early take on the Westerner-in-Japan theme, with a refreshingly respectful attitude towards Japanese culture. The thriller aspects are compelling if comparatively rote, but Sydney Pollack's direction is stylish enough and the cast is solid. Hurt a bit by having three endings.

Needs rewatch. Weighty performance by Robert Mitchum with a complicated plot that, once dissected, is actually quite good and goes well with the themes of honor and family. Glad it wasn't a white savior movie but one with actual respect for the foreign culture. Fav scenes: sword fights.

The violence works, the acting is good, and the plot picks up as it goes on, culminating in a very touching ending. But the first little bit is not that compelling, and it's not always the most engaging film. Still entertaining.

There's a lot to recommend in this film. The climactic fight is excellent, and I enjoyed seeing James Shigeta here. And as a fan of Towne, Schrader, yakuza films, and the 1970's, I felt obligated to see it, but I strongly disliked the American casting. Maybe it's just me, but Mitchum, Edelman, and Jordan go with yakuza action like peanut butter goes with steak. The editing is also lacking, with a few sequences of repetitive cuts that are absolutely vertiginous. Good but not great.

The Yakuza is a very uneven movie. It is propped up by interesting ideas and is a decent melding of American noir and Japanese yakuza films. Mitchum and Takaura make an interesting duo, one that I wouldn't mind seeing again. The character dramas and politics are engaging and not overly complicated while having surprises, the action and fights scenes however are poorly shot and choreographed. Fights are confusing with no clear direction and are often comically anticlimactic.

Quite good.

I might be in the camp that thinks this would have been better with a more spry Mitchum, but the film still works as a very somber mesh between post-war East and West. Takakura Ken is the real star as he manages to be the biggest badass in the room while being the quietest.

Seemingly bizarre teaming of disparate Pollack/Schrader sensibilities ultimately works quite well, with Pollack's sunnier attitude proving an effective contrast to Schrader's more bleak world view. Always an uneven action director, Pollack actually stages and executes the action here with a high degree of competence (and doesn't shy away from some quite vivid violence) -- but the screenplay is too often weighed down by lengthy exposition. Mitchum is ideally suited to play the world weary "hero".

pollack'ın en zayıf işlerinden biri, tıpkı schrader ve towne'nın en zayıf senaryolarından biri olduğu gibi. filmde ve senaryodaki belli kıvılcımlara rağmen bir şekilde tutukluk yapıyor film. acaba "yine de bu isimler yetiyor" mu demeli, yoksa "bu isimler sebebiyle bir tutukluk hissi veriyor" mu, onu bilemiyorum işte. ama bir isim mevzusu var, orası kesin.

Wow! So happy I found this movie. I can see where Quentin Tarantino was most likely influenced by it. Original story, unique setting, above average music score, solid performances and stylishly filmed! What more could you ask for? Loved it!

Some decent acting and writing contrasted with some dodgy editing and a few scenes that really didn't work. Not terrible, but not great either.

Being written by Paul Schrader, this feel much like his movie than Pollack's; firstly because ofthe deep understanding and influence of Japanese culture, secondly in the noirish styling and plot. Too much reliance on exposition keeps the plot from picking up enough momentum for this to move from a a very solid mix of 70s neonoir and yakuza movie to truly great.

A well-crafted character-directed film that amps up during the action scenes.

Written by Robert Towne and Paul Schrader, starring Robert Mitchum, and set in Japan makes this an easy sell for me. There is quite a bit in the way of exposition on the "exotic" culture, but this small lack of subtlety comes off as neither exploitative or gimmicky. Mitchum is as cool as ever, once again filling in the role of a P.I.-type, but this time with an added layer of world-weary experience. Boasts a stylish neo-noir presentation and a beautiful sense of location.

The performances by Mitchum and Takakura are very good, and the film worked for me both as somewhat trashy entertainment but also as a much more serious drama about regret and moral codes. So there's quite a few sword fights but the filmmakers also seem genuinely interested in exploring Japanese culture.

Again, Mitchum is great. But it doesn't seem like he belongs in this film...It's a very weird setting and stuff - cashing in on the culture that was around at the time and - the actions great though.

About 10 or 15 years too late for such "mysterious Orient" stuff..Still, the story itself is pretty good.

74.000

good movie

I confess that my instinct is to ding this film for having the completely wrong director. I have nothing against Sydney Pollack, but he couldn't be less well suited for this material and he makes some really strange choices. Apparently Martin Scorsese had wanted to direct this film, and Robert Aldrich was originally attached (with Lee Marvin in the lead), both of which are massively better choices.

An offensive barrage of cliches and shallow orientalist stereotypes. Not even the great talents of Paul Schrader and Robert Towne, who were brought in to touch-up the script, have saved it from mediocrity. Credit is due to the well-orchestrated, well-shot fighting scenes, though.

Nowhere near as good as Yakuza game series.

This isn't an all-time classic, but it's a slick, cool crime action film that is EXTREMELY '70s. It moves along nicely and is never boring with a cool '70s score. A good time.

Not that interesting first half, awesome second one. Really dug three of the five action sequences. :>

Very intense. I haven't seen every Yakuza movie out there, but even though this was an American movie, this sure was one of the better insights I've had so far into the Japanese culture in general, and the Yakuza in particular, and I have to say - the Japanese sure are complex and weird creatures.

Saw this is as a kid. Mitchum is a tough, but Takakura is tougher and cooler in this.