Strong and Moving!

Memorable, crazy movie

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

I really didn't know what to think about this flick before I have seen it and even afterwards I'm still confused. It starts of with Quentin Tarantino sitting before a fake western city or in other words, blue key. From there it is rather okay with the snake but then it changes into a rare western with two gangs fighting against each other for a mysterious treasure. There's also a stranger walking in town.It all looks like a great western story but it is the fact that Japanese people are involved that it just didn't work out as a western. maybe you shouldn't take it all that seriously because it is also the legend of Django. And Django we all knew by Franco Nero's performance. Secondly I watched it as a Takashi Miiki flick that should be full of gore and blood. But even there it failed a bit for me because the way the gore is added is a bit laughable and even funny. Other scene's the gore just works out fine. I just have mixed feelings toward this, to be honest, a samurai story played with a western background. Not my typical Miiki flick, I prefer his old school gore flicks.Gore 2/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 3/5 Story 3/5 Comedy 1/5

This movie has been a pivotal point in my life of recreational drug use. I now realize that I should double my dosage of adderall, and cut my pot smoking in half.I would like to issue a warning to all pot smokers: this film is rated QT (Quentin Tarantino). Your brain may explode. I must also give warning to non-pot smokers: leave the pot smokers alone. Go to bed now, because you will not get it. If you need something at the store, go now. If you want to watch, inhale some of this. That a girl. now kick back, relax, and enjoy the show.I don't see nuthin' wrong, with a little.....

This movie will be loved by fans of old Akira Kurosawa samurai films crossed with old westerns with a touch of Tarantino story play. It is a little like Yojimbo meets Pale rider.First I want to clear up a significant error that most reviewers are making comparing this movie to Spagetti westerns. This movie is NOT a copy of a Spagetti westers. In fact most Spagetti westerns ARE copies of old Samurai films many written by Akira Kurosawa. This movie has similarities with Fistfull of dollars which came out in 1964. But Fistfull is a almost word for word copy of Yojimbo which came out in 1961, just substitute a gun for a sword. Anyway BOTH Sergio Leone and Akira Kurosawa made wonderful movies.OK let me start by saying the story only starts slow...and kind of cheesy with the whole Tarantino sitting around a campfire with fake Mt Fuji in the back. But all the old westerns and samurai films should have trained you to be patient in the first 15min.The filming is brilliant has just enough color in the background, just the right amount of lighting, nice mix of angry close-ups on hero and bad guys faces. Where the movie excels in a way Kurosawa would be proud is the well used special effects mini explosion bullets, exploding blood packs and my new favorite big bullet holes. There is a lot of clever little homage bits like Eastwood's poncho and Van Cleef's long shot gun.The only points off are for the dumb part by the sheriff. It would have also been better with more sword fighting.Near the end there is a nice homage line "This is for Akira"

I have yet to see any of Miike's any other films, and this is a great place to start. I would highly recommend that if you haven't already see Fistful of Dollars and/or Yojimbo, and perhaps Django as well (I have only seen Fistful so far), so that you really get the tongue in cheek homages and perhaps parodies in this film. Try and spot the obvious anachronisms (more in the dialogue). Some reviews that I have read have unfairly said that you need the English subtitles - you might want to use them the first time you watch it as I did just in case, but generally the English is quite good. Most of the English spoken by the main characters is understandable anyway, and that's what really matters. I think this is a nice touch, and another way of paying homage to the west. Tarantino's great too - worth watching just to hear him impersonating the Japanese accent (you'll see what I mean). I also love how it merges these western influences with Japanese in a Japanese setting, maybe because of the influence of Yojimbo as well it's unofficial remake (Fistful). You don't have to take this film terribly seriously - it's just really good fun, but there is the occasional serious moment, and despite what one one reviewer from Toronto said, there is a decent amount of characterisation, despite the possible barriers created by using English and by using the basic man with no name as the lead.