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Film: Backyard
Release date: 27th December 2010
Certificate: 18
Running time: 117 mins
Director: Carlos Carrera
Starring: Ana de la Reguera, Asur Zagada, Marco Perez, Joaquin Cosio, Alejandro Calva
Genre: Crime/Drama/Mystery/Thriller
Studio: Scanbox
Format: DVD
Country: Mexico
Backyard is a fictionalised version of events that actually occurred in a small Mexican/American border known as Ciudad Juarez. The film covers similar ground to The Virgin Of Juarez and the better known Bordertown. In Backyard, though, Director Carlos Carrrera attempts to take a grittier, more realistic approach to telling the story.
Juarez is one of many Mexican border cities sustained by American-owned factories, or ‘maquiladoras’, that sprang up on the Mexican side of the border after the NAFTA agreement went into effect. Populated by blue collar and migrant workers, corruption has invaded every level of society, from indolent municipal executives to casual labourers who lack the intelligence to benefit from their skills and work ethic, and merely support the one sided way of life. Women are on the bottom rung, subjugated by all, including themselves, but especially by significant others and guardians gripped by all sorts of appetites.
In a stereotypically corrupt local system, one police officer, Blanca Bravo (played with a serious intensity by Ana de la Reguera) challenges the status quo. A system which tolerates and ignores the routine misogynistic beating and murders of young women.
As the story unravels, we see Blanca’s crusade for justice slowly deteriorate into a thirst for vengeance, as she faces up to the maddeningly low priority the system has given to solving and stopping these crimes…
Backyard is a strange film. The ‘true story’ tag always ensures films are viewed perhaps that little more critically and, at times, it just doesn’t stand up to the levels of scrutiny applied. There are so many inconsistencies in quality that it beggars belief.
There are some genuinely ingenious, if obvious, touches - Carrera’s apparent dismay at the continual Americanisation of the border towns manifests itself through the ‘Gringoismo’ of the antagonists. Many of the films most heinous characters speak English and are of a markedly lighter complexion to the rest of the cast. One particular scene, which shows a young girl strangled to death during penetration to induce a change in vaginal pressure (an act portrayed as apparently widespread and common) is a truly gut wrenching and heartbreaking moment.
Unfortunately, while some scenes are tremendously evocative, and play as a genuine reminder that the real world can be just as evil and terrifying as any fictitious one, the remainder of the film’s conscience is shouted down. Drowned out by inane dialogue, contrived essays at violence-threatening tension, and a sour desert-sepia colour scheme that seems better suited to lower-echelon, late night TV-crime melodramas. Bravo’s superior’s assertion that "women make good nurses and bad cops!" is as cheesy and lazy a line as you’ll find in a film this year.
This inconsistency filters through every aspect of the film. While many of the victims are portrayed as well rounded three-dimensional characters, too many are shallow ‘Tex Mex’ caricatures. While Reguera’s performance is excellent, the path her character follows is too contrived and well trodden. Barrera may be on record as saying that Backyard is not entertainment, but he would be hard pushed to deny that some of the major aspects of the film - Jimmy Smits’ chewing scenery, or even An de la Reguera herself (her beautiful but determined police woman would fit right in with many of today’s police procedurals - CSI, Law & Order) are lifted straight from the ‘Big Book’ of Hollywood clichés.
Backyard is a film that could have been so much more than it is. While it times persuasively, and sensitively highlights the ignored plight of many young Mexican women ensnared in a chronic and sometimes terminal cycle of hard labour and machismo battering, the potentially thousands of Juarez victims deserve more than cartoonish stereotypes.
While it’s hard to argue with Ana de la Reguera’s performance, one can’t help wondering if this film would have benefited from a heroine that didn’t take makeup and modelling classes while attending police academy. An important story told badly. PD
Book: Mushroom Clouds And Mushroom Men
Release date: 16th October 2009
Author: Peter H. Brothers
Publisher: AuthorHouse
If you know the name Ishiro Honda, you’ll have a fair idea on what to expect from this book. If you don’t know the name Ishiro Honda, you’ll almost certainly recognise his most famous gift to cinema. After all, Honda is the man who gave us one of the most iconic movie monsters of all time – Godzilla. Between 1954 and 1975, Honda directed several Godzilla features including the original Godzilla and the fantastic King Kong Versus Godzilla. He was also responsible for over twenty-five other sci-fi/fantasy films, making him not only the “Godfather of Creature Features” in Japan, but perhaps the most prolific director of sci-fi/fantasy movies of all time. So, while Godzilla may be the official “King of The Monsters”, perhaps the title could equally apply to Ishiro Honda.
Mushroom Clouds And Mushroom Men is a specific study of Ishiro Honda’s career in the sci-fi/fantasy genre. While this wasn’t the be all and end all of Honda’s work, it by far encapsulates the majority of his work, and certainly includes his most enduring contributions to cinema. This is the man who, aside from Godzilla, also brought to life monsters like Mothra and Rodan.
The book begins with a brief, but no less interesting biography of Honda himself, and what stands out most here is the sheer longevity of Honda’s career. This is a man who truly loved film and was involved in it from 1933, when he worked as assistant director on Just An Average Kid until his final interview at 81 years of age. A writer, contributor, assistant director, director, lecturer, working in TV and film, his output is simply awe inspiring.
Honda’s life is another book in itself. The bulk of this book is concerned with Honda’s cinematic output, and understandably so…
As mentioned, the biography is brief, but it is fascinating and illuminating. Honda’s military service is mentioned - several tours of duty – and it’s easy to see how these interruptions had an effect on his life and career. It also touches on his lifelong marriage to Mimi, and his relationships with (and standing among) his peers, from sometime collaborations with greats like Kurasawa to his long standing cinema partnerships with people like Tsuburaya, who designed the visual effects for many of Honda’s films. It is filled with interesting stories and throwaway tales - including one particularly poignant anecdote where, after his death, as a mark of respect and affection, his photo is used in the film Samurai Kids.
After the biography, the book changes gears and goes from being a diverting and interesting tale about the man himself to an encyclopaedic text book on his sci-fi/fantasy films. Each of his sci-fi/fantasy pictures is studied, dissected and discussed in a manner that manages to be both straightforward and informative. A full cast/credits list is provided for each film, before the ‘nitty gritty’ of discussing the film itself. These are more than just a brief synopsis, though. Recurring themes and motifs are pointed out and analysed. Key scenes are emphasised and discussed, and performances are highlighted. The importance of the special effects (as comical as they may seem to some today) is remembered, as well as things we may be tempted to take for granted – the score, the lighting, etc. Every aspect of the film is mentioned and investigated. This continues for the rest of the book. Each film is looked at in chronological order, given its own separate essay, and all are crafted with the same amount of care and attention.
Mushroom Clouds And Mushroom Men is, quite obviously, a labour of love. It is a mine of interesting information gleaned from a dazzling array of texts and sources. Brother’s has spent years writing and talking about Honda and his cinematic achievements, and it certainly shows in the authoritative and informative manner in which he presents each film here.
The text book style of presentation makes it easy to skip between those films that hold most interest and, as such, it makes an excellent reference book on the work of Honda. It is also very well suited to non linear or ‘short burst’ reading.
For those with a passing interest in the director and his work, Mushroom Clouds And Mushroom Men is an excellent introduction, listing films you may not be aware of, alongside old favourites. The downside of books like this, though, is that they can make excellent ‘bluffers guides’ - it’s important to remember that this is a book written by an expert in the field and not a book that will make you an expert! PD
Film: Tears For Sale
Release date: 20th September 2010
Certificate: 18
Running time: 86 mins
Director: Uros Stajanovic
Starring: Katarina Radivojevic, Sonja Kolacaric, Stefan Kapicic, Nenad Jezdic, Olivera Katarina
Genre: Comedy/Fantasy/Romance
Studio: Icon
Format: DVD
Country: Serbia
Uros Stojanovic’s film is set just after the First World War. Almost a quarter of Serbia’s population died in WW1, a largely unsung tragedy of epic proportions. Strange then that such a warm and funny film should be borne out of such horror.
In the 1920s, the fallout from the First World War has decimated rural Serbia, and the tiny village of Pokrp is particularly in trouble. All the men have long since left to fight for their country only to die on the battlefield. All but one - a broken down, bed-ridden senior citizen.
When two inexperienced sisters (beautifully portrayed by Katarina Radivojevic and Sonja Kolacaric), desperate to find out what it's like to experience a man's love, accidentally kill off the only man in the village, the other women condemn them to death.
Desperate for any chance of a reprieve, the sisters offer to travel into the outside world and find a replacement for the deceased geriatric, and end up with two possibilities, both travelling conmen - a strongman (Nenad Jezdic) and a smooth-talking Casanova type (Stefan Kapicic). They can only bring one man back, though, so one of the sisters will have to sacrifice her new beloved, but which one?
A huge hit in its domestic market, this film could easily be read as one long meandering allegory for the state of the country's national psyche, zeitgeist and influences. Thankfully, though, where other directors might have gone for a downbeat art house feel in an attempt to lend the potentially disturbing subject matter a measure of gravitas, Stojanovic goes in the opposite direction. He evokes an inappropriate feeling of magical delight in the world he creates
Right from the opening, Tears for Sale displays a rich, vibrant (albeit computer-enhanced) palette that recalls Terry Gilliam, Gilliamesque, Jeunet and Caro, and a sense of theatrical grandeur that is tied together with a marvellous ‘rough around the edges’ visual energy - the special effects are less than perfect, and while many are absolutely stunning, quite a few hit their mark a lot closer to low-budget made for television fare.
The village isn’t just dying and fading away due to the lack of men, but because the last soldier left their vineyard filled with mines, and forgot to leave a map or instructions for anyone. The neighbourhood witch is a prototypical cackling sorceress - complete with skull headdress - who forces the spirit of the sisters' grandmother into ensuring a dreadful punishment should they fail to fulfil their bargain. The aforementioned strongman, shot from a cannon, literally soars through the clouds. The dead rise to haunt the living. However, it’s not just these scenes that lift us into the realm of fairytales. Even the set dressing is a riot of jumbled curiosities - as if Jim Henson decorated a TGI Fridays. It's a delightful mash-up of genres and influences in which the starting points are obvious enough, but where the background to the story affords the film an identity that is very much its own.
It may be worth mentioning that this cut of Tears For Sale is very short, maybe 80 minutes with the credits (although even the credits are gorgeous enough to merit watching). Also, at times, the plot skims through key scenes in a way that can sometimes seem a little alienating, even for those prepared to invest in the films artistic approach. Mind you, while the story may not gel into an obviously coherent whole, the meanings and subtexts are still conveyed clearly and inventively enough. This film is clearly much more than a Mardi Gras parade of striking imagery, and the acting is top notch, with the main performers produce some brilliantly nuanced performances.
The film is deliberately earthy, extrovert and entertaining. As a result, some of the symbolism is arguably a little too obvious, but even in the most over the top set pieces, there's always the feeling that there is a mine of painful subtext trapped beneath the surface of whatever's going on. Watching the women of the village fight over men, or dance with the ghosts of those who left, can be hilariously melodramatic, but also surprisingly heartbreaking.
All in all, though, the film remains a success; a witty, intelligent, and thankfully adult fantasy in a world that's beautifully realised, and where sex and death are thrown in for much more than gratuitous effect. While evoking occasional memories of great movies like Amelie or Pans Labyrinth, it's miles from perfect. But it's compelling, fulfilling stuff and a welcome contribution from a film industry that's very often overlooked. This is a nation's historical pain reincarnated as a raw, heartfelt, and irreverent piece of entertainment.
Tears For Sale is a beautiful and funny fairytale. This is a film where questions about why or how are forbidden. A film where logic is the enemy of enjoyment. Don’t question the plot twists - just sit back and let the magic carry you away. It's a love story - a bold, brash, shamelessly theatrical, heart tugging, tragic romance, and, as such, it's a hugely entertaining watch. PD
Film: Connected
Release date: 20th September 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 110 mins
Director: Benny Chan
Starring: Louis Koo, Barbie Hsu, Nick Cheung, Ye Liu, Fan Siu-Wong
Genre: Action/Crime/Thriller
Studio: Cine Asia
Format: DVD
Country: China/Hong Kong
Connected is the latest film from Director Benny Chan - and evidence that, while the American’s may enjoy cherry picking the finest Asian movies for remake, it’s not all one way traffic.
Bob’s simply isn‘t happy with his life. He’s an amicable, friendly sort, trapped in the decidedly unfriendly occupation of debt collector. He’s also a single father whose sister is immigrating to Australia with his son, thinking him unfit.
Faced with immense pressure to be a better dad, a better brother, a better worker and an all round better person, Bob’s life seems empty and purposeless. That is until his phone rings unexpectedly. On the line is a woman, Grace, who claims that she and her daughter are the victims of a kidnapping. Is it a poor practical joke, or is Bob genuinely her only lifeline?
With the police quickly dismissing the claims as a joke in bad taste, Bob’s instincts tell him otherwise. He realises he may just be the only one who can prevent the victims suffering a painful and undeserved death. The question is, with the weight of the world on his shoulders, and the problems he already faces, will Bob put his own welfare aside and risk everything, including his son, for two people who may not even exist...
Connected is a rare beast indeed. One of the tiny minority of remakes that are better than the original source material on which they’re based. That being said, the American original - Cellular - was no masterpiece. It was a mildly diverting show with an interesting, original central idea - two strangers linked only by a phone call which, for one, presents a disturbing distraction from life, and, for the other, a last chance at survival.
Benny Chan’s has airlifted the concept and transported it to the bustling metropolis of Hong Kong. The change of location is only the beginning as Chan also opts to change the central characters, as well as trying to provide a more realistic story arc. In Connected, Cellular’s Ryan (a beach bum slacker type) is replaced by Bob (played by Louis Koo), who, to all intents and purposes, comes across as your average working adult.
Bob’s employment as a debt collector serves as an easily accessible insight into the world he inhabits. In one early scene, smartly dressed in his shirt and tie, we see Bob watching as a gang of hired thugs threaten a mother and her two young children over an unpaid family debt. As he helplessly clutches his briefcase while his ‘colleagues’ proceed, it is obvious that here is a man with a conscience - a man who is ill suited not only to his job, but to the world he lives in.
As mentioned, he is also a single father, and Bob is struggling to do right by his son almost as badly as he is in his own life. The day Bob gets the phone call from Grace Wong, claiming that she has been kidnapped and needs his help desperately, is the same day his son is due to move to Australia and disappear from his life altogether. The central character’s readiness to ignore his own problems and set out to be a hero was definitely one of the major weaknesses of Cellular. But Benny Chan, who also co-wrote this adaptation, has obviously considered this in his version. Why would anyone believe this stranger and risk his own life to save her? Chan answers this question: skilfully setting Bob up early on as the sort of person who couldn’t ignore Grace, while, at the same time, showing us a chain of events that explain why he’d reject the notion that she’s an impostor.
Connected also represents a slight change of pace for a director whose name is synonymous with big-budget action movies. For one thing, there are fewer action set-pieces here than in the likes of New Police Story. Well aware that Bob is not an action hero, Chan instead opts to crank up the tension, as well as adding some fairly dark humour, as time ticks away for both Grace and Bob.
Mr. Chan has also toned down the emotional histrionics which were arguably the most cringe worthy aspects of more recent movies like Robin B. Hood. While the single father aspect of Bob’s life is inevitably touched on, it is never excessively mined, so, for precisely this reason, it is all the more affecting.
Most of the credit for this audience engagement must go to charismatic star Louis Koo. He turns in a fine performance as the ordinary man thrust into an extraordinary situation that calls on every ounce of his courageous instincts. The knowledge that Koo performed many of his own stunts lends his portrayal of Bob an even greater level of credibility and honesty.
Connected is probably the first major Chinese remake of a Hollywood movie. As such, it ticks all the boxes a remake should. While fairly faithful to the source, it recognises and addresses the weaknesses the original displayed. While some would say it’s no great achievement to improve Cellular, Connected is an engaging and enjoyable thriller that does just that. Besides, isn’t it refreshing to learn that the Asia to Hollywood gravy train makes the occasional return trip? PD
Film: Battle Of Wits
Release date: 18th January 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 133 mins
Director: Jacob Cheung
Starring: Andy Lau, Ahn Sungki, Wang Zhi Wen
Genre: Action/Drama/War
Studio: In2Film
Format: DVD
Country: China
The complexities of war are examined in Battle Of Wits, a period action drama set during China's infamous Warring States Period. A little research shows that, during that particular era (circa 470 to 220 BC), China was split into many states, each attempting to usurp power from and conquer each other. Unification would eventually arrive in the guise of Qin Shi Huang, China’s first Emperor, and a man whose story was wonderfully stylised in Zhang Yimou's hugely celebrated film Hero. While the films may share common settings and historical backgrounds though, the similarities end there. Hero was a shiny, stylised kung fu superhero movie, whereas Battle Of Wits is a much more down to earth and gritty proposition.
The story takes place during 370 BC, in the city-state of Liang, a small entity which finds itself under threat from the much larger kingdom of Zhao. Liang’s defence consists of a comparative handful of soldiers as opposed to Zhao's army, which is fast-approaching thousands and led by revered General Xiang Yanzhang (played by Ahn Sung-Ki). Liang has an ace up its sleeve, however: an undertaking from the Mozi to send help.
The Mozi people are followers of Mohism, a Chinese philosophy that encourages a form of ‘universal love’ and moral righteousness, preaching against offensive acts and personal extravagance (or capitalism. as we now know it). As such, it is surprising that the Mozi decide to help Liang's selfish and drunken King (Wang Zhiwen). But Mozi help does arrive, in the decidedly Jedi-esque form of Ge Li (Andy Lau), who shows up alone at Liang’s gates. He's just one man, but one thing we know from cinema is never to underestimate one man in a cape and hood. Within minutes, he's convinced Liang's citizens to fight back, if only to protect their lives from certain subjugation and cruelty at Zhao's hands.
Being a devout pacifist (and yet a master strategist), Ge Li obviously cannot follow the usual high kicking, sword wielding path to victory over Zhao. Instead he must focus on teaching the citizenry of Liang how to defend themselves. Some people, including Liang's Royal Tutor (Wu Ma) and Prince Liang Shi (Choi Si-Won), are (sensibly) initially suspicious of their would-be saviour, as he asks for complete control of Liang's army and total obedience in order to carry off his plan. What he doesn't want is any payment, or comfort - he won't accept gifts and opts to sleep in the stables. Like all great heroes, it seems that doing good is his reward.
While everyone agrees to this proposal, he's initially distrusted by some of the populace, but before too long they're devoted followers. Among those he carries in thrall are chief archer Zi Yuan (Nicky Wu) and cavalry chief Yi Yue (Fan Bing-Bing), who starts to develop a romantic interest in Ge Li. Even Xiang Yanzhang soon grows to respect him, because on the battlefield Ge Li is untouchable. His skills and strategy ensure the safety of Liang and a lifetime of hero worship. However, Ge Li's popularity earns him a very powerful enemy: the King of Liang himself...
Battle Of Wits is essentially a story with two distinct halves. The first portion of the film depicts Ge Li's arrival, rising influence, and initial clashes and skirmishes with Xiang Yanzhang's army. We get the impression that we are watching a clever, insightful action/war movie - one that may get us thinking. The battle scenes, too, are a change from the usual high flying pageantry we’ve become so used to. The fight scenes are dirty, nasty and a simple combination of skin and steel. While the action can be hard to follow, and the CGI isn’t always of the highest calibre, it appears to strike a refreshing chord for those who may just be little bit jaded with the flying warriors formula.
All this good work is soon undone though as the film reaches its second half. Andy Lau is a fine performer, but his attempts at humility just do not work. He manages to prostrate himself in a way that makes the grandest posturing of the most arrogant rock star seem even keeled. When this is coupled with the upright morality the film overly espouses - anyone who doesn’t openly embrace Ge Li’s ‘universal love’ concept is soon shown to be greedy and a coward. His black-and-white world view is unreal, and, in the context of what had seemed like such a grounded action movie, it is particularly jarring.
As the story continues, the film presents many ethical and philosophical questions. We are asked to consider the ethical treatment of P.O.W.’s, whether all is, in fact, fair in war time, and can the notion of ‘universal love’ work among a varied and non indoctrinated population? Unfortunately, none of these questions are ever really explored to any great depth, leaving the film stranded somewhere between gritty epic and badly thought out message movie.
Battle Of Wits is a decent film - nothing more. It will never be a milestone in the industry, or indeed the genre, but there is enough here to entertain us. Where it falls down is in not quite being one thing or another. Early promise and potential are squandered in the second half of the film. There are good ideas here; it just seems that Jacob Cheung wasn’t the right man to explore them. PD
Film: Jackie Chan & The Kung Fu Kid
Release date: 9th August 2010
Certificate: 12
Running time: 85 mins
Director: Gangliang Fang & Ping Jiang
Starring: Yishan Zhang, Jackie Chan, Qixing Aisin-gioro, Bing Bai, Guo Ke-yu
Genre: Martial Arts/Drama/Family/Action
Studio: Kaleidoscope
Format: DVD
Country: China
Originally and more accurately titled Looking For Jackie, this 2009 Chinese family comedy has been retitled for its UK release in a cynical attempt to cash-in on Jackie Chan’s recent Karate Kid remake. But with little screen time for the martial arts legend, does the film offer enough elsewhere to placate fans angry at being duped into picking up this DVD?
The story begins in Indonesia, with 15-year-old Zhang Yishan (played by a young TV actor of the same name) performing badly at school, showing no aptitude for Chinese language or culture, and being barely bullied by his classmates as a result. His problem? An obsession with every 15-year-old boy’s favourite kung fu hero, Jackie Chan. His solution? To track down Jackie Chan and become his protégé (obviously). Yishan has the chance to make this dream a reality when he learns that Jackie is working on a new film in Beijing.
So, under the pretence of going to visit his stereotypically strict grandparents, he hits the road. Unfortunately for Yishan, he really isn‘t all that clever. Arriving at the wrong destination several times, he eventually endeavours to fall a little foul of a family of thieves with a tragic history.
As these various obstacles and distractions threaten to derail his pilgrimage, the promise of meeting Jackie and finding some manner of personal development seems further and further away…
Jackie Chan & The Kung Fu Kid is, at best, likely to leave fans feeling short changed, given that he only appears for a few minutes at the beginning and the end. In a similar vein, whilst he does briefly show off his martial arts skills, for the most part his role is to provide advice and guidance to the not overly troublesome Yishan, telling him to respect his elders and try harder at school. The film features no martial arts training whatsoever, with our hero’s journey coming across as a pointless and meandering one that mainly just depicts him blundering around and encountering a series of decent, everyday people, who are patient enough to help him on his way. Even the ‘bullying’ aspects of the film, and his ‘dramatic’ run in with the family of criminals are underplayed, with no obvious violent, threatening or traumatic overtones. As such, the film comes across as one long after school special - essentially a lecture, and whilst most people will certainly agree that Yishan needs a good shake to wake him, spending an hour-and-a-half waiting to find out if he’ll settle down and study hard like a good Chinese boy may be a bit of a stretch.
The film was directed by Jiang Ping and Fang Gangliang (Home Run) and has the distinct feel of being made for television. It’s full of awkward, static camera set ups and incredibly unnecessary editing effects. Also, for no apparent reason, Ping and Gangliang feel the need to constantly throw in some very out of place moments of slow motion and speeded up action, all of which only serves to leave the viewer with a vaguely amateurish impression.
What action scenes that do feature are woefully handled and clumsily displayed, and the only real appeasement for fans of the martial arts genre will be found in spotting some of Jackie Chan’s old sparring partners such as Yuen Wah or Yuen Wu. Any fleeting satisfaction gleaned from face spotting is quickly washed away again by the tide of tedium, however.
A little research shows that Jackie Chan & The Kung Fu Kid was certainly a hit at the domestic box office, setting a new record for local children and family friendly productions. The film is not unwatchable and there is some ironic fun to be had, mostly due to its stiff lipped and po-faced tone. However, for anyone expecting to see much of Jackie Chan, martial arts action in general, or even an engaging ‘rights of passage’ tale about one boy’s journey into manhood, will be left disappointed. PD
Film: Kamui: The Lone Ninja
Release date: 9th August 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 120 mins
Director: Yoichi Sai
Starring: Ken'ichi Matsuyama, Koyuki, Kaoru Kobayashi, Kôichi Satô, Hideaki Ito
Genre: Action/Adventure/Martial Arts
Studio: Manga
Format: DVD & Blu-ray
Country: Japan
Kamui is a 2009 live-action movie directed by Japanese Academy Award winner Yoichi Sai and featuring a stellar cast including Ken'ichi Matsuyama and Wunderkind Suzuka Ohgo. It is based on the manga series (originally) written by Sanpei Shirato in the '60s and '70s in which an introspective and rebellious ninja escapes his clan only to be hunted relentlessly by his former brethren, who now consider him a worthless traitor.
The story takes place in 17th century feudal Japan. Kamui is a man on the run. From a young age he has been considered something of an outcast, even within his own clan. Disillusioned with the laws and principles of the ninja, which dictate that he must use his skills to kill his fellow man, Kamui chooses to leave his murderous past behind him and search for true freedom.
However, for a ninja, liberation comes at a high price, and the only escape from the bonds of his ninja brotherhood is death. So, Kamui finds himself hunted by his fellow ninja, who believe they must eliminate him for his betrayal. Trapped in a constant struggle for survival, in a world where he can trust no-one Kamui must use all his skills just to survive.
His journey brings him into the life of a fisherman, who invites Kamui to settle with him and his family. It is here that Kamui finally starts to open up and find some peace and solace. However, the arrangement brings Kamui face to face with a long-forgotten nemesis - another renegade warrior with a deadly score to settle.
Meanwhile, the pursuing ninja are finalising their plans and setting their trap...
As with all live action adaptations, the first question to address is it’s loyalty to the original material. Fans of the original may find themselves split. The film remains true enough to its source material to keep most casual fans happy, but there are many subtle political nuances in the original that just aren’t apparent here, at least not to viewers new to Kamui‘s story. While much of the original political commentary and observation may be diluted, though, the storytelling and plotting plays as well as it could in the condensed format of a single live action movie.
Predictably, though, Kamui: The Lone Ninja is not a film filled with delicate performances or characterisation - Kamui (portrayed by Ken'ichi Matsuyama) is a decidedly sullen hero, leaving the audience to view his story almost impassively. Any ‘bonding’ is with Hanbei (played by Kaoru Kobayashi) or Lord Fudoh (Hideaki Ito), who provides enjoyable and solid if not stellar support.
Kamui may well have contained elements of Shirato’s ‘leftist’ social commentary in the original manga, but this is a very different animal. Kamui: The Lone Ninja is an action/fantasy first and foremost, and in this live action format, it is the action scenes that bring the story to life. In this respect, the film really delivers. The action is entertaining and wonderfully executed. A combination of outstanding live action fight choreography - expertly executed - and marvellously over the top CGI combine to provide a genuine feast for fans of the martial arts genre. If anything, the somewhat one dimensional nature of the characters may actually help the film achieve its primary aims. They allow us to enjoy it for the action packed piece it is, rather than identifying too closely with them, and being tempted to look too hard for a 1960’s subtext that’s been deliberately toned down in this modern representation.
When Tony Rayns says Kamui: The Last Ninja is “probably the best ninja movie ever made,” it makes you take notice. This is the highest of praise from a man who knows more than a little about the genre - but it’s hard to disagree with him after viewing. The film is a feast for the eyes, and it’s not hard to imagine giants of the genre like Sho Kosugi throwing envious glances in its direction, and wishing many of these film making techniques had been available to him in his heyday.
While some fans of the original may be disappointed that it lacks bite as a social satire or commentary, that’s not what this incarnation of Kamui is about. It is an action film pure and simple, and an excellent one at that. Legendary source material, solid direction and performances combine with incredible and occasionally incredulous action scenes and special effects to provide a hugely entertaining film. PD
Film: Chiko
Release date: 28th June 2010
Certificate: 18
Running time: 92 mins
Director: Ozgur Yildrim
Starring: Denis Moschitto, Volkan Ozcan, Moritz Bleibtreu, Reyhan Sahin, Fahri Ogun Yardim
Genre: Crime/Drama
Studio: E1/Vertigo
Format: DVD
Country: Germany
Chiko is Ozgur Yildirim’s debut feature. A look at one young man’s attempts to fight his way to the top of Hamburg’s drug trade, Yildirim, has described his film as "my Scarface set in a Hamburg suburban ghetto." Lofty ambitions indeed, and a reference point that is plainly apparent.
Chiko is a young Turk living in Hamburg. Like Tony Montana, Chiko wants to rise to the very top of the drug trade in the country that he has adopted as his own, and he is willing to engage in any acts necessary to help him climb the ladder. Along with his best friend, Tibet, he begins working for Brownie (Moritz Bleibtreu), a local gangster and drug kingpin.
At first all goes well for the two friends, as they find themselves afforded the respect and fear they desire. In true movie gangland style, though, their paths diverge, and while Chiko is taken under Brownie’s wing and elevated to higher status, Tibet gets greedy, forgets his place and bites the hand that feeds him by skimming cash off the top of Brownie’s profits. The resulting punishment leaves Chiko with a dilemma. Avenge his best friend and give up all he’s worked so hard for, or stay loyal to Brownie and turn his back on one of the last remaining connections with his ‘real’ life?
If the plot of this film sounds all too familiar, don’t panic. That just means you’ve seen at least one other gangster movie in your life. There is nothing original about this film, but perhaps it’s best to assume that’s deliberate. Almost every facet of this movie has its origin in US films we’ve all seen. Some of them are even underlined and highlighted for us, metaphorically.
Brownie is a man not to be crossed, and the punishments he metes out on those who do wouldn’t be out of place in the Rambo movies he so adores. Chiko will discuss identity and faith with a Turkish prostitute Meryem in a restaurant that is every inch the stereotypical American ‘50s Diner. Tibet’s primary ambition in life is to own souped-up, modified cars with his name all over them, just like those he sees in The Fast And The Furious. Later, when he becomes increasingly isolated and enraged, he expresses his sense of betrayal by pulling a gun on his own mirror image and shaving off his hair, before going on a gun-toting revenge rampage. These are not references that need explanation.
These déjà vu feelings even extend to the main character. Isa Oikar (Denis Moschitto), is, like many US characters before him, a young man made up of contradictions. He is a low-level thug and drug dealer, but also conflicted and loving father to a young girl. He is a Turk, but his home is in Hamburg. He is a Muslim but his name is Arabic for Jesus. His nickname, Chiko (tattooed on his arm) makes him sound like a Hispanic gang member on America's mean streets, but his empty rhetoric about respect and power ensure he comes across as an anachronistic parody of the American gangsters he so obviously aspires to.
The director, however, seems less interested in following his American blueprints than in using them to show how the new Germany assimilates - sometimes imperfectly - all manner of influences. When Chiko and his gang set up shop in a flat to sell their product, we see representatives from all aspects of German society coming to them in need of “kick ass weed.” Many of them are obvious versions of tried and trusted characters and stereotypes, and perhaps this mirror image is exactly what the director was aiming for.
Chiko is a hard-hitting snapshot of the brutal underbelly of modern life. As a study of the food chain in the illegal narcotics trade, and even as a localised variant in genre cinema, Chiko, as a whole, delivers a quality product. Moschitto, however, is almost as unable to carry the film as his character is unable to cope with the pressures around him. With a maximum of two facial expressions (mean and moody resentment or furrow browed nervousness), he lacks the necessary charisma to make other characters, and unfortunately, viewers, invest in him. This means the trust and friendship which Brownie so quickly (and crucially) bestows upon Chiko is never really plausible. The more seasoned Bleibtreu, by contrast, oozes psychopathic charisma that, while entertaining, serves to further expose his co-star's shortcomings.
A watchable film, in which the prerequisites of the genre are mixed (if not seamlessly, then at least enjoyably) with the ethnic idiosyncrasies of its setting and characters - it is, unfortunately, let down by a disappointing performance from its lead. PD
Film: Robin-B-Hood
Release date: 24th May 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 134 mins
Director: Benny Chan
Starring: Jackie Chan, Michael Hui, Louis Koo, Matthew Medvedev
Genre: Action/Comedy
Studio: Cine Asia
Format: DVD & Blu-ray
Country: Hong Kong
The glory days of Police Story and Armour Of God are now long, with an aging Jackie Chan reigning in the insane stunts and breakneck action in recent years for more endearing comic bumbling. With the addition of a baby, the softening process is complete.
Jackie plays Thongs, who is one third of a trio of cat burglars, together with Octopus (Louis Koo) and their leader, Landlord (Michael Hui). These three erstwhile amigos regularly work together to ‘liberate’ valuable items from more wealthy citizens. The items in question range from priceless jewellery to gourmet shark fin.
As the head of the crew, Landlord has taught Thongs and Octopus that there is still honour among thieves. They may rob, but don’t cross the line - they don't rape, murder, or kidnap. However, when his retirement fund goes missing, Landlord willingly takes on a job that involves the kidnapping of a baby boy (Matthew Medvedev). Knowing that Octopus and Thongs would never agree to it, he keeps them in the dark, and by the time they realise what‘s happened, the baby is in their bag and they're already mid-getaway.
As the hand-off goes wrong, Landlord crashes the getaway van and ends up in jail, while Thongs and Octopus manage to escape with the baby in tow. When Landlord checks in from his cell, they learn that the child is the offspring of a ridiculously rich tycoon and rather than an expected $7 million payday, they could stand to pick up much more…
Landlord needs to get out of jail first though, which could take a while, so Thongs and Octopus are left holding the baby. Not surprisingly, this is a struggle. Thongs is deep in debt, with a gambling addiction - and a man who allows his family to be harassed by loan sharks. Meanwhile, Octopus passes his time trying to seduce rich young women in the hopes of getting his hands on some family jewels and trying to convince his pregnant wife to have an abortion. Not obvious choices for babysitters. Once they take on responsibility for the baby though, the emasculating scenarios and poopy gags come thick and fast – and the two are forced to rethink their selfish approaches. When the baby can't stop crying they enlist the aid of a young nurse (Gao Yuanyuan), who teaches them good parenthood. In the space of a five-minute montage, Thongs and Octopus go from unwilling nannies to fully-fledged parents.
While the film received some extra press in the West due to Jackie Chan playing a ‘baddie’, it’s really not the case. Jackie Chan’s amazingly amiable screen presence, coupled with the run of the mill nature of the storyline, ensures that we never see him as anything other than a good guy or, at worst, a good guy in waiting.
The film follows a very common blueprint, a bunch of selfish masculine types go gooey eyed after spending some time holding a baby. The script is unoriginal, and hits us with cliché after cliché to wring the expected tears and laughs from an obviously family-filled target audience. Yes, it’s predictable, and, yes, it’s obvious - but it’s fun. We laugh, we cry, we learn lessons, and we grow with the characters. Chan first appears robbing a hospital, but the film hinges on his sacrifice to save a helpless child. Octopus relents in his desire for his wife to abort their unborn child. Lesson learned? Check. Conscience developed? Check.
We shouldn’t expect the action scenes to be vintage Jackie Chan, but they are still tightly choreographed, enjoyable and well executed. Robin-B-Hood may be unoriginal stuff, but it hits its marks well - and does what it should with commercially rewarding efficiency. Benny Chan directs the film and ticks all the boxes smartly, mixing the jokes, the "goo goo" baby scenes, and Jackie Chan's trademark creative action into a decently entertaining package.
Finally some mention must go to the film’s real star, Matthew Medvedev, who has so much charisma. Considering the scrapes he gets into – including, but not limited to, being put into washing machines and being dangled from the window of an apartment building - it's helpful that the young boy the filmmakers cast is just so engaging. When the baby cries after being separated from kidnappers/foster parents, it's hard not to feel a bit of a wrench. It's crass manipulation on the filmmakers' part, but, thanks to little Matthew, it works.
It’s obvious, it’s manipulative, it affords Jackie Chan a well-earned rest after years of acrobatic adventures, but it’s fun for all the family. PD
