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Samuraipanda
Reviews
Zatôichi (2003)
Smooth Kitano style with Samurai action
I have seen many a Kitano film in my days, and I might as well be frank with you and tell you that I'm a Kitano fan. I love the pace of his movies, the characters especially and all in all the seriousness/violence mixed with a hearty joy. Those are all constant themes in many of Kitano's films, and Zatôichi is not an exception.
Zatôichi is excellently starred by Kitano himself, or Beat Takeshi as he likes to call himself when acting. The blond, blind masseur and swordmaster is not the most important character in the movie, as Kitano likes to focus much more on the people around him. If you're keen to Kitano's earlier works, such as Dolls and Hanabi, you won't be disappointed of how this side of the movie works.
As for the action, Kitano and his crew have evidently chosen to use CGI effects to get the whole "sword-through-body" and "blood-gushing-in-the-air" feeling. Thankfully, it's not over the top, while at a few scenes it's very apparent that it's CGI. The fights are excellent, swift and deadly, and it gives a more realistic tone, not like most martial arts movies where the two combatants aren't trying to hit each other but following a choreography. That's not the case with Zatôichi, though.
Also, there's a nice little gimmick with this movie, as music plays a very important role and is more than once combined with visuals and music, giving it a sort of musical touch. Not over the top, again, but just enough to give it a niche ;)
The only thing keeping this from a perfect score, on my behalf, are the CGI effects. They could've been done a little better, but it isn't annoying or anything.
All in all, Zatôichi entertained me greatly, and I'm very happy having imported it on DVD from Japan. I recommend seeing it in its whole, and not some upcoming butchered version released by Miramax.
9/10
Ondskan (2003)
A flawed adaptation of the book
Jan Guillou's very self-biographical book Ondskan has finally got its first attempt at a book-to-screen adaptation. Both tell the story of Erik Ponti, who grows up with an abusive stepfather and a passive and withdrawn mother, and how this troubled teenager spends the last terms of high school in a boarding school. This boarding school, with a very traditional past, uses ill-treatment and violence as a form of upbringing, given from older students to the younger in a form of hierarchy. The plot revolves around how Erik, much used of beating and taking beatings, tries to restrain from using it to fight off this evil order, which proves to be a lot harder than he thought.
The book is a greatly crafted piece, which is easy to pick up but also discusses very basic themes of evil and violence and what way we can prevent it from taking a hold in our society. Jan Guillou is famous for being the type of person who doesn't take crap from anyone, so to speak, which unfortunately doesn't show as well in the movie as in the book. There are some serious changes in the adaptation, some of which are understandable, though others change the whole approach of the story and the depth of the character. Erik has become a lot more passive and softer, and the violence he inflicts himself is only a part of what the book shows.
The casting of the movie is acceptable, though it could've been done better. Erik's parents play their roles perfectly and most of the teacher's at the school feel spot on. Andreas Wilson's acting, as the lead star, is however lacking, since he rarely show any type of genuine emotion.
What the movie did right, though, was bringing the time and place of the story to life. It feels like it's been filmed in the real location, even though the 50's feeling doesn't appear unless there are any classic cars on the street. They've succeeded in giving it a sort of timeless feel, which probably appeals to the younger, teenage audience better.
Overall, the movie works, but that's just it. It obviously gave new attention to the book, which in my opinion is much better.
Rating: 6/10
X2 (2003)
Mostly for the fans
I was one of the lucky few who got to see this movie on an early screening, and boy did it pay off. The estimates of this film, as a Marvel fan in general, were high. Spending the last couple of months browsing through various teasers and trailers, I finally got to see the full movie.
The story takes off roughly a couple of years after the incidents that occurred in the first movie. Wolverine has left his fellow mutants to dig up his past, and other mutants have joined Xavier and his X-Men to learn how to control their mutant powers. Some of these new mutants are Iceman, Pyro and you also get to see Colossus for a brief moment.
The main villain from the first movie, Magneto (Ian McKellen) is stuck in a plastic prison, with severe control checks for metals every so often. It seems as if nothing bad can happen... right?
The actors do their thing, and the acting is, safe to say, better than in the first movie. The only trouble the common man might have is that the movie is more aimed at the real fans of the comic books, and it features less action than the first movie. It still has, I'd think, some entertainment value for everyone, but only fans will appreciate 'every' scene of pure mutant goodness! Bryan Singer and his crew have done a great job, and I for one would like to see a third movie in the series.