The movie "San Andreas," starring Dwayne "Rock" Johnson, is the worst kind of movie. Just mediocre and nothing unique or new. As we all know, when a movie is spectacularly good, it is a masterpiece. When a movie is spectacularly bad, it can become a juicy, fascinating masterpiece like some of legendary director Ed Wood's movies like "Force Nine from Outer Space." "San Andreas" is neither of them. It is just a boring mediocrity just like thousands and thousands of boring movies which are released every year. There is nothing unique about it. Since the days of "Towering Inferno" and first "Poseidon Adventure," countless disaster movies, including the present movie, have been released. Out of all these disaster movies, is there anything unique about "San Andreas?" Absolutely nothing. First, although the computer-generated graphics were well done, there is nothing eye-catching or new about it. We have seen many, many movies with this level of computer graphics. Also, the images in this movie are simply computer-generated, souped up versions of what we saw during the recent tsunami disasters in Fukushima, Japan and Aceh, Indonesia. Second, there nothing unique about this simplistic, comic book like plot. A hero, who has a problem from the past, tries his best to save his daughter from a disaster and a genius scientist, played by Paul Giamatti, makes a spectacular prediction and saves countless lives. Didn't we see this kind of plot countless times? In conclusion, this movie is just a bore with a hackneyed, cliché plot with average computer graphics. I am disappointed to say this because I like Rock Johnson, (I find him to be a fun guy.) but this movie is, on a scale of 1 to 10, just 4.
Reviews
18 Reviews
Not a science fiction but a science-ignoring nonsense
22 August 2011
Warning: Spoilers
The plot of Rise of the Planet of the Apes is an amazing scientific nonsense. It is almost shameful to write a comment about it. It is equally shameful that I paid any money to go see this nonsensical movie.
These are some of the plot holes of this movie:
1)As many commentators have pointed out, how can a drug to cure Alzheimer's Disease make a chimp (i.e. Caesar) superintelligent? The cure for Alzheimer has nothing to do with the difference in intelligence between humans and apes. 2) In this movie and its sequel the human race, even with modern weapons, is defeated and subjugated by apes. However, hasn't the human race (i.e. Homo sapiens) and its ancestors, while using only primitive weapons, repeatedly defeated apes and humanoid relatives like Neanderthal over the last half a million years? Homo sapiens have defeated some humanoid relatives (e.g. Neanderthals), which were very close to Homo sapiens in intelligence. How can apes defeat modern humans who are armed with modern weapons? 3) In the movie one massive epidemic of flu wiped out almost the entire human population. However, this is close to impossible. Human gene pool is so diversified that one epidemic cannot kill almost all the human population. In a population as diverse as humans, there will be millions, if not hundreds of millions of individuals, who are super-resistant to a given epidemic. 4) Also, in the movie the experimental retrovirus is lethal to humans while the apes are immune to it. In real life, this is rather unlikely. Viruses which are lethal to humans (e.g. Ebola virus) tend to affect all ape species like humans, chimpanzees, gorillas and bonobos (and even monkeys which are distant cousins). Even if this virus was initially nonpathogenic to apes, viruses have a nasty habit of mutating. They tend to mutate and become lethal to all species related to humans (like chimpanzees, bonobos and gorillas). This is what some scientists think happened to HIV virus. SIV (simian immunodeficiency virus),which affects only certain non-human primates, mutated into HIV, which affects humans. By the time the retrovirus in the movie kills off most of the humans, it can mutate and become highly pathogenic to all apes and kill off large percentage of chimpanzee,gorilla, bonobo and, possibly, orangutan population. 5) Bonobos and orangutans have a natural tendency to be very non-violent. There is almost no homicide in bonobo societies. Among the higher large primates, only chimpanzees and humans (and to some extent gorillas) are known for violence. I do not know if bonobos (like Koba in the movie) and orangutans would attack humans even if they acquire human-like intelligence. 6)Caesar apparently could communicate with other ape species like gorillas. Even after decades of study, human primatologists are still having trouble communicating with apes. How could Caesar suddenly communicate with other ape species? 7) There are five species of large primates (humans,chimpanzees, gorillas, bonobos and orangutans) on earth. Out of this, 99.993% are humans. There are only about 500,000 chimpanzees, gorillas, bonobos and orangutans combined on earth while there are about 7 billion humans. Even if 99 % of humans were wiped out by an epidemic, there will still be about 70 million humans left. That is still 140 humans to one ape. How could one ape, which is armed only with spear or club, defeat 140 humans, who may be armed with assault rifles,tanks, fighter jets and even nuclear weapons? 8)If apes occupy large parts of earth and challenge the supremacy of humans, wouldn't humans go berserk and drop massive number of nuclear weapons on the apes? In the movie, the humans seem to give up and roll over after apes successfully occupy Muir Woods. In real life, wouldn't the armed forces drop massive amount of napalm bombs and other weapons on Muir Woods and try to wipe out the apes? 9) The biotech company Gen-sys and its employees seem to totally ignore every safety precautions. First, it seems to have no security systems to prevent apes from escaping. Second, its employee, Dr. Rodman, administered a dangerous virus to an ape and causes his assistant to be infected. In real life, the retrovirus is first tested for pathogenicity against humans before any kind of experimentation. Also, if the initial test determines the virus to be pathogenic to humans, the virus is administered in a special quarantine room and by technicians who are wearing something like a spacesuit to prevent any human being from being infected. In the movie, the virus was not tested for human pathogenicity. The virus was administered in a regular surgical room. Also, the assistant participated in the experiment even though he lost his protective mask. These are contrary to all biotechnological safety precautions. 10) In the movie all the humans, who are shooting at the apes, are incredible bad shots. Nobody seems to be able to hit the apes. I wish all the poachers in Africa who are killing off hundreds, if not thousands, of apes are bad shots like that. Then there will be no ape poaching problems in Africa! 11) In the sequel of this movie, Planet of the Apes, apes were superb soldiers as compared to humans. In reality, apes make very lousy soldiers. As Napoleon said, physical endurance is the greatest asset for a soldier. Compared to humans, apes have very low physical endurance. Unlike humans, they cannot march for miles and miles. After walking only for several miles, the bodies of these apes have a tendency of overheating and get easily exhausted. Unlike some humans who can march more than thirty, or even forty miles a day, apes can only march several miles a day. With their limited mobility, apes make lousy soldiers in offensive warfares. (They may possibly make decent defensive soldiers.)
A movie doesn't have to be totally logical or realistic to be enjoyable. However, with so many plot holes, I consider this movie to be no better than children's cartoon.
These are some of the plot holes of this movie:
1)As many commentators have pointed out, how can a drug to cure Alzheimer's Disease make a chimp (i.e. Caesar) superintelligent? The cure for Alzheimer has nothing to do with the difference in intelligence between humans and apes. 2) In this movie and its sequel the human race, even with modern weapons, is defeated and subjugated by apes. However, hasn't the human race (i.e. Homo sapiens) and its ancestors, while using only primitive weapons, repeatedly defeated apes and humanoid relatives like Neanderthal over the last half a million years? Homo sapiens have defeated some humanoid relatives (e.g. Neanderthals), which were very close to Homo sapiens in intelligence. How can apes defeat modern humans who are armed with modern weapons? 3) In the movie one massive epidemic of flu wiped out almost the entire human population. However, this is close to impossible. Human gene pool is so diversified that one epidemic cannot kill almost all the human population. In a population as diverse as humans, there will be millions, if not hundreds of millions of individuals, who are super-resistant to a given epidemic. 4) Also, in the movie the experimental retrovirus is lethal to humans while the apes are immune to it. In real life, this is rather unlikely. Viruses which are lethal to humans (e.g. Ebola virus) tend to affect all ape species like humans, chimpanzees, gorillas and bonobos (and even monkeys which are distant cousins). Even if this virus was initially nonpathogenic to apes, viruses have a nasty habit of mutating. They tend to mutate and become lethal to all species related to humans (like chimpanzees, bonobos and gorillas). This is what some scientists think happened to HIV virus. SIV (simian immunodeficiency virus),which affects only certain non-human primates, mutated into HIV, which affects humans. By the time the retrovirus in the movie kills off most of the humans, it can mutate and become highly pathogenic to all apes and kill off large percentage of chimpanzee,gorilla, bonobo and, possibly, orangutan population. 5) Bonobos and orangutans have a natural tendency to be very non-violent. There is almost no homicide in bonobo societies. Among the higher large primates, only chimpanzees and humans (and to some extent gorillas) are known for violence. I do not know if bonobos (like Koba in the movie) and orangutans would attack humans even if they acquire human-like intelligence. 6)Caesar apparently could communicate with other ape species like gorillas. Even after decades of study, human primatologists are still having trouble communicating with apes. How could Caesar suddenly communicate with other ape species? 7) There are five species of large primates (humans,chimpanzees, gorillas, bonobos and orangutans) on earth. Out of this, 99.993% are humans. There are only about 500,000 chimpanzees, gorillas, bonobos and orangutans combined on earth while there are about 7 billion humans. Even if 99 % of humans were wiped out by an epidemic, there will still be about 70 million humans left. That is still 140 humans to one ape. How could one ape, which is armed only with spear or club, defeat 140 humans, who may be armed with assault rifles,tanks, fighter jets and even nuclear weapons? 8)If apes occupy large parts of earth and challenge the supremacy of humans, wouldn't humans go berserk and drop massive number of nuclear weapons on the apes? In the movie, the humans seem to give up and roll over after apes successfully occupy Muir Woods. In real life, wouldn't the armed forces drop massive amount of napalm bombs and other weapons on Muir Woods and try to wipe out the apes? 9) The biotech company Gen-sys and its employees seem to totally ignore every safety precautions. First, it seems to have no security systems to prevent apes from escaping. Second, its employee, Dr. Rodman, administered a dangerous virus to an ape and causes his assistant to be infected. In real life, the retrovirus is first tested for pathogenicity against humans before any kind of experimentation. Also, if the initial test determines the virus to be pathogenic to humans, the virus is administered in a special quarantine room and by technicians who are wearing something like a spacesuit to prevent any human being from being infected. In the movie, the virus was not tested for human pathogenicity. The virus was administered in a regular surgical room. Also, the assistant participated in the experiment even though he lost his protective mask. These are contrary to all biotechnological safety precautions. 10) In the movie all the humans, who are shooting at the apes, are incredible bad shots. Nobody seems to be able to hit the apes. I wish all the poachers in Africa who are killing off hundreds, if not thousands, of apes are bad shots like that. Then there will be no ape poaching problems in Africa! 11) In the sequel of this movie, Planet of the Apes, apes were superb soldiers as compared to humans. In reality, apes make very lousy soldiers. As Napoleon said, physical endurance is the greatest asset for a soldier. Compared to humans, apes have very low physical endurance. Unlike humans, they cannot march for miles and miles. After walking only for several miles, the bodies of these apes have a tendency of overheating and get easily exhausted. Unlike some humans who can march more than thirty, or even forty miles a day, apes can only march several miles a day. With their limited mobility, apes make lousy soldiers in offensive warfares. (They may possibly make decent defensive soldiers.)
A movie doesn't have to be totally logical or realistic to be enjoyable. However, with so many plot holes, I consider this movie to be no better than children's cartoon.
The Last Templar
(2009)
A horrible rip-off of Da Vinci Code
7 May 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Everyone involved in this movie should kill themselves. This is one of the most horrible TV miniseries I have ever seen. Everything about this movie is so bad. I thought the legendary director of awful, Ed Wood, was directing this movie. Did Mira Sorvino, who showed so much acting talent in many other projects, forget how to act? Her acting in this movie was just AWFUL!! The plot was just awful. Because of the public interest in Midieval mystery after the success of Da Vinci Code, the producers of The Last Templar hurriedly cobbled together a quickie rip-off. They must have hired the worst and cheapest writers for this job. These writers have no sense of realism whatsoever. This movie made Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movies look so real and authentic. I am sure that grade school kids can write better than these so-called "writers." If there are still Templars left on this planet, I ask them to decapitate the producers of this awful movie. Allowing these criminals to make this kind of total nonsense is a mortal sin.
Shadowless Sword
(2005)
A fun but mediocre copy cat
28 August 2008
Warning: Spoilers
How can the director of this film be proud of his work? Included in the extra feature of the DVD are some interviews of the director and actors. They reiterate ad nauseum how proud they are of this film. In spite of these positive comments, this film is just a carbon copy of some cheap Hong Kong martial art movie with some shameless rip-off of Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow. Fight scenes are merely Koreanized version of Chinese martial art fight scenes with those exaggerated sword plays and physically impossible midair ballets. Just like many Hong Kong movies, the plot is close to nonexistent. Just like many Hong Kong movies, the characters are one-dimensional. The good girl swordfighter is saintly good while the villains are just plain evil. Unlike the real world, there is absolutely no gray area. Also, why do so many of the Balhae bandits look so much like Captain Jack Sparrow? In fact, with the effeminate gestures and weird make-up, one of them looks as if Johnny Depp was speaking Korean. Did Jack Sparrow immigrate from 18th century Caribbean to 10th century Korea to father some offsprings? Although it was a fun movie, "Shadowless Sword" is very unoriginal. It is just a rip-off of martial art movies from Hong Kong.
Dragon Wars: D-War
(2007)
As Stupid as Power Rangers
15 February 2008
During the sneak preview of this movie (which was included in the bonus feature of the DVD),Hyung-rae Shim, the director, said that this movie "Dragon Wars" made him proud to be a Korean. But what is there to be proud about this movie? This movie simply reminds me of the ridiculous TV series "Power Rangers." Just for the sole purpose of appealing to American audience, Haim Saban and Shuki Levy, the producers of "Power Rangers" glued together ridiculously incompatible Japanese TV show with some American footages filled with mediocre to horrible acting by performers like David Yost and Amy Jo Johnson. Shim essentially did exactly the same thing. Because he wanted to make money in the US--which he candidly admitted in his sneak preview speech --Shim made "Dragon Wars," a ridiculous combination of some Korean folk legend with some ridiculous acting and outrageously stupid storyline in the style of the worst of Hollywood. Why would a Korean hero sword fighter reincarnate as a nerdy American journalist in Los Angeles? Why would a Korean maiden with magical power reincarnate as a young, blond Amerian woman in Los Angeles? That was done for the sole purpose of appealing to American audience. The director apparently did not care about this implausibility in the storyline. The director also did not care about a major goof. The boy who played Jason Behr as a child of about ten has blue eyes. However, Jason Behr has hazel-brown eyes. Eye color does not change from age ten to age thirty. That is biologically close to impossible!!
Just for the sole purpose of appealing to American adolescents and young adults (who are the target audience), director Shim glued together elements from many successful movies from various countries. The dragons reminded me of Godzilla. The villains reminded me of villains from Power Rangers and Lord of the Rings. The villains' attack on Los Angeles reminded me of the battle scenes from Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. The young Korean hero and his master reminded me of various Chinese martial art movies. This movie was just a rip-off of these successful movies. In spite of his boastful speech during the sneak preview, Shim's work showed nothing unique or creative. This movie proves conclusively that artificially gluing together elements from various successful movies does not create a unique or successful movie. It was a disastrous failure.
If one wants to see a unique monster movie from South Korea, I recommend "The Host" which is much more unique, creative and enjoyable.
Just for the sole purpose of appealing to American adolescents and young adults (who are the target audience), director Shim glued together elements from many successful movies from various countries. The dragons reminded me of Godzilla. The villains reminded me of villains from Power Rangers and Lord of the Rings. The villains' attack on Los Angeles reminded me of the battle scenes from Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. The young Korean hero and his master reminded me of various Chinese martial art movies. This movie was just a rip-off of these successful movies. In spite of his boastful speech during the sneak preview, Shim's work showed nothing unique or creative. This movie proves conclusively that artificially gluing together elements from various successful movies does not create a unique or successful movie. It was a disastrous failure.
If one wants to see a unique monster movie from South Korea, I recommend "The Host" which is much more unique, creative and enjoyable.
Mountain Patrol
(2004)
Self-congratulatory propaganda
31 August 2006
Warning: Spoilers
**Mild spoiler** So, poaching is a big problem in Tibet, eh? Some moral Chinese fighting poaching and extinction of antelopes in Tibet. How moving!! But may I ask what caused the poaching and extinction of animals in Tibet? These were caused by China's illegal and amoral occupation of Tibet and greedy exploitation of Tibetan people. The attitude of the Chinese Communist government, which doesn't give a damn about Tibetan people or its culture, is well reflected in the attitude of Chinese criminals who go to Tibet. These criminals do not care about Tibetan people, its culture or the land. They poach Tibetan animals themselves and encourage poverty-stricken Tibetans to poach so they can make money. The quickest solution to the poaching problem in Tibet is for China to return Tibet to its people and get out of Tibet!! Why didn't this movie give us this obvious and most logical solution to poaching in Tibet? Treating extinction of some antelopes in Tibet as if it is the greatest problem in Tibet is absolutely laughable. The greatest problem in Tibet is illegal invasion and occupation of Tibet by China and Chinese people. Is the Beijing journalist played by Liang Qi totally stupid or totally blind? Can't he see this obvious problem? Does the producer of this film think that just because they made some film condemning the poaching and extinction of some species of antelopes in Tibet, the Tibetans will love Chinese, who stole their land and massacred their people? Showing some token kindness is not going to erase the crimes committed by Chinese against Tibetan people.
This movie is a disgusting self-congratulatory nonsense made by some government influenced Chinese film producers. Although it is much more subtle, this is a propaganda movie just like the anti-Jewish Nazi film "The Eternal Jew." I am nauseated to read the high praise written by some Americans and Japanese about this propaganda film. Did these Americans and Japanese lower themselves to the level of Chinese government mouthpiece? By the way, why was this movie awarded Don Quixote Award in Berlin? Are those Berlin judges insane? I have repeatedly criticized this movie because of its disgusting propaganda. I am glad that my repeated criticism has angered some self-appointed Chinese patriots. In China any criticism of the state and its policy is punished severely and the critics are silenced swiftly. If my comment against this film is a criticism of Chinese government, I cannot help it. One cannot criticize dangerous propaganda films like this without criticizing the underlying policies of the government which made the film. It is like commenting about a disgusting film like "Eternal Jew" without attacking Nazism.
These Chinese patriots cannot silence me here in the United States, a country of free speech. If these Chinese patriots were not thick-skinned enough to take criticism, I would tell them, "Welcome to the world of free speech."
This movie is a disgusting self-congratulatory nonsense made by some government influenced Chinese film producers. Although it is much more subtle, this is a propaganda movie just like the anti-Jewish Nazi film "The Eternal Jew." I am nauseated to read the high praise written by some Americans and Japanese about this propaganda film. Did these Americans and Japanese lower themselves to the level of Chinese government mouthpiece? By the way, why was this movie awarded Don Quixote Award in Berlin? Are those Berlin judges insane? I have repeatedly criticized this movie because of its disgusting propaganda. I am glad that my repeated criticism has angered some self-appointed Chinese patriots. In China any criticism of the state and its policy is punished severely and the critics are silenced swiftly. If my comment against this film is a criticism of Chinese government, I cannot help it. One cannot criticize dangerous propaganda films like this without criticizing the underlying policies of the government which made the film. It is like commenting about a disgusting film like "Eternal Jew" without attacking Nazism.
These Chinese patriots cannot silence me here in the United States, a country of free speech. If these Chinese patriots were not thick-skinned enough to take criticism, I would tell them, "Welcome to the world of free speech."
Plan 9 from Outer Space
(1957)
If Kurosawa is an AWESOME Genius, Ed Wood is an Awful Genius.
27 May 2006
Ed Wood is a genius! During their peak Akira Kurosawa, Ingmar Bergman and Federico Fellini kept on creating cinematic images that can only be called stroke of genius. In this movie Ed Wood Jr. indeed showed his genius. However, his genius was totally opposite of Kurosawa, Fellini and Bergman. If the aforementioned three directors were really, really AWESOME, Ed Wood was really, really AWFUL. He showed a genius in making one of the most awful movie in cinematic history. Nobody else can make such a bad movie. If a mediocre, average person like I made a movie, I will just make a mediocre movie. I can never make a movie which is so bad. One needs a genius of Ed Wood's calibre to make such a bad movie. This is like taking an exam made up of one hundred multiple choice questions. An intelligent or genius student will get 90+ to 100% correct. Even though one has never studied the topic covered in the exam, one will, by statistical chance, get some of the questions correct. One needs a real effort and genius to get everything wrong. Ed Wood is such a genius. He got everything WRONG, WRONG, WRONG in this movie. One needs a tremendous talent to get everything so wrong.
His casting is incredibly bad. How can one choose Tor Johnson to be a movie actor? His dialog is so bad. Compared to Johnson, another muscle man turned actor, Arnold Schwarznegger, with his sometimes incomprehensible Teutonic English, sounds almost like a poetry reading by Sir Lawrence Olivier. And what is Vampira doing? Do you call that acting? Somebody said there are no bad actors. There are only bad directors. If that is true, Ed Wood is ba-a-a-a-d!! And who wrote this script? Even grade school kids can write better scripts.
Does Ed Wood know what special effect is? I read that those flying saucers are paper plate spray-painted silver. They do look like paper plates spray-painted silver. Ed Woods' special effect makes some of the tackiest Godzilla movie look like masterpieces.
Ed Wood seems to have no sense of continuity. That tall actor--really Ed Wood's chiropractor--who is supposed to be a stand-in for the deceased Bela Lugosi doesn't even look like Bela Lugosi even with his face hidden. The chiropractor is much too tall to stand in for Bela Lugosi.
Even with all these amateurish film making, Ed Wood had the gall to release this movie. What a gutsy guy!!
After Ed Wood screws up everything, the result is something deliciously tacky and fascinating. Many film schools analyze and teach works by Kurosawa and Bergman. Film schools should teach Ed Wood's works. They are prime examples of what never to do!
His casting is incredibly bad. How can one choose Tor Johnson to be a movie actor? His dialog is so bad. Compared to Johnson, another muscle man turned actor, Arnold Schwarznegger, with his sometimes incomprehensible Teutonic English, sounds almost like a poetry reading by Sir Lawrence Olivier. And what is Vampira doing? Do you call that acting? Somebody said there are no bad actors. There are only bad directors. If that is true, Ed Wood is ba-a-a-a-d!! And who wrote this script? Even grade school kids can write better scripts.
Does Ed Wood know what special effect is? I read that those flying saucers are paper plate spray-painted silver. They do look like paper plates spray-painted silver. Ed Woods' special effect makes some of the tackiest Godzilla movie look like masterpieces.
Ed Wood seems to have no sense of continuity. That tall actor--really Ed Wood's chiropractor--who is supposed to be a stand-in for the deceased Bela Lugosi doesn't even look like Bela Lugosi even with his face hidden. The chiropractor is much too tall to stand in for Bela Lugosi.
Even with all these amateurish film making, Ed Wood had the gall to release this movie. What a gutsy guy!!
After Ed Wood screws up everything, the result is something deliciously tacky and fascinating. Many film schools analyze and teach works by Kurosawa and Bergman. Film schools should teach Ed Wood's works. They are prime examples of what never to do!
8th Man
(1965– )
A Very Well-done Animation with a Touch of Buddhist Ideology
12 January 2006
I remember this series from the 60's when I was a little boy. VHS version of this anime series was available in the late 70's and early 80's and I watched it again back then. The drawings are effective but rather basic, with lots of blank spaces. By the standard of later Japanese animations like "Akira," "Ghost in the Shell," and "Cowboy Bebop," it is rather sparse and basic to say the least.
I compared this animation with cartoonist Jiro Kuwata's original manga graphic novel "Eito-Man," on which the TV series was based. The graphic novel is much better drawn than the TV animation. The drawings in the graphic novel are much more sensual--like many of Kuwata's drawings. It is not very clear from the TV series, but Kuwata's graphic novel shows obvious influences from American comics like "Superman" and "Batman." Some anime connoisseurs say that "Eito-man" is Japan's answer to Superman and Batman.
Kuwata and late story writer Kazumasa Hirai added a touch of Buddhist philosophy to "Eito-Man." The word "Eighth Man" is really referring to Buddhist god Hachi-man. ("Hachi" in Japanese means "eight.") In Buddhism, Buddha reincarnates in the form of different gods to save humans. Hachi-man is one of those gods. Kuwata, who later became a born-again Buddhist, wanted his robot Eighth Man to be a manifestation of the Buddhist god Hachi-man so Buddha can save the innocent people from evil men and women. What is unique about Eighth Man's Buddhist influenced theme is that Eighth Man showed mercy to everyone--even to some villains. In one episode, Eighth Man, with a great risk to his own safety, saved the life of a gangster, who earlier tried to destroy him. The gangster greatly appreciated Eighth Man's deed and promised to reform his ways and be a good person. Story writer Hirai, with his Buddhist philosophy, must have believed that most humans--even some gangsters--can be salvaged. This is greatly different from other superheroes who just kill and destroy villains without showing any mercy to them. Even as a child in the 60's, I was greatly impressed with Eighth Man's sense of mercy and forgiveness.
Unfortunately, Jiro Kuwata could not complete his graphic novel series "Eito-man." In the mid 1960's, just before completing the last installation, he was imprisoned for illegal possession of firearm--which is a grave offense in Japan. (The story writer Hirai and his publisher hired another cartoonist to finish the Eito-man series. However, Hirai was not satisfied with the finished product.) In the 1970's, Kuwata suffered from depression and alcohol dependency. Later, he became a born-again Buddhist. Finally, in the early 1990's Kuwata, who by this time became sober and regained his confidence, finished the very last installation of the Eito-man series.
It is interesting that there is such a dynamic human drama even behind a children's cartoon series. I am glad that Kuwata, a child prodigy who completed his first graphic novel at the age of 13, overcame his alcohol problem and is currently utilizing his awesome talent. Kudos to Jiro Kuwata!! Also, may the soul of Hirai, who died in January of 2015, rest in peace.
I compared this animation with cartoonist Jiro Kuwata's original manga graphic novel "Eito-Man," on which the TV series was based. The graphic novel is much better drawn than the TV animation. The drawings in the graphic novel are much more sensual--like many of Kuwata's drawings. It is not very clear from the TV series, but Kuwata's graphic novel shows obvious influences from American comics like "Superman" and "Batman." Some anime connoisseurs say that "Eito-man" is Japan's answer to Superman and Batman.
Kuwata and late story writer Kazumasa Hirai added a touch of Buddhist philosophy to "Eito-Man." The word "Eighth Man" is really referring to Buddhist god Hachi-man. ("Hachi" in Japanese means "eight.") In Buddhism, Buddha reincarnates in the form of different gods to save humans. Hachi-man is one of those gods. Kuwata, who later became a born-again Buddhist, wanted his robot Eighth Man to be a manifestation of the Buddhist god Hachi-man so Buddha can save the innocent people from evil men and women. What is unique about Eighth Man's Buddhist influenced theme is that Eighth Man showed mercy to everyone--even to some villains. In one episode, Eighth Man, with a great risk to his own safety, saved the life of a gangster, who earlier tried to destroy him. The gangster greatly appreciated Eighth Man's deed and promised to reform his ways and be a good person. Story writer Hirai, with his Buddhist philosophy, must have believed that most humans--even some gangsters--can be salvaged. This is greatly different from other superheroes who just kill and destroy villains without showing any mercy to them. Even as a child in the 60's, I was greatly impressed with Eighth Man's sense of mercy and forgiveness.
Unfortunately, Jiro Kuwata could not complete his graphic novel series "Eito-man." In the mid 1960's, just before completing the last installation, he was imprisoned for illegal possession of firearm--which is a grave offense in Japan. (The story writer Hirai and his publisher hired another cartoonist to finish the Eito-man series. However, Hirai was not satisfied with the finished product.) In the 1970's, Kuwata suffered from depression and alcohol dependency. Later, he became a born-again Buddhist. Finally, in the early 1990's Kuwata, who by this time became sober and regained his confidence, finished the very last installation of the Eito-man series.
It is interesting that there is such a dynamic human drama even behind a children's cartoon series. I am glad that Kuwata, a child prodigy who completed his first graphic novel at the age of 13, overcame his alcohol problem and is currently utilizing his awesome talent. Kudos to Jiro Kuwata!! Also, may the soul of Hirai, who died in January of 2015, rest in peace.
The Vanishing
(1988)
What a stupid ending!
14 November 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Is Mr. Rex Hofman, the main character in this movie, totally mentally retarded and suicidal? Even though Rex is insanely obsessed with the disappearance of his girlfriend, why did he have to give himself up to a psychopathic killer and let himself be tortured to death? What did he accomplish? Absolutely NOTHING!! Unless a person is a psychopathic masochist, no human being in this world will ever do such a stupid thing!! Apparently Mr. Hofman is indeed a totally stupid, psychopathic masochist. I cannot buy the existence of such an idiotic individual on this planet, except in an insane asylum. Some IMDb commentators have complimented this movie as a good character study of a psychopathic killer. No, no. This movie is a character study of two psychopathic killers: wacko Monsieur Raymond, who kills others, and stupid Mr. Rex, who seems to enjoy killing himself. When a movie deviates from reality to this extent, it stinks. This is a rotten mackerel.
Chushingura
(1962)
An Excellent Movie But An Acquired Taste
9 November 2005
Warning: Spoilers
***May contain some spoilers***
I remember seeing this movie back in the 1980's in San Jose, Calif. I personally think this is a very well-made movie. However, some IMDb commentators wrote some negative comments about this movie. I understand and do not blame their lack of full appreciation of this movie. This is a very, very Japanese movie. The movie was based on a series of actual events which took place in the 1700's in Japan and is very familiar to most Japanese. Director Inagaki made this movie for Japanese audience who are familiar with these 18th century events. Moreover, the full meaning of this movie can be understood only by people who are familiar with the classical Japanese play "Kanadehon Chushingura." Inagaki's movie is an abridged version of "Kanadehon Chushingura." This play is an extremely long Kabuki drama written in the 18th century. It takes days to perform it from the beginning to the end. (No wonder this movie is four hours long.) Even in Japan, only the most experienced connoisseurs of Kabuki theater can understand all the subtle nuances in this gargantuan play. Fully appreciating "Kanadehon Chushingura" is comparable to a passionate fan of Richard Wagner's "Ring of Niebelungen" appreciating the subtlety of Wagner's use of various leitmotifs or Tolkien connoisseurs appreciating the complexity and richness of Tolkien's fantasy world in "Lord of the Ring."
The creators of "Kanadehon" depicted hundred of characters in the play and wrote complex plots and subplots for them. The main plot of the play (47 masterless samurais assassinating an ex-shogunate official as an act of vengeance) was historically based but many of the other minor plots are purely fictional. The plots and subplots are typically Japanese--very sentimental and melodramatic. Many Japanese still consider this act of vengeance by the 47 samurais as an exemplary act of loyalty and self-sacrifice. It is very difficult for non-Japanese audience, who are not very familiar with the play or the historical events on which the play and movie was based, to fully appreciate the subtlety and aesthetics of this movie. (By the way, a character in a recent movie "Ronin" mentions this historical event. However, his statement is filled with historical inaccuracies.)
If somebody is looking for thrilling sword plays, forget about this movie. The emotion of the characters and the sentimentalism, which build to the climatic sword fight at the end of the movie, are the crux of the movie. Sword fighting at the end of the movie is merely secondary in this movie.
Even though this movie is excellently made, it may not be for everyone. It is definitely an acquired taste.
I remember seeing this movie back in the 1980's in San Jose, Calif. I personally think this is a very well-made movie. However, some IMDb commentators wrote some negative comments about this movie. I understand and do not blame their lack of full appreciation of this movie. This is a very, very Japanese movie. The movie was based on a series of actual events which took place in the 1700's in Japan and is very familiar to most Japanese. Director Inagaki made this movie for Japanese audience who are familiar with these 18th century events. Moreover, the full meaning of this movie can be understood only by people who are familiar with the classical Japanese play "Kanadehon Chushingura." Inagaki's movie is an abridged version of "Kanadehon Chushingura." This play is an extremely long Kabuki drama written in the 18th century. It takes days to perform it from the beginning to the end. (No wonder this movie is four hours long.) Even in Japan, only the most experienced connoisseurs of Kabuki theater can understand all the subtle nuances in this gargantuan play. Fully appreciating "Kanadehon Chushingura" is comparable to a passionate fan of Richard Wagner's "Ring of Niebelungen" appreciating the subtlety of Wagner's use of various leitmotifs or Tolkien connoisseurs appreciating the complexity and richness of Tolkien's fantasy world in "Lord of the Ring."
The creators of "Kanadehon" depicted hundred of characters in the play and wrote complex plots and subplots for them. The main plot of the play (47 masterless samurais assassinating an ex-shogunate official as an act of vengeance) was historically based but many of the other minor plots are purely fictional. The plots and subplots are typically Japanese--very sentimental and melodramatic. Many Japanese still consider this act of vengeance by the 47 samurais as an exemplary act of loyalty and self-sacrifice. It is very difficult for non-Japanese audience, who are not very familiar with the play or the historical events on which the play and movie was based, to fully appreciate the subtlety and aesthetics of this movie. (By the way, a character in a recent movie "Ronin" mentions this historical event. However, his statement is filled with historical inaccuracies.)
If somebody is looking for thrilling sword plays, forget about this movie. The emotion of the characters and the sentimentalism, which build to the climatic sword fight at the end of the movie, are the crux of the movie. Sword fighting at the end of the movie is merely secondary in this movie.
Even though this movie is excellently made, it may not be for everyone. It is definitely an acquired taste.
Panda and the Magic Serpent
(1958)
An excellent early attempt by Toei Studio
2 November 2005
As many of the anime fans know, Japanese movie studio, Toei, revolutionized animation with its numerous excellent animation movies. One of the first full-length color animation from Toei is "Hakuja-den," an excellent movie from 1958. Even though some of the scenes look primitive when compared to much later Japanese animations like "Akira" or "Cowboy Beebop," almost everything in the movie is superbly done. The story of the movie was a rather sentimental and highly romanticized but good adaptation of a Chinese folklore. (This folklore was used by classical Beijing opera dramatists.) The scenes were superbly drawn with tremendous care. The artists behind this movie created excellent animal characters like Panda, Mimi and White pig. (These are obviously influenced by excellent Disney animal characters.) The music was superbly composed by Chuji Kinoshita (brother of the famed Japanese movie director Keisuke Kinoshita). Kinoshita superbly weaved actual Chinese melodies--similar to the ones used by Puccini in his opera Turandot--into a symphonic movie music. An excellent combination of music, story and animation. These are what Toei producers learned from the Disney studio. Toei producers from the 1950's wanted to outdo Disney with their "Hakuja-den."
There were some obvious inaccuracies in the movie. Even though the lead male character, Shu-sheng, and lead female character, Bai-nyang, are wearing clothing similar to those from Tang dynasty era (7th to 10th century), many of the other character are wearing clothing and head gears which weren't worn until Ching dynasty era (17th to early 20th century).
Also, the prints, on which the VHS and DVD versions of this movie were made, were not in a very good condition. Even on the VHS and DVD versions of the movie, I could see huge number of scratches. (I wonder why the producers of the VHS and DVD did not clean-up the scratches with modern digital technology. They could have easily done that. Are they too cheap to do that?)
In spite of these shortcomings, this is a superb animation movie. Kudos to the producers of this movie. I highly recommend every fan of animation to see this movie. If you are too poor to rent this movie, in many parts of the United States this movie is available as a $1 DVD "Panda and the White Serpent" at the local WalMart.
There were some obvious inaccuracies in the movie. Even though the lead male character, Shu-sheng, and lead female character, Bai-nyang, are wearing clothing similar to those from Tang dynasty era (7th to 10th century), many of the other character are wearing clothing and head gears which weren't worn until Ching dynasty era (17th to early 20th century).
Also, the prints, on which the VHS and DVD versions of this movie were made, were not in a very good condition. Even on the VHS and DVD versions of the movie, I could see huge number of scratches. (I wonder why the producers of the VHS and DVD did not clean-up the scratches with modern digital technology. They could have easily done that. Are they too cheap to do that?)
In spite of these shortcomings, this is a superb animation movie. Kudos to the producers of this movie. I highly recommend every fan of animation to see this movie. If you are too poor to rent this movie, in many parts of the United States this movie is available as a $1 DVD "Panda and the White Serpent" at the local WalMart.
Whispering Corridors
(1998)
Not Scary Enough; "Phone" Is a Better Movie
4 August 2005
Warning: Spoilers
**Some spoilers in this comment**
South Korean movie "Whispering Corridors" is a horror movie which is not scary enough. Unlike "Phone" from the same country, the screenwriters of this movie did not succeed in maintaining the terrifying suspense throughout the movie. After the death of the sadistic female teacher and brutal male teacher "Mad Dog" Oh, the movie dragged on and on until its rather disappointing climax. At the climax an average-looking school girl apparition, who was in no way scary, appeared and explained the motivation behind the haunting. Convinced by the sincerity of her former friend Miss Hur, she goes back to the netherworld. This was not even one-tenth as scary as the climax of "Phone" where the apparition of Jin-hee, a murder victim, emerges from a wall and stares at her victim with her horrifyingly angry eyes. Jin-hee was a totally unforgiving monster. She has an uncompromising grudge, which even an average moviegoer can feel from the screen. How can the average-looking female ghost in "Whispering Corridors" measure up to Jin-hee of "Phone?"
The only matter of note in this movie was the incredible brutality of the Korean teachers. The teachers slap, punch, whip and sexually harass the students, but the students take it with obedient "Yes, sir." These teachers make some U.S. Marine Corps drill instructors look like cream puffs. If these teachers acted like this in the U.S., they would have been thrown in jail.
According to my Korean acquaintance, teachers are allowed to use corporal punishment in South Korea. He also told me that the root cause of the brutality of Korean schoolteachers is the generations-old Confucian ideology. Followers of Confucian ideology believe that teachers can do no wrong and give teachers absolute authority over his or her students. And many modern Koreans pride themselves as being obedient followers of classic Confucianism. Just as the adage "Absolute authority absolutely corrupts." states, the absolute authority given to Korean schoolteachers make many of them to act any way they want. Many resort to intolerable violence while some resort to sexual harassment. (Of course, I strong believe that there are many kind, respectable Korean schoolteachers like Miss Hur in this movie.)
In conclusion, "Whispering Corridors" is just an OK movie. It should be obvious to any competent movie fan that "Phone" from the same country is a much better crafted horror movie.
South Korean movie "Whispering Corridors" is a horror movie which is not scary enough. Unlike "Phone" from the same country, the screenwriters of this movie did not succeed in maintaining the terrifying suspense throughout the movie. After the death of the sadistic female teacher and brutal male teacher "Mad Dog" Oh, the movie dragged on and on until its rather disappointing climax. At the climax an average-looking school girl apparition, who was in no way scary, appeared and explained the motivation behind the haunting. Convinced by the sincerity of her former friend Miss Hur, she goes back to the netherworld. This was not even one-tenth as scary as the climax of "Phone" where the apparition of Jin-hee, a murder victim, emerges from a wall and stares at her victim with her horrifyingly angry eyes. Jin-hee was a totally unforgiving monster. She has an uncompromising grudge, which even an average moviegoer can feel from the screen. How can the average-looking female ghost in "Whispering Corridors" measure up to Jin-hee of "Phone?"
The only matter of note in this movie was the incredible brutality of the Korean teachers. The teachers slap, punch, whip and sexually harass the students, but the students take it with obedient "Yes, sir." These teachers make some U.S. Marine Corps drill instructors look like cream puffs. If these teachers acted like this in the U.S., they would have been thrown in jail.
According to my Korean acquaintance, teachers are allowed to use corporal punishment in South Korea. He also told me that the root cause of the brutality of Korean schoolteachers is the generations-old Confucian ideology. Followers of Confucian ideology believe that teachers can do no wrong and give teachers absolute authority over his or her students. And many modern Koreans pride themselves as being obedient followers of classic Confucianism. Just as the adage "Absolute authority absolutely corrupts." states, the absolute authority given to Korean schoolteachers make many of them to act any way they want. Many resort to intolerable violence while some resort to sexual harassment. (Of course, I strong believe that there are many kind, respectable Korean schoolteachers like Miss Hur in this movie.)
In conclusion, "Whispering Corridors" is just an OK movie. It should be obvious to any competent movie fan that "Phone" from the same country is a much better crafted horror movie.
Thunderbirds
(1965–1966)
Great TV Series Even After Forty Years
2 August 2005
**Slight Spoiler in this Comment**
"Thunderbirds" is a superb TV series even though it was first shown on TV more than forty years ago. When I first saw the series back in the 60's, I was a little boy. I loved the series back then and I still love it forty years later. I did not understand it at the time, but producer Gerry Anderson and his crew made the series with superb technique, artistry, love and care.
Even though the special effects is dated by the 21st century standard of computerized graphics, the special effects scenes, which were supervised by late Derek Meddings, were magnificently filmed. Meddings and his staff must have spent hours making models and setting up explosions. I have to tip my hat to the incredible creativity and imagination of the craftspeople who made those models. The results are fabulous. Some of the scenes filmed look like real disasters and explosions even though the models used were only about 1/50 to 1/200 of real aircrafts and ships. Also, there is a huge improvement in the special effect technology from Gerry Anderson's earlier series like "Supercar" and "Fireball." Supercar and Fireball were merely kids' show with much less sophisticated special effects. Even though "Thunderbirds" was intended to be also a kids' TV show, Anderson ended up creating something even adults can thoroughly enjoy. (I still remember my late grandfather marveling at the special effects of "Thunderbirds.")
The puppets used were magnificently sculpted. All the puppets were sculpted with tremendous love and care. Each one of them seemed to have character. (Who thought of putting those cute dimples on Scott Tracy's cheeks!) Moreover, in spite of the complex movements of the puppets, one rarely sees the strings controlling them.
The musical score created by the late composer Barry Gray is superb. Even though Barry Gray's music is greatly influenced by the rich symphonic style of his fellow country men Edward Elgar (especially his "Pomp and Circumstances" marches) and William Walton, it also contains elements of jazz, Latin music, 1960's rock music and even bluegrass. I still remember that as a young boy I was captivated by Barry Gray's catchy theme music for Thunderbirds. At times the rich orchestration of Barry Gray's music sounds bit overdone. It reminds me of the rich and Romantic but sometimes overblown cinematic music from the golden age of Hollywood in the style of Erich Korngold, Max Steiner and Miklos Rosza. In spite of its slightly overblown nature, Barry Gray's music is rich and exquisite.
The scripts were interesting but sometimes not very well written. For instance, in the feature length movie "Thunderbirds A Go," why would Mars Launch Project, probably a part of the U.S. government, ask the International Rescue, a secret organization outside the government bureaucracy, to oversee the security of such a significant project like first manned rocket launch to Mars? Nobody outside the International Rescue knows the real identity of its members. Why would government bureaucrats, who are often paranoid about security clearance, rely on a secret outside organization to oversee the security of Zero-X project? Also, why would the International Rescue, who is almost paranoid about avoiding publicity, send Thunderbird 1 and 2 to Glenn Field, the site of Zero-X launch? Glenn Field, the site of first launch of manned Mars mission, must have been crawling with journalists who would love to photograph Thunderbird aircrafts. Thunderbird 1 and 2 could have landed at some hidden location just outside Glenn Field to avoid publicity. Moreover, in the same movie why would Scott Tracy radio and call Lady Penelope, a secret agent of the International Rescue, by her real name in front of one of the launch commanders at Glenn Field? To avoid blowing cover, Scott should have called her by a code name or alias. There are many other examples of bad screen writing. They are too numerous to be mentioned here.
Also, the screenwriters of the series and feature length Thunderbird movies went out of the way so the special effects people can show some magnificent explosions. In the feature length movie "Thunderbird 6," a hijacked airship happened to hit, out of all the possible places, a radar tower on top of a missile base. The result is highly predictable. The airship drops onto the missile base and starts a series of awesome explosions! Some John Wayne westerns have to have some good fistfight and gunfight scenes. Similarly, Thunderbirds have to have lots of good explosions. F.A.B. to that!
In spite of some shortcomings, Thunderbirds is still a superb TV series forty years after its release. Unfortunately, very few modern TV series show the great love and care one can feel from this superb series.
"Thunderbirds" is a superb TV series even though it was first shown on TV more than forty years ago. When I first saw the series back in the 60's, I was a little boy. I loved the series back then and I still love it forty years later. I did not understand it at the time, but producer Gerry Anderson and his crew made the series with superb technique, artistry, love and care.
Even though the special effects is dated by the 21st century standard of computerized graphics, the special effects scenes, which were supervised by late Derek Meddings, were magnificently filmed. Meddings and his staff must have spent hours making models and setting up explosions. I have to tip my hat to the incredible creativity and imagination of the craftspeople who made those models. The results are fabulous. Some of the scenes filmed look like real disasters and explosions even though the models used were only about 1/50 to 1/200 of real aircrafts and ships. Also, there is a huge improvement in the special effect technology from Gerry Anderson's earlier series like "Supercar" and "Fireball." Supercar and Fireball were merely kids' show with much less sophisticated special effects. Even though "Thunderbirds" was intended to be also a kids' TV show, Anderson ended up creating something even adults can thoroughly enjoy. (I still remember my late grandfather marveling at the special effects of "Thunderbirds.")
The puppets used were magnificently sculpted. All the puppets were sculpted with tremendous love and care. Each one of them seemed to have character. (Who thought of putting those cute dimples on Scott Tracy's cheeks!) Moreover, in spite of the complex movements of the puppets, one rarely sees the strings controlling them.
The musical score created by the late composer Barry Gray is superb. Even though Barry Gray's music is greatly influenced by the rich symphonic style of his fellow country men Edward Elgar (especially his "Pomp and Circumstances" marches) and William Walton, it also contains elements of jazz, Latin music, 1960's rock music and even bluegrass. I still remember that as a young boy I was captivated by Barry Gray's catchy theme music for Thunderbirds. At times the rich orchestration of Barry Gray's music sounds bit overdone. It reminds me of the rich and Romantic but sometimes overblown cinematic music from the golden age of Hollywood in the style of Erich Korngold, Max Steiner and Miklos Rosza. In spite of its slightly overblown nature, Barry Gray's music is rich and exquisite.
The scripts were interesting but sometimes not very well written. For instance, in the feature length movie "Thunderbirds A Go," why would Mars Launch Project, probably a part of the U.S. government, ask the International Rescue, a secret organization outside the government bureaucracy, to oversee the security of such a significant project like first manned rocket launch to Mars? Nobody outside the International Rescue knows the real identity of its members. Why would government bureaucrats, who are often paranoid about security clearance, rely on a secret outside organization to oversee the security of Zero-X project? Also, why would the International Rescue, who is almost paranoid about avoiding publicity, send Thunderbird 1 and 2 to Glenn Field, the site of Zero-X launch? Glenn Field, the site of first launch of manned Mars mission, must have been crawling with journalists who would love to photograph Thunderbird aircrafts. Thunderbird 1 and 2 could have landed at some hidden location just outside Glenn Field to avoid publicity. Moreover, in the same movie why would Scott Tracy radio and call Lady Penelope, a secret agent of the International Rescue, by her real name in front of one of the launch commanders at Glenn Field? To avoid blowing cover, Scott should have called her by a code name or alias. There are many other examples of bad screen writing. They are too numerous to be mentioned here.
Also, the screenwriters of the series and feature length Thunderbird movies went out of the way so the special effects people can show some magnificent explosions. In the feature length movie "Thunderbird 6," a hijacked airship happened to hit, out of all the possible places, a radar tower on top of a missile base. The result is highly predictable. The airship drops onto the missile base and starts a series of awesome explosions! Some John Wayne westerns have to have some good fistfight and gunfight scenes. Similarly, Thunderbirds have to have lots of good explosions. F.A.B. to that!
In spite of some shortcomings, Thunderbirds is still a superb TV series forty years after its release. Unfortunately, very few modern TV series show the great love and care one can feel from this superb series.
Hide and Seek
(2005)
A Hackneyed Plot
2 August 2005
Warning: Spoilers
***This comment definitely contains spoilers!!!*** Robert de Niro's recent movie "Hide and Seek" is, as another IMDb commentator stated, a "watchable" movie. Although it is decently made, its failure to become a box office success was due to its script which was rather cliché. The plot line that the central character of the movie turned out to be the real villain is nothing new. Probably it was first used by Agatha Christie in her novel "Murder of Roger Ackroyd" approximately eighty years ago. Even with the further twist that this central character/villain himself probably did not remember the crimes due to memory suppression, the plot line is still nothing new. Rod Serling and others used this kind of plot line decades ago. (Some readers may recall a 1963 Twilight Zone episode "The New Exhibit" in which the central character played by Martin Balsam kept on killing and killing but did not remember any of his crimes due to his memory suppression. He blamed the murders on supernatural acts by his wax statues.) Because of this hackneyed plot, the so-called surprise ending of this movie was not much of a surprise. The only unexpected thing about the ending of the movie which is worth mentioning is the fact that the screenwriters steered the moviegoers to think that this movie was a horror movie in which an apparition named Charlie was behind all the horrible things occurring in the Calloway household. The screenwriters of the movie borrowed liberally from the Japanese movie "Dark Water" to make the movie look like a horror movie. For example, just like in the Japanese movie "Dark Water," 1) Calloway household consists of one parent and one child, 2) Charlie initially revealed himself only to the child and 3) Charlie seems to be associated with water, especially to the bathtub. At the beginning of "Hide and Seek," many fans of Asian horror movies and similar movies assumed this movie to be a horror movie, similar to "Dark Water." To the surprise of some of the moviegoers, the movie turned out to be a suspense movie in which none of the horrible events in the movie was supernatural. They were all the acts of the dual personality of the insane central character played by de Niro.
Although de Niro did an admirable job playing the mentally ill psychologist, his acting was not good enough to save this rather cliché script. "Hide and Seek" was merely watchable, but not very unique.
Although de Niro did an admirable job playing the mentally ill psychologist, his acting was not good enough to save this rather cliché script. "Hide and Seek" was merely watchable, but not very unique.
War of the Worlds
(2005)
A Mediocre Dud
11 July 2005
Warning: Spoilers
The recently released Steven Spielberg-Tom Cruise movie "War of the Worlds" is merely a mediocre dud. In spite of very good special-effects, including its superb computer graphics, the movie as a whole was a disappointment. There are four things which really bothered me.
**Some spoilers in the next two paragraphs.**
First, the original plot by H. G. Wells that the space aliens were defeated by massive outbreak of infection due to earthly bacteria and virus makes no sense whatsoever. Please recall when NASA sent astronauts to our moon for the first time in 1969. When the astronauts came back to earth, they were quarantined and tested to make sure that they did not bring back any dangerous disease unknown to humans. Before undertaking a huge enterprise like the massive invasion of earth, wouldn't the space aliens do something similar? Wouldn't an advanced race like the space aliens send a probe or a small reconnaissance team to test the earth's atmosphere, water and soil for something dangerous or toxic even before planning an invasion?
Second, the movie was awfully myopic in its scope. I understand that Spielberg intended this movie to be a portrayal of alien invasion from the point of view of Ray Ferrier, an average Joe. However, by viewing an epic event like massive invasion by space aliens from a point of view of an average citizen, a moviegoer feels rather dissatisfied. He or she wants to see more. For example, the moviegoers are shown only the destruction of one part of New York-New Jersey area from Ray's point of view. The massive destruction of other parts of the world is never shown to us. Moreover, we never get to see the defeat of the space aliens. By the time Ray Ferrier reaches Boston, the defeat of the space aliens have already occurred. The fait-accompli defeat is simply described to Ferrier by an Army soldier. The moviegoers never get to see even a glimpse of the massive defeat. At the end of the movie I said to myself, "Is that all?" I felt awfully cheated. I paid $7.00 to see this movie!
Since the days of Homer's "Iliad" and Leo Tolstoy's epic novel "War and Peace," epic events were portrayed from panoramic points of view, where a reader or moviegoer can see the entire picture of an epic event. Even though "Independence Day" and 1953 version of "War of the Worlds" were rather cheesy movies, they depicted the epic battle between humans and space aliens with a more satisfactory panoramic point of view.
Third, why did we have to see so much of Tom Cruise in this movie? Wasn't he in about 95% of the scenes in this movie? Some of the recent Tom Cruise movies have the same problem. We saw Tom Cruise ad nauseum in Mission Impossible 2. I don't care how beautiful he thinks he is, but seeing too much of him makes the movie and Tom Cruise himself rather tiresome.
Fourth, even though the computer-generated graphics in this movie were very well done, some of them looked awfully and distracting busy. Just like many other computer-generated graphics, the computer-generated shots in this movie have too many interesting things going on in a single shot--as many of us know, this is called "busy" in painting terminology. Many classic directors like Kurosawa and Jean Renoir studied paintings by master painters to create concise but perfect shots. But modern computer graphic artists must have learned shot construction from Marvel Comics and Japanese manga. Just like Marvel comic book pictures, which are often extremely busy, some of the computer-generated graphics in this movie are distracting busy, busy, busy.
In conclusion, this movie was not bad. It was just a disappointing dud.
**Some spoilers in the next two paragraphs.**
First, the original plot by H. G. Wells that the space aliens were defeated by massive outbreak of infection due to earthly bacteria and virus makes no sense whatsoever. Please recall when NASA sent astronauts to our moon for the first time in 1969. When the astronauts came back to earth, they were quarantined and tested to make sure that they did not bring back any dangerous disease unknown to humans. Before undertaking a huge enterprise like the massive invasion of earth, wouldn't the space aliens do something similar? Wouldn't an advanced race like the space aliens send a probe or a small reconnaissance team to test the earth's atmosphere, water and soil for something dangerous or toxic even before planning an invasion?
Second, the movie was awfully myopic in its scope. I understand that Spielberg intended this movie to be a portrayal of alien invasion from the point of view of Ray Ferrier, an average Joe. However, by viewing an epic event like massive invasion by space aliens from a point of view of an average citizen, a moviegoer feels rather dissatisfied. He or she wants to see more. For example, the moviegoers are shown only the destruction of one part of New York-New Jersey area from Ray's point of view. The massive destruction of other parts of the world is never shown to us. Moreover, we never get to see the defeat of the space aliens. By the time Ray Ferrier reaches Boston, the defeat of the space aliens have already occurred. The fait-accompli defeat is simply described to Ferrier by an Army soldier. The moviegoers never get to see even a glimpse of the massive defeat. At the end of the movie I said to myself, "Is that all?" I felt awfully cheated. I paid $7.00 to see this movie!
Since the days of Homer's "Iliad" and Leo Tolstoy's epic novel "War and Peace," epic events were portrayed from panoramic points of view, where a reader or moviegoer can see the entire picture of an epic event. Even though "Independence Day" and 1953 version of "War of the Worlds" were rather cheesy movies, they depicted the epic battle between humans and space aliens with a more satisfactory panoramic point of view.
Third, why did we have to see so much of Tom Cruise in this movie? Wasn't he in about 95% of the scenes in this movie? Some of the recent Tom Cruise movies have the same problem. We saw Tom Cruise ad nauseum in Mission Impossible 2. I don't care how beautiful he thinks he is, but seeing too much of him makes the movie and Tom Cruise himself rather tiresome.
Fourth, even though the computer-generated graphics in this movie were very well done, some of them looked awfully and distracting busy. Just like many other computer-generated graphics, the computer-generated shots in this movie have too many interesting things going on in a single shot--as many of us know, this is called "busy" in painting terminology. Many classic directors like Kurosawa and Jean Renoir studied paintings by master painters to create concise but perfect shots. But modern computer graphic artists must have learned shot construction from Marvel Comics and Japanese manga. Just like Marvel comic book pictures, which are often extremely busy, some of the computer-generated graphics in this movie are distracting busy, busy, busy.
In conclusion, this movie was not bad. It was just a disappointing dud.
Team America: World Police
(2004)
What A Disgusting Movie!
11 July 2005
***Some spoilers in this review!!***
The puppet movie "Team America" is simply a disgusting movie. There is nothing wrong about its political satire. This movie pokes fun equally at American right-wing jingoists, totally misguided liberals, United Nations bureaucrats, cocky Europeans (especially the French), dictator Kim Jong-il and Islamic fanatics. Some of the satire is quite funny. I especially liked the scene in which Kim Jong-il feeds Hans Blix, the consummate red-tape bureaucrat, to his pet sharks. I also liked the scene in which one of the Team America members cuts Helen Hunt in half during a sword fight. (But why does Trey Parker hate these movie stars so much? Is he insanely jealous of them for not accepting him as one of them?)
But that was the extent of this movie's hilarity. Rest of the movie was a disgusting garbage. Most of the humor in this movie was based on some sick sexual jokes or something disgusting. Some voice-over actor had to use the f**k word fifty times a minute. I was especially disgusted when the female puppet defecated during a sexual act. Generally speaking, some sexual jokes may add even some charm to a movie. However, after Trey Parker and his screenwriters kept on throwing sickening sexual and scatological jokes repeatedly and ad nauseum, I was totally disgusted.
Moreover, what cheap special effects did Trey and his crew use! Some of the models looked as if they came straight from some 99 cent stores. They really looked like tiny, cheap toys. (A definite no-no in the world of special effects.) I could have filmed better special effects scenes in my bathtub using my 99 cent store U-boat models and 99 cent store airplane models. Was the cheap special effects intended to enhance the cartoonish atmosphere of the movie? It just enhanced my disgust for this movie.
And what about all those puppet strings the moviegoers could see? Even though the puppets were superbly crafted, the visible strings made the movie look cheap.
I was especially disgusted with this movie because I know for a fact that British movie producer Gerry Anderson did make superb TV series and movies using puppets and special effects more than forty years ago. Gerry Anderson and his then wife Sylvia Anderson made TV series like "Stingray," "Thunderbirds" and "Captain Scarlet Versus Misterons" using puppets and special effects, same techniques used in Team America. The Andersons did a much, much better job with 1960's technology than Trey Parker and his gang did with 21st century technology. In fact, when I was a young boy, I used to love "Thunderbirds." Even though the special effects look dated now, I still think "Thunderbirds" is a superb TV series. Even though the TV series was made more than 40 years ago, the special effects of "Thunderbirds" were much, much better than those of Team America. Many of the scenes used superbly crafted models--nothing like the picayunish junks used in Team America. Some of the special effects scenes looked like real disasters. Real kudos to the special effects coordinator, Derek Meddings. Moreover, one rarely saw the strings controlling the puppets.
Compared to the disgusting sexual and scatological humor of Team America, the scripts of Thunderbirds were almost aseptically clean. Thunderbirds' symphonic theme music and incidental music, which showed obvious influence from symphonic greats like Edward Elgar and William Walton, was superbly written by composer Barry Gray. This music was much, much superior to the "F**k, yeah!" grunge, heavy-metal music of Team America. The music-if one can call it a "music"-- from Team America was merely a sorry parody of the worst of REM and Nirvana.
After I saw this disgusting movie "Team America" I sorely miss Thunderbirds! I wish Gerry Anderson will shoot Trey Parker for making such a horrible nonsense. Calling, International Rescue! Calling, International Rescue! Help! Please rescue me from this disgusting movie "Team America!"
The puppet movie "Team America" is simply a disgusting movie. There is nothing wrong about its political satire. This movie pokes fun equally at American right-wing jingoists, totally misguided liberals, United Nations bureaucrats, cocky Europeans (especially the French), dictator Kim Jong-il and Islamic fanatics. Some of the satire is quite funny. I especially liked the scene in which Kim Jong-il feeds Hans Blix, the consummate red-tape bureaucrat, to his pet sharks. I also liked the scene in which one of the Team America members cuts Helen Hunt in half during a sword fight. (But why does Trey Parker hate these movie stars so much? Is he insanely jealous of them for not accepting him as one of them?)
But that was the extent of this movie's hilarity. Rest of the movie was a disgusting garbage. Most of the humor in this movie was based on some sick sexual jokes or something disgusting. Some voice-over actor had to use the f**k word fifty times a minute. I was especially disgusted when the female puppet defecated during a sexual act. Generally speaking, some sexual jokes may add even some charm to a movie. However, after Trey Parker and his screenwriters kept on throwing sickening sexual and scatological jokes repeatedly and ad nauseum, I was totally disgusted.
Moreover, what cheap special effects did Trey and his crew use! Some of the models looked as if they came straight from some 99 cent stores. They really looked like tiny, cheap toys. (A definite no-no in the world of special effects.) I could have filmed better special effects scenes in my bathtub using my 99 cent store U-boat models and 99 cent store airplane models. Was the cheap special effects intended to enhance the cartoonish atmosphere of the movie? It just enhanced my disgust for this movie.
And what about all those puppet strings the moviegoers could see? Even though the puppets were superbly crafted, the visible strings made the movie look cheap.
I was especially disgusted with this movie because I know for a fact that British movie producer Gerry Anderson did make superb TV series and movies using puppets and special effects more than forty years ago. Gerry Anderson and his then wife Sylvia Anderson made TV series like "Stingray," "Thunderbirds" and "Captain Scarlet Versus Misterons" using puppets and special effects, same techniques used in Team America. The Andersons did a much, much better job with 1960's technology than Trey Parker and his gang did with 21st century technology. In fact, when I was a young boy, I used to love "Thunderbirds." Even though the special effects look dated now, I still think "Thunderbirds" is a superb TV series. Even though the TV series was made more than 40 years ago, the special effects of "Thunderbirds" were much, much better than those of Team America. Many of the scenes used superbly crafted models--nothing like the picayunish junks used in Team America. Some of the special effects scenes looked like real disasters. Real kudos to the special effects coordinator, Derek Meddings. Moreover, one rarely saw the strings controlling the puppets.
Compared to the disgusting sexual and scatological humor of Team America, the scripts of Thunderbirds were almost aseptically clean. Thunderbirds' symphonic theme music and incidental music, which showed obvious influence from symphonic greats like Edward Elgar and William Walton, was superbly written by composer Barry Gray. This music was much, much superior to the "F**k, yeah!" grunge, heavy-metal music of Team America. The music-if one can call it a "music"-- from Team America was merely a sorry parody of the worst of REM and Nirvana.
After I saw this disgusting movie "Team America" I sorely miss Thunderbirds! I wish Gerry Anderson will shoot Trey Parker for making such a horrible nonsense. Calling, International Rescue! Calling, International Rescue! Help! Please rescue me from this disgusting movie "Team America!"
Mahiru no ankoku
(1956)
A Movie Which Changed the Course of Japanese Legal History
22 April 2005
Warning: Spoilers
"Darkness at Noon" is a movie first in Japan. It was the first Japanese movie which criticized the Japanese judiciary for its verdict.
This movie is based on a real case (so-called "Yakkai Murder") which took place in Yakkai Village in western Japan in 1951. An old couple was found murdered in their home. The house was ransacked and some valuables and money were taken. The police detectives concluded that several robbers were responsible for the crime based on numerous footprints found behind the couple's home and the fact that it would have been very difficult for a single robber to have committed this particular crime. A young laborer was quickly arrested at a brothel and quickly confessed that he alone committed the crime. However, the detectives were convinced that the crime was committed by several robbers and forced out from the suspect--through physical torture--a confession alleging that four of his acquaintances were accomplices in the robbery. Based on the confession, the four acquaintances were quickly arrested. Using brutal torture--including repeated punching, kicking, beating with bamboo sticks, throwing the suspects onto the ground with judo throws, tying the suspects with rope--the police detectives made the four confess that they were responsible for the double murder robbery. However, as the investigation went on, it became more and more clear to the police that the four accomplices had solid alibis at the time of the commission of the crime. It became also clear to them that the young laborer was the sole robber and other four had nothing to do with the crime. In spite of the mounting exculpatory evidence, the police and prosecutor stubbornly stuck to their false allegation and charged the young laborer and his four innocent acquaintances with the crime. At the trial court the judges fully accepted the confession which was extracted by torture and sentenced the defendants to punishment ranging from death penalty to life imprisonment. The appellate court upheld the lower court ruling which left the four innocent men and their family in a total state of shock. The innocent man whose death sentence was upheld by the appellate court screamed in anguish at the very end of the movie: "We have the Supreme Court! WE STILL HAVE THE SUPREME COURT!!"
In the real case, the defendants appealed the verdict to the Japanese Supreme Court. The movie, which was based on a paperback book "The Judge" written by Hiroshi Masaki, one of the defense attorneys for the innocent men, was made in 1956 when the appeal of this case was pending before the Japanese Supreme Court. In the real case the Supreme Court vacated the guilty verdict of the four innocent men in 1957 and ordered the appellate court to retry the case. (Due to the secrecy surrounding the delivery within the Supreme Court, it is not clear whether the movie had anything to do with the Supreme Court decision. However, the anguish cry of "We still have the Supreme Court!" at the end of the movie was a clear cinematic appeal to the Supreme Court judges.) The appellate court acquitted the four defendants but the prosecution appealed the acquittal in 1961. (In Japan and many other countries the prosecution can appeal an acquittal.) The Supreme Court then vacated the acquittal and ordered the appellate court to retry the case once again. This time the appellate court found the four innocent men guilty and resentenced one of them to death penalty. The defendants were forced to appeal the guilty verdict to the Supreme Court again. The Supreme Court in 1968 acquitted the four defendants and did not order the appellate court to retry the case any more, thus finally ending the endless appeal seventeen years after the murder and arrest. Because of the endless appeal of the case and the agony of the innocent defendants many Japanese newspapers heavily criticized the Japanese judicial system.
This movie had a large impact in Japan in the late 1950's similar to the impact in the U.S. caused by the Hollywood classic "I Want To Live." Unlike "I Want To Live," in which the main character was already executed before the movie was made, at least one of the four innocent defendants in the Yakkai case was on death row awaiting the ruling by the Japanese Supreme Court when this movie was released. Just like the recent American documentary "Thin Blue Line" this movie led to the acquittal of innocent men. After the acquittal and release from prison, Randall Adams who was the subject of "Thin Blue Line" sued the movie producers even though his acquittal owed greatly to the movie. However, the four innocent defendants portrayed in this movie were eternally grateful to Hiroshi Masaki, the attorney who wrote the book on which this movie was based on. Masaki, a dauntless fighter, had a warm place in their heart until his death in 1975.
Until 1945 Japan was ruled by an authoritarian government with the emperor at the top of the pyramid. After the WW II defeat by the Allies, Japanese reformists with the help of U.S. occupational forces introduced a more democratic form of government. Under the air of freedom this remarkable movie was made in 1956. This movie showed the public and many journalists that it is acceptable to criticize and even ridicule the judiciary. Before the post-WW II reform any movie maker, who would have made a movie like this, would have been arrested under Japan's strict pre-war security laws. This movie was a true trailblazer in Japan.
This movie is based on a real case (so-called "Yakkai Murder") which took place in Yakkai Village in western Japan in 1951. An old couple was found murdered in their home. The house was ransacked and some valuables and money were taken. The police detectives concluded that several robbers were responsible for the crime based on numerous footprints found behind the couple's home and the fact that it would have been very difficult for a single robber to have committed this particular crime. A young laborer was quickly arrested at a brothel and quickly confessed that he alone committed the crime. However, the detectives were convinced that the crime was committed by several robbers and forced out from the suspect--through physical torture--a confession alleging that four of his acquaintances were accomplices in the robbery. Based on the confession, the four acquaintances were quickly arrested. Using brutal torture--including repeated punching, kicking, beating with bamboo sticks, throwing the suspects onto the ground with judo throws, tying the suspects with rope--the police detectives made the four confess that they were responsible for the double murder robbery. However, as the investigation went on, it became more and more clear to the police that the four accomplices had solid alibis at the time of the commission of the crime. It became also clear to them that the young laborer was the sole robber and other four had nothing to do with the crime. In spite of the mounting exculpatory evidence, the police and prosecutor stubbornly stuck to their false allegation and charged the young laborer and his four innocent acquaintances with the crime. At the trial court the judges fully accepted the confession which was extracted by torture and sentenced the defendants to punishment ranging from death penalty to life imprisonment. The appellate court upheld the lower court ruling which left the four innocent men and their family in a total state of shock. The innocent man whose death sentence was upheld by the appellate court screamed in anguish at the very end of the movie: "We have the Supreme Court! WE STILL HAVE THE SUPREME COURT!!"
In the real case, the defendants appealed the verdict to the Japanese Supreme Court. The movie, which was based on a paperback book "The Judge" written by Hiroshi Masaki, one of the defense attorneys for the innocent men, was made in 1956 when the appeal of this case was pending before the Japanese Supreme Court. In the real case the Supreme Court vacated the guilty verdict of the four innocent men in 1957 and ordered the appellate court to retry the case. (Due to the secrecy surrounding the delivery within the Supreme Court, it is not clear whether the movie had anything to do with the Supreme Court decision. However, the anguish cry of "We still have the Supreme Court!" at the end of the movie was a clear cinematic appeal to the Supreme Court judges.) The appellate court acquitted the four defendants but the prosecution appealed the acquittal in 1961. (In Japan and many other countries the prosecution can appeal an acquittal.) The Supreme Court then vacated the acquittal and ordered the appellate court to retry the case once again. This time the appellate court found the four innocent men guilty and resentenced one of them to death penalty. The defendants were forced to appeal the guilty verdict to the Supreme Court again. The Supreme Court in 1968 acquitted the four defendants and did not order the appellate court to retry the case any more, thus finally ending the endless appeal seventeen years after the murder and arrest. Because of the endless appeal of the case and the agony of the innocent defendants many Japanese newspapers heavily criticized the Japanese judicial system.
This movie had a large impact in Japan in the late 1950's similar to the impact in the U.S. caused by the Hollywood classic "I Want To Live." Unlike "I Want To Live," in which the main character was already executed before the movie was made, at least one of the four innocent defendants in the Yakkai case was on death row awaiting the ruling by the Japanese Supreme Court when this movie was released. Just like the recent American documentary "Thin Blue Line" this movie led to the acquittal of innocent men. After the acquittal and release from prison, Randall Adams who was the subject of "Thin Blue Line" sued the movie producers even though his acquittal owed greatly to the movie. However, the four innocent defendants portrayed in this movie were eternally grateful to Hiroshi Masaki, the attorney who wrote the book on which this movie was based on. Masaki, a dauntless fighter, had a warm place in their heart until his death in 1975.
Until 1945 Japan was ruled by an authoritarian government with the emperor at the top of the pyramid. After the WW II defeat by the Allies, Japanese reformists with the help of U.S. occupational forces introduced a more democratic form of government. Under the air of freedom this remarkable movie was made in 1956. This movie showed the public and many journalists that it is acceptable to criticize and even ridicule the judiciary. Before the post-WW II reform any movie maker, who would have made a movie like this, would have been arrested under Japan's strict pre-war security laws. This movie was a true trailblazer in Japan.
Blinded by Our Ignorance
16 April 2005
When I first saw this film back in December of 2000(?), I thought this was a decent, but not superb, film. I was amazed later by the great accolade showered on it by American public and professional critics. It was a decent film with a superb cinematography but with an incredible overuse of wire-assisted flying and cliché plot. If Chinese martial artists could fly like this, why should we need Wright brothers or Bleriot? Even as a fantasy, this movie's flying is overdone. This movie reminded me of late Mary Martin as Peter Pan or Sally Field as the Flying Nun.
The plot was OK but rather cliché and formulaic. So many other Chinese martial arts movie have similar plots.
To be perfectly honest, I didn't think much of this film and did not understand the superlatives used by many to describe this film.
Several weeks ago I was discussing this film with a Chinese-American friend. He is totally bilingual in Mandarin-Chinese and English and carefully studied Chinese culture and literature (both classical and modern popular). According to him and many Chinese IMDb commentators, this film was a total bomb in mainland China. He mentioned several reasons:
1. To a native Mandarin speaker, the lead actors'(Chow Yan-fat's and Michelle Yeoh's) Chinese were HORRIBLE! Chow spoke his Mandarin with such a thick Cantonese accent that some Beijing movie audience roared in laughter whenever he spoke. One IMDb commentator compared his speech to George W. Bush saying, "Hi, I'm from New York." According to my friend, it is worse than that. It is like Jimmy Carter with his thick Georgia accent claiming to be Brooklyn-born and Brooklyn-raised.
Michelle Yeoh's Mandarin was even worse. With her Malaysian accent, it was like a foreigner speaking Chinese. It was like our Californian governor Arnold Schwarznegger saying, "I vas born in Zakramendo, Kalifornia." How can these two clowns pretend to be Ching-dynasty Chinese martial artists working in Beijing area?
2. The plot is rather cliché and uninvolving. This movie was based on the fourth novel of a wushiu pentalogy. By the time of the fourth novel, the two main characters in the movie have gone through so many things together. Also, there are many other important characters in the pentalogy who were never even mentioned in the movie. Because the movie omitted many of the plots in the first three novels, the audience (many of them have never read the pentalogy) could not get fully involved with these two main characters.
Also, the original pentalogy is neither inspiring nor unique. It is a competently written work, but not the best in the wushiu genre. In fact, the writer expressed his regrets about writing this pentalogy. The screenwriters of this movie dumbed up the original novel, which was only an OK novel to begin with, and made a rather mediocre and cliché screenplay in the style of Hollywood.
3. The wushiu in the movie was OK but not superb. There are many, many martial arts movies and many of them have better fight scenes than this movie. This move is definitely not the sine qua non of the genre.
American audience and professional critics, because of their ignorance of Chinese language and culture, did not know any of this. Many of them LOVED this rather mediocre movie. Academy Award voters nominated this movie for Academy Award in many categories. Go ahead. Keep on loving this mediocre movie. Ignorance is bliss, indeed.
The plot was OK but rather cliché and formulaic. So many other Chinese martial arts movie have similar plots.
To be perfectly honest, I didn't think much of this film and did not understand the superlatives used by many to describe this film.
Several weeks ago I was discussing this film with a Chinese-American friend. He is totally bilingual in Mandarin-Chinese and English and carefully studied Chinese culture and literature (both classical and modern popular). According to him and many Chinese IMDb commentators, this film was a total bomb in mainland China. He mentioned several reasons:
1. To a native Mandarin speaker, the lead actors'(Chow Yan-fat's and Michelle Yeoh's) Chinese were HORRIBLE! Chow spoke his Mandarin with such a thick Cantonese accent that some Beijing movie audience roared in laughter whenever he spoke. One IMDb commentator compared his speech to George W. Bush saying, "Hi, I'm from New York." According to my friend, it is worse than that. It is like Jimmy Carter with his thick Georgia accent claiming to be Brooklyn-born and Brooklyn-raised.
Michelle Yeoh's Mandarin was even worse. With her Malaysian accent, it was like a foreigner speaking Chinese. It was like our Californian governor Arnold Schwarznegger saying, "I vas born in Zakramendo, Kalifornia." How can these two clowns pretend to be Ching-dynasty Chinese martial artists working in Beijing area?
2. The plot is rather cliché and uninvolving. This movie was based on the fourth novel of a wushiu pentalogy. By the time of the fourth novel, the two main characters in the movie have gone through so many things together. Also, there are many other important characters in the pentalogy who were never even mentioned in the movie. Because the movie omitted many of the plots in the first three novels, the audience (many of them have never read the pentalogy) could not get fully involved with these two main characters.
Also, the original pentalogy is neither inspiring nor unique. It is a competently written work, but not the best in the wushiu genre. In fact, the writer expressed his regrets about writing this pentalogy. The screenwriters of this movie dumbed up the original novel, which was only an OK novel to begin with, and made a rather mediocre and cliché screenplay in the style of Hollywood.
3. The wushiu in the movie was OK but not superb. There are many, many martial arts movies and many of them have better fight scenes than this movie. This move is definitely not the sine qua non of the genre.
American audience and professional critics, because of their ignorance of Chinese language and culture, did not know any of this. Many of them LOVED this rather mediocre movie. Academy Award voters nominated this movie for Academy Award in many categories. Go ahead. Keep on loving this mediocre movie. Ignorance is bliss, indeed.
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