*Contains Spoilers*The film started off promising. I didn't buy into the whole "real karate" stuff so I didn't mind if some of the fighting was unrealistic, in fact I quite enjoyed the whole one-strike-fatal-blow scenes. My problem was the whole "not attacking no matter what" principle that the main character was drilled into implementing into his life. I don't believe that there is any martial art that would prevent you from attacking when it is needed to defend yourself or another person from someone who has evil intentions.Giryu came across as very pathetic in trying to stay true to this philosophy, his initial refusal to help save the girl who contributed to saving his life was absurd. Especially considering that she was being kidnapped and was destined to be raped/prostituted yet the karate expert didn't want to attack because of some pseudo-philosophy from his dying sensei. I found this ridiculous. The movie was essentially trying to push an irrational message. Taikan's character irked me in some ways, it almost appeared that because he saw the logic in actually using his karate (not maliciously at first) that he was immoral and bound for a life of debauchery.The final fight scene seemed boring and overly dramatic, inconsistent with the earlier fight scenes which I think were pretty well done. Overall this film could be worth a watch if you want to see something a little different to other martial arts movies, but it does have some big flaws in the plot which in my opinion lets it down.

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss kobushi's comments out of hand, even though I disagree -- I actually liked this movie a lot. His comments point to a central controversy in the martial arts world today, which is essential, I think to understanding this movie: Do the "traditional" arts such as karate, jujitsu, and their Chinese predecessors have any relevance at all in a world full of knives & guns? Does kata have any relevance in a world of folks who watch "mixed-martial artists" on pay-per-view and can learn how to kill with their bare hands in 10 easy Krav-Maga lessons? The movie seems to throw that question out there, and answer it with a resounding: YES! I've never heard a martial arts instructor (any style) say to ONLY use defensive techniques (even aikido has its atemi-waza) but that would be the Okinawan tradition of "karate ni sente nashi" (no first-strike)taken to its logical extreme -- if I can block every kick or punch, then in the very purest sense, I could never hit or kick you back (without violating the precept) -- nor would I need to. I'm not recommending the philosophy or even saying it is possible (even Giryu gets beat up), just trying to make it understandable. One other sine qua non of some of these traditional styles was "ichi-geki-hissatsu", (one-hit, certain death) which is visually demonstrated throughout the movie: I've personally been hit with most of the techniques Taikan uses in the fight scenes, and none came close to killing me, but if you're fighting for real, for your life or loved ones or country or king, and you've trained for full-power, that's another story, and these guys obviously were and did.That the army forced the school to teach the military is reminiscent of Gichin Funakoshi's coerced immigration to the Japanese mainland from Okinawa for exactly that purpose -- to bring "Chinese Hands (karate)" to Japan renamed as "Empty Hand".In the end, even Taikan realizes that the game is not so much about being the baddest guy on the block, or taking home the most trophies or the master's belt, but about the character you build inside along the way.Personally, I find these fight scenes a lot more interesting and in their own way more realistic than those chop-socky movies where guys (or gals) throw devastating full-contact kicks and punches at each other for 10-15 min., bow to each other, and walk away.

Not sure what the other guy is talking about, but the movie is awful, and I speak from the perspective of one who has almost 10 years experience in the art presented in this movie.Plot (minor spoiler alert): The chasing of a piece of cloth has so little to do with karate that it's silly to even make a movie where this is one of the central plot items. The two characters, Taikan and Giryu compete for their teacher's black belt, which is one of the silliest things that karate people work for. Karate training, actual hard work, body development, and realistic self-defense take a back seat to the competition for something to keep your uniform closed.Acting: For some reason, people seem to think that posing and sulking is acting. It's not. Yes, I suppose the two main characters' acting is better than, say, that of the Military Police in the film or what you see in previous karate movies like Black Belt Jones, but I wouldn't be proud of it. At the best of times it's wooden, and at the worst formulaic. Granted, the script didn't give them much room for much acting, but it didn't sell me. The military police were absolutely terrible - they might as well have walked on and said nothing but "I'm eeeevil, mwahahaha..." Not even a wooden performance, a melodramatic cartoon that would have been better acted by Muppets. (Actually, that might have made the movie more watchable.) This may be what people are calling the Asian style, but so many other Japanese films over the years manage much greater subtlety of character and motivation, and can convey wrongness of character without resorting to overstatements. It's like saying fried Mars Bars are cultural cuisine - they're not, and there are many better things you can do with the ingredients.Direction: Much more emphasis on poetic scenes of people doing karate in tall grass or meditating in windy areas or looking tense and conflicted. The scenes are beautifully and clearly directed, which is the only reason that this gets two stars rather than one. However, the red balloon scene after the beating of Giryu is unrelated to anything and doesn't actually have anything to do with the plot, showing that the director is just trying to play up the "beautiful poetry of Asian cinema" aspect of the film rather than actually trying to make a good movie. More like "Look! Look! This is pretty! Ooh, this too! Look! Imagery..." Basically worthless to the story, but then, they couldn't make a decent movie, so they might as well make it look nice.Fight scenes: JKA Point Kumite is not a fight scene, and techniques from said kumite do not make for good fight scenes. I've never seen anyone in any real fight ever jump in, punch, and jump out again. Not going to happen. Likewise, the "block only" circular patterns that are supposed to cover the Goju-ryu part of the movie does not make for interesting fighting, or any sort of powerful set of techniques that we can believe. Finally, the lack of grappling, tegumi, locks, and throws show just how bad karate is being misrepresented in the film. It's simply a bad sport karate demonstration with no relation to the real art.Overall, this movie is not worthy of the title of karate movie, and I feel should be struck from the record.

It was a pleasure to see on screen the true soul of one of the more traditional martial art. The story is great and the masters who play the lead characters do a great job, but for me, what the film was all about is simple as one word: Karate, the soul of the art, the realism of the fights, the Kata, just everything in the movie looks so real and pure. I think in some ways this film reminds me the works of Yoyi Yamada (the hidden blade - the twilight samurai) who also show the realism of the samurai warrior in his last days. For all of you who has practice some kind of martial art, this is a must! but like another comment said, don't expect tony jaa kind of fights, but the simplicity an power of the karate art. great film