If Japan is "perfect", how does "imperfection" look like? The protagonist in this movie embodies exactly that. Which takes away a lot of the "Scarface"-like thriller elements. There is a story about a guy stepping up in a mafia environment, but his stoic anti-will, the fact he hurts EVERYone - helpers, supporters, lovers and foes - is meant to be allegorically political.It's stated somewhere and in fact, there's some few scenes that appear very illogical. Not so, if you watch the movies "the right way".Movie is calm, depressing, melancholic, bloody painful, sometimes crazy (in one scene he shoots at everyone: police, bypassers etc., then going "SORRY, OUTTA AMMO!" and delivers himself).Good, disturbing, mature Miike-movie. Not as cartoonish as most of his films.

This film, despite some thoughtful stuff in the final act, is strangely derivative of Takeshi Kitano (which isn't necessarily a good thing in my book). Much like Sonatine we've got a non-expressive, self-destructive protagonist who does some violent stuff while a repetitive low-rent jazz soundtrack warbles in the background. And the editing is sadistic - watch a guy slip around on ice for 45 seconds straight, watch a guy climb a rooftop ladder for 35 seconds, watch seemingly identical rape scenes, watch seemingly identical heroin usage scenes, and my personal favorite: watch the lead actor scowl into the camera over and over and over, blah blah blah. While there is no doubt that it is a Miike in the final analysis, I find it almost sacrilegious to see him borrowing so blatantly from the hack playbook of Beat Takeshi. He even put him in Izo, for cryin' out loud.

At first glance, Graveyard of Honor might seem to be a somewhat typical Takashi Miike Gangster Flick, with the director's patented ultra-violence and Yakuza chaos. And on that level this film works... but peer beneath the surface and you'll find that Graveyard of Honor is actually a very intricate study of a man's unhealthy obsession with self-destruction.Rikuo Ishimatsu (Goro Kishitani) is a bartender, who while working one day inadvertently saves the life of Yakuza Boss Sawada. Out of appreciation for Rikuo's heroism, Boss Sawada inducts him into the gang and gives him "uncle" status. This leads to resentment for Rikuo among the other underlings in the gang. All is fine though, until one day when Boss Sawada decides to go to the dentist. Rikuo shows up looking for the Boss but is taunted by Yukawa, who refuses to tell him where the boss is. Angered, Rikuo nearly kills Yukawa with a harsh blow to the head. This and other events (I don't want to give too much away) lead to Rikuo's exile and eventually end up driving him into a cycle of self-destruction.Graveyard of Honor is a hard film to watch. There are no "good" guys in this film. There are no light-hearted scenes, heart warming moments, or any black humor to lighten up the film. Just a lot of mean people making bad choices and paying for their mistakes in horrible ways. For example Rikuo, the film's protagonist (antagonist??), rapes women, does heroin, and shoot's and stabs people... and this is not fun violence but disturbing, horrific, violence. Amazingly, Director Takashi Miike and actor Goro Kishitani somehow finds a way to make his character somewhat sympathetic.OK, let's cut to the chase. If your not put off by extremely bleak, unsettling, negative, and depressing films, than Graveyard of Honor should be in your DVD player... right now. Filmed stylishly, scored masterfully (the jazz score for this film is incredible), and featuring the brilliant and hypnotic performance of Goro Kishitani as the amoral Rikuo. This film is arguably Miike's greatest Masterpiece.Bottom Line-If you haven't seen this and aren't easily upset by graphic depictions of the ugly side of life, find this and watch it as soon as possible. You won't be disappointed.

A slow burning Miike movie interspersed with bouts of extreme and graphic violence that is toe-curling real. I found the story almost Shakespearian in its handling of the dishwashers "journey to hell" and the strong themes of honour and loyalty that run throughout. I find Miikes misogynistic treatment of women disturbing, but interesting. He seems to relish every kick and slap.. but then he relishes the violence wreaked on everyone. It just jars (my Western sensibility ?)so much to see Ishimatsu brutalise his "wife".Look out for Miike as the assassin who Ishimatsu knocks out and thereby starts his self-destructing rampage ... and what a scene ! As good as the intro of "Dead or Alive"I may try to find Kinji Fukasaku's 1975 original which was equally controversial on its release....All I can say is move over Coppola and Scorsese.. here comes Miike..