The movie is very strange hybrid between French and Japanese cinema. As a pure Japanese movie it might work somehow. It would be nothing exceptional but okay.As a hybrid Japanese - French movie it is quite a failure. The Japanese actors might enjoy their visit to France (and vice versa) but having fun holidays should not act as excuse of making a movie. The "Japanese part" seems to be serious, actually quite hardcore historic horror demon curse story. The "French part" seems to try to to introduce some international martial combat variety, some "fun elements" in the form of young confused Arab sidekick and some "modern elements" in form of the computer games.These parts does not fit however. There is no observable chemistry between the lead characters, no explanation of the purpose of the "game", no reasonable explanation of the conclusion. The movie has no focus, no drive, no urgency, it is just and attempt to somehow glue unconnected scenes to have some variety. In the end it looks as a cheap EU sponsored rip off of the Mortal Combat. And that's quite bad actually.
... View MoreI didn't know until now that countries like Spain and, or France were capable of making things like Samourais. I understand America's obsessive impulse to rent movies that are hilariously terrible, but I didn't know that Europeans are answering our demands. I'm not saying all foreign films are great, but for the larger majority of what we absorb in foreign cinema, American audiences usually get the upper rung.However, Samourais seems to be the product of a massive delusion on the part of the director, writer, etc. I don't know how money gets spent on things like this. If movies are meant to incur a profit, Samourais' net gain must have earned the director a sandwich.If I wanted to see a film that included scenes with insipid lackeys working at a video store,transmute into what's supposed to be ancient warriors/demons coming back from the past to battle, I. . .well, to tell you the truth, I don't know why I would ever watch something like this. I find that actually reading about Japanese mythology or renting Kurosawa films much more enterprising. Why spend money on something with clunky cumbersome dialog as it is? Especially considering that the dubbed features only convey that the French/Spanish dialog is bad in itself ! The worst is the action sequences- Historically, most martial arts films puts characters into the perspective that they are warriors fighting against impossible odds, however, this film mutates that concept horribly. The fighting sequences are just as awkward and clunky as the dialog, and they lack the fluid execution and limits that most martial arts movies are actually implicative of. This movie seems like it was made by someone who failed a course in metaphysics in college.The only thing good about this movie is the repulsive french rap during the credits.
... View Morewho wouldn't love a French martial arts movie? The dubbing alone was the epitome of spoof, especially the hapless sidekick, a Tunisian-looking dude who was voiced by some sort of terrible Eddie Murphy/Martin Lawrence impersonator. Not much of the movie made any sense (in a good way), but quite frankly, whatever. It was what it was, and the fight scenes, I thought, were very good- especially the fight in the gym with the 7 or 8 identically dressed Japanese goons against the 20 or so sparrers- multiple styles, 1 on 1, 3 on 1, every other combination. Plenty of mean-looking cold-eyed warrior action, open-hand, sword v. baton, all kinds of good stuff. Go at it with open eyes and enjoy on every level.
... View MoreThe film is very different,many of the films that are given bad ratings by many of the fewers are generally rated bad because of the inability to follow a movie.Many watch just to see the fight scenes as if in real life conflicts don't generally start by things people say that is considered offensive."Lets just fight for no cause or reason".The story is well explained but you have those out there that cannot follow the film because hey,"I have to think".Ask anyone the question, why was the computer programmer of the video game killed in the beginning?"Because he knew Kung fu and Karate.Ha! Spiderman not the greatest movie of the year the hulk was OK, not anything unique.The film is very different but didn't receive the attention it deserved.The best films out there goes with- out attention.I know people who watched water world twice in one day but put something out there different unique.My point is here most people want to see the same things over and over.I'm even surprised the matrix was a big hit.
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