Sayonara Cinema

TOKYO DRIFTER (1966) Tetsu is a reformed gangster who is still loyal to his boss, Kurata. Kurata is in debt, and when the rival Otsuku gang attempts to swindle Kurata office building away from him, Tetsu attempts to be a middle man, but things go wrong and two people involved wind up dead. Tetsu decides to take the blame, leaving Kurata in the clear, and heads off to northern Japan to lure away suspicion. But Otsuku knows that Tetsu must die if he is to stay free, and sends his henchmen to kill him. Tetsu evades them, and heads to southern Japan, but Otsuku’s connections are wide, and he is found once again. This time though, it is Kurata who betrays Tetsu and makes the call to kill him. When Tetsu learns of his boss’ betrayal, he returns to Tokyo to see for himself, and prepares for one final showdown.Mention the name of director Seijun Suzuki, the mastermind behind this jazzy crime-drama, and you will most likely either get a blank inquisitive look or hear lavish praise. The man is like Japanese version of Roy Lichtenstein or Andy Warhol, who uses pop as art and vice versa as he splashes bright colored sets and costumes, flashy (for the time) camerawork, and over-the-top melodrama across his silver screen canvas. Suzuki sees cinema differently then most do, but as a mere “hired gun” for Nikkatsu Studios, had to make due with slipping his unique ideas into his previous outings for them. These playful uses with light and with the characters did not go unnoticed, and for this picture he was commanded to play it straight. Instead he went even further than he did before.

In the world of TOKYO DRIFTER, the criminals wear red and blue suits that would not be uncommon in a Dick Tracy comic, and sunglasses that are never removed. Dance clubs, seedy dives, apartments and offices are all drench in color, not from paint, but from some mysterious and unknown light source, that change with the mood of the scene. In this world, not only does the actor who portrays Tetsu sing the haunting and melodic theme ballad, but the character Tetsu knows the theme, and hums it to himself incessantly. In this world, there is always someone who pops up at just the right moment to watch your back, whether it be just after the cuffs are slapped on, or in the middle of a brawl that takes place in, where else, but the Saloon Western, a bar styled with swinging doors, breakaway chairs, and burlesque dancers.

The opening and closing scenes of TOKYO DRIFTER are particular dissecting, which will help to note the depth that Suzuki intended, and that the color and style was meant to go beyond just 60’s bubblegum pop inspiration. The opening sequence is filmed in gritty black and white, still a staple in cinema at the time, especially for lower budget b-movies. But within this scene are two flashes of color, before bursting into the full-color title sequence, as if to say the film is shaking of traditional black and white convictions. In the final shootout in a club, literally everything is white (which is the color of death in Japanese culture), and Tetsu has also changed into a white suit, which portrays Tetsu as not only the death of his rivals, but also that Tetsu has accepted that he is figuratively dead as well, and now with no place to call home is doomed to wander forever.

Suzuki and writer Yasunori Kawauchi attempted to inject the dying yakuza code within its characters, allowing those that still followed honor, loyalty gratefulness and forgiveness the chance to live, while punishing those who would betray, scheme, and undermine with death, all hidden beneath what would become trademark stylings. However, Nikkatsu Studios didn’t see it that way when they were given a picture that they didn’t know how to market. Suzuki went on to make two more pictures for them, before being fired for ignoring the studio’s demands and continuing to make, in their words, incomprehensible movies. Incomprehensible? Hardly. It just took a few years for everyone to catch up with him.

THE UNTOLD STORY (1993) In Macau, the discovery of some severed limbs in the bay begin an investigation by the local inept police department.  Through sheer luck, they discover clues that lead them to the Eight Immortals Restaurant, and the cook/owner Wong Chi-Hang (Anthony Wong).  They believe that Wong may be guilty of killing the family, and when they discover the shred of evidence they need, they arrest him, and through unrelenting police beatings, Wong finally submits and tells his tale.  But what he tells them, which includes the horrific murders of the family, and what he did with the bodies, is beyond anything they are prepared to hear.

Deftly mixing extreme gore, shocking brutality, the blackest of humor, and lowbrow comedy that can only come from Hong Kong, writer/director  Herman Yau cooks up a dish that is the perfect recipe for cult status.   Most shocking of all, though, is that the tale of Wong Chi-Hang is based on a true story, which Yau investigated extensively to stay as true to the real events as possible.  With the then newly created “Category III” movie rating in Hong Kong (the equivalent of NC-17), Yau was able to push his shocks further than any director previously could, and portray Wong’s psychopathic acts without much fear of censoring.  The results could make the unsuspecting queasy, nauseous , disgusted, and maybe even all three at once.

Yau, though, in his wisdom, realized that these vile actions need to be balanced, and so he concocted a bumbling, moronic and sex-crazed police force to act as a relief.  The result is a little jarring to those unaccustomed with the Hong Kong comedy style, but it does make the film a little easier to swallow (no pun intended) and does make for some great bits.  Try to think Beavis, Butt-Head, Jim Carrey and John Belushi all trying to work together to catch Ted Bundy or Ed Gein.  It is a blend that inconceivably works, as if this were the rule to crime-horror writing, rather than the exception.

Upon its release, THE UNTOLD STORY was taken quite seriously.  While such a film would have been relegated to some obscure direct-to-DVD release if made in America, in Hong Kong it was given praise, and even netted Anthony Wong a Best Actor Award for 1994.  His complete metamorphosis into the deranged killer is mesmerizing, and the cruelty his is able to conjure up, while over-the-top, seems natural amongst the unbelievable things that happens during the course of the film.

For the horror fans out there, the blood and guts delivered in here are enough for two films, and rest assured, realism is attempted as much as possible (pig flesh stood in for the human close-ups).  This can really only be recommended for those that want to get a physical reaction out of your cinematic viewings, or for those whose taste in comedy is so twisted and demented that the likes of SEVEN and SILENCE OF THE LAMBS made you laugh.  If even a little of this review has given you pause (it is even more disgusting than the review implies), skip this one and head on to the next.  Don’t feel bad about it.  But for those of uneasily turned stomachs and seekers of the bizarre, see for yourself just what has been told.  Rest assured, after viewing, you’ll never forget what you’ve just witnessed.  Oh, and you may never eat Chinese food again.

 SHADOWLESS SWORD (2005) In the 10th century, in what is today Korea, the kingdom of Palhae is under attack and is in danger of being taken over by a neighboring kingdom. A elite military team, known as the Killer-Blade Army, have been sent in to slaughter the royal bloodline of Palhae in an attempt to crush the people’s spirit. Now, only one prince is left, and his whereabouts are unknown. A lone female soldier, Soha, has taken up the responsibility of finding him. Indeed she does find him, under the name assumed Sosam, and leading the life of a swindling merchant. Hot on her heels are the Killer-Blade Army, whose sole mission now is to kill Sosam.

Although Soha does not convince Sosam that he must return to the capital to become king, he unwillingly travels by her side so as not to be killed. After several sword-crossing encounters with the Killer-Blade Army, the pair make their way to the rendezvous point, where Soha is to meet her contact that will take them to the Palhae capital under the protection of an army. However, the Killer-Blade Army once again catches up to them, and Sosam must finally make the choice he has been avoiding all of his adult life.

Five years after his debut with the tragic swordplay-romance BICHUNMOO, director Kim Young-Jun returns to the directors chair a more experienced and coordinated director. He once again returns to Korea’s past, where he blends action, romance, politics and patriotism into a bubbling stew that tastes delicious. The storyline is fairly simplistic, and once all of the main characters and their motivations are laid out, it becomes an invigorating repetition of fast moving fight scene followed by either a scene of the heroes’ bonding through admiration or the enemies’ plot to take over Palhae. It is a surprisingly effective rhythm that allows for just a bit of character development and a few surprising revelations. The core characters are quickly pigeon-holed so that the audience has no doubt who to route for and who to hiss at. Both Sosam and Soha are established as charismatic and honorable warriors, while the leaders of the Killer-Blade Army are immediately defined as the revenge-seeking, back-stabbing and ego-driven villains that are necessary to make a film such as this work.

The action sequences here are in top form, and borrow liberally (if not flat out steal) from recent films like CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON, HERO and HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS, as well as the style of earlier Hong Kong fare such as SWORDSMAN 2, DRAGON INN and some Shaw Brothers productions. Aside from a more rapid-fire editing, there is nothing on tap in this film that has not been done before, but it is still fun and exciting to watch. Here, both heroes and villains are able to float weightless through the air, bounce off of sword blades, run across flying arrows and maneuver their weapons through the air with the greatest of ease. There is also plenty of fabrics swooshing through the air, concrete cracking under feet and energy attacks which literally blow up both bodies and backgrounds. Kim Young-Jun is also not afraid to borrow from epic films of the west, as he builds up a scene that could be pulled directly from BRAVEHEART, sets up Sosam as a vagabond reluctant to take the throne a la LORD OF THE RINGS’ Aragorn and cakes the lead assassins sword in blood so that it is a dark crimson red before the climactic final duel. Think about it a moment and you’ll figure out the influence.

New Line Cinema is taking its first stab at distributing a non-English speaking film, and has all international rights to this film. Although there is currently no release date for SHADOWLESS SWORD in the states, it is inevitable that at least a DVD release is in the works here. In the meantime, import versions are readily available for those that know where to look, and if any of the Chinese films previously mentioned got your heart racing when you saw them, well then start figuring out how to get your hands on a copy of this movie now!

For months I have watched and waited patiently in the darkness.  I saw the production sketches, I saw the leaked photos, and reserved judgment until I could see the full length trailer.  I would like to take the opportunity to now say…

FUCK YOU MICHAEL BAY.  And dare I say it, FUCK YOU SPEILBERG.

This is *not* a Transformers (capital “T” and trademarked) movie.  This is a movie about giant transforming robots (note the lower case letters).  I understand that some minor changes would need to be made.  I can live with some of the vehicle modifications.  But their robot forms?!  Transformers are not insectoids.  Tranformers do not look like T-800 endo-skeletons with a few car parts attached.  Transfomers are not lanky.

I would like to take this moment to say that the trailer does look cool, even if it does feature classic Michael Bay style editing, where he can’t hold on a shot for more than two seconds.  You can not get much better than giant transforming robots (again note the lower case letters) smashing their way across America.  I freely admit this.  But what they have done to Transfomers is a travesity.  The dude does not abide.

There is only one TRANSFORMERS THE MOVIE.  It is animated, came out in 1986, and had the guts to murder an icon to children worldwide.

Will I see “Michael Bay’s Transformers”?  Yes.  Will I enjoy it for its brutal robot fighting action, mindless destruction, and what I pray is a high human death toll?  Hell yes.  Will I cringe each time they use the names Optimus Prime, Bumbleebee, Megatron, Starscream, etc?  You better fucking believe I will.       

NEAR DARK (1987)   Caleb is just your average midwest town boy, who cares for his family, and likes to ride horses. But after an evening of hanging out with Mae, a shy young woman he meets while hanging out, he is indoctrinated against his will into Mae’s “family”, a dirty nomadic band of vampires.  Caleb tries multiple times to escape the nightmare from which he can’t wake up, and begins to feel a new, but very natural instinct within  himself, to feed.  Eventually, Caleb escapes into the darkness, but is swiftly followed by his vengeful co-blooddrinkers.  He knows he must make a stand, alone, or his family may be the next to fall victim to the ravenous neckbiters.

This is one of the crown jewels in the overlooked list of 80’s horror, that due to poor advertising and genre-defying storyline, fell to the side to make room for unending franchise sequels and generic slasher rip-offs.  Here, the vampire mythos is turned completely on its head, and remains to this day a unique entry in the genre.  In NEAR DARK these “nightwalkers” do not call themselves vampires (the word itself is never even mentioned in the film), are not aristocratic, do not have fangs or fly, and more-so do not even enjoy being what they are.  These are “cursed” souls doomed to live forever, and have taken a nasty turn to violence and cruel humor to pass their evenings.

Director and writer Kathryn Bigelow (who would go on to bring the action-goers POINT BREAK and the nigh-perfect STRANGE DAYS) brings a modern blend of horror and western symbolism and mythology  to the screen, and shrouds it in shadows, blue-washed light, and crimson red.  Even with her limited behind-the-camera experience, Bigelow is able to pull off just the right angles, framing and pacing that keep the film exciting and moving along. The writing is a little over-the-top at times, but in the quieter and subtle conversations, lies more character development and backstory than most films can hope to accomplish in their 100-minute running times.

Much like a pop-punk song right out of the 80’s, NEAR DARK has a tremendously enjoyable flux between chaotic and noisy choruses (the action pieces), and soft and melodic verses (the story).  Bigelow cuts her teeth on just about every action style, which she would later incorporate into later productions.  Between a holed-up hotel shootout (with some inventive ideas that would later be seen in FROM DUSK TILL DAWN), car and foot chases, and tense one-on-one stand-offs, there is a little something for everyone.

Adrian Pasder takes on the role of Caleb, and does a decent job portraying a newly-turned vampire, as does Jenny Wright as the shy and sweet Mae.  The real fun though, is watching Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton and Jennette Goldstein, fresh off their stint on James Cameron’s ALIENS.  All three of them relish in their vampire roles, and the friendship the actors created on ALIENS shines through in their characters’ friendship here. You can almost sense the rich bonds between them.  Henriksen’s Jesse Hooker is the leader, and his longevity as a creature has brought about a wisdom that can only be cultivated from centuries of living.  Paxton’s Severin is a loose cannon, who still languishes in his power of humans. Goldstein’s Diamondback is a cunning thinker, and something of a den mother within the group.  And while the scenerio may be somewhat far-fetched, each of them portray their characters with total sincerity.

Although failing at the box office, NEAR DARK has gone on to collect a dedicated following through the years in the home video and DVD circuit.  It is one of the more unique releases from the 80’s, and through some impressive practical special effects work on a low-end budget it has aged quite gracefully, and has avoided being trapped in the constriction that is known as “80’s horror”.  Sadly, as with many films that have enough of a cult following to make the name marketable, but not well-known enough to leave it be, a remake is planned for this in 2008.  No word has been set as to how faithful the adaptation will be, or who is attached, but it is coming.  Fortunately a lovingly put together DVD is currently available from Anchor Bay that gives the film the justice it is due.

DJANGO (1966) When Django, a lone gunslinger who drags a coffin behind him, rescues a woman from being attacked by bandits, he sets himself up at odds with the merciless desperados. After the encounter, he wanders into a desolate, dirty, and muddy town that can only be describe as physically looking like Hell on earth. He soon discovers that the bandits he previously encountered also have the town under their thumb, and Django acts in the only way he can - with a gravely-voiced wit and violence. The townspeople, in a strange turn of events, try to stop Django from saving them, but his mind has been made up, and even if it means killing every bandit and allowing innocents to die in the crossfire, he will accomplish his goal.

In the wake of A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS, the European movie market became a monster with an insatiable appetite for spaghetti westerns. Production companies were spitting out rip-offs of Sergio Leone’s work as fast as they could get the film negatives processed. Then, a director named Sergio Corbucci set off to Spain with a young actor named Franco Nero who would play the title character, and brought back to his homeland of Italy a spaghetti western that would completely change the expectations of the sub-genre.

At its heart, DJANGO is nothing more than another rip-off of A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS (and thus a remake/rip-off of Kurosawa’s YOJIMBO), as a lone wanderer happens into a corrupted town, through trickery and bloodshed kills the oppressors, and then wanders off again. However, what makes DJANGO stand out is its much darker tone, a gritty style that is as much a product of the film stock as it is the actual sets and characters, and the shocking graphic violence for the time. Innocents are brutally gunned down, a hapless ear is sliced off, and in a grueling sequence Django’s hands are trampled and crushed by horses.

Franco Nero, whose performance would create an iconic character symbolic of spaghetti westerns, may just be rehashing the stoic and squinting Man With No Name previously brought to the screen by Clint Eastwood, but there is something about the way he does rehash it that makes him a more “dangerous” character. While the Man With No Name may have tried to act hard, he was a hero and just at heart. Here, Django’s vision of good deeds, heroics, and bravado are twisted and skewed, and even cowardly. Perhaps it is these elements that caught the public’s eye, and caused what can only be described as an insane amount of unofficial sequels featuring the character of Django (none actually played by Franco Nero) and even more spaghetti westerns being rechristened with the Django moniker depending on where they would be exported, even if Django wasn’t even in the movie! Nero would make one official sequel, 1987’s DJANGO STRIKES AGAIN, which also starred Donald Pleasence.

Corbucci, who also wrote the story and screenplay, brings several crucial, genre defining sequences to the screen in DJANGO, which have been stolen, reused countless times since. Those include the sequence in which Django faces off against the entire group of bandits armed with a machine gun, a heartwrenching sequence featuring quicksand, and the all-important final shoot-out, where Django coaxes the bandit leader into a graveyard. This scene in particular is symbolic of where Django feels most comfortable, and his acceptance of death as both an ally and enemy. This downbeat embrace of death is also an element that would make DJANGO stand out against its cookie-cutter competition.

In America, save for the die-hard and dedicated fans, spaghetti westerns basically begin with and end with Sergio Leone’s output. And agreeably, for the casual fan this is enough as Leone’s work morphed the sub-genre to what we know it and remember it as today, and has unequivocally defined it major themes, character arcs and storylines. For the adventurous and curious western fan though, DJANGO is an excellent place to start diving into the rich and abundant amount of films that were churned out in the heyday of the spaghetti western.

So here are some new shots that i’ve borrowed/stolen/shanghai’d from Entertainment Weekly for the Tarentino/Rodriguez double-feature GRINDHOUSE (which criminally still does not have a release date). I’m really get excited about seeing this, and these photos only add to the fuel that is my burning desire.

Eli Roth (CABIN FEVER, HOSTEL) recently shot one of the trailers that will be sandwiched between Quentin Tarentino’s DEATH PROOF and Robert Rodriguez’ PLANET TERROR. I believe that Tarentino and Rodriguez have shot trailers too, but I am unaware of any other “guest” directors at the moment. So here they are, and they do indeed speek a thousand words!

This may have to be my next car.


Too bad this doesn’t happen more in NASCAR


Three words: Kurt Fuckin’ Russell


I have nothing to add to make this photo cooler.


This may be the best movie still of the year.

And this movie can’t come out quick enough!

VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED (1960) A small English town mysteriously becomes the center of a strange event that causes all of the townsfolk to fall into a deep sleep for several hours. After everyone wakes up, there does not seem to be any immediate problems, however it soon becomes apparent that every woman in town capable of bearing a child is pregnant. The women all give birth on the same day, to children with strange looking eyes, slightly enlarged heads and all with blonde hair.

These children begin to grow and develop at an extraordinary rate. Professor Gordon Zellaby, who is one of the “fathers” of these children, begins to do tests on his “son”, David. He soon realizes that not only do all the children share a telepathic connection with one another, they are also able to read the minds of others and control their will. The townsfolk become suspicious of the children and their activities, and when they attempt to gain control over them, the children fight back with their minds.

David, who becomes the leader of the children, attempts to explain to Professor Zellaby their purpose there, and that they are not to stopped. But Zellaby knows that their purpose, which he had once held high hopes in using them for the good of mankind, is ominous and deeply sinister.

Using but a few costumes and cheap post-production effects, the children from the village are an eerie entity that is not to be trifled with. The film pulls from the underlying themes in 50’s sci-fi and horror, which were mainly allegories to communism, the Red Scare and early notions of Big Brother. In Village Of The Damned, these themes are generated through the context of children, that it is the next generation to be worried about, for they will control and change thought. The notion of telepathy means that there will be no more privacy or secrets, that all information will be known and shared. During the film, by the time the adults realize their motives and try to stop them, they are powerless to do so. This can be linked to a fear that once a threat to Western civilization has been detected, it will already be too late.

Through superb acting, simple camera movement/effects and above all the impressive writing/pace, this tale of paranoia is still as creepy today as it was upon its original release. The film was followed by an unofficial sequel, Children Of The Damned (1963), and a remake in 1995.

LADYSNOWBLOOD (1973) Twenty years ago, The husband of Yuki’s mother was slain by four swindlers, who had taken up residence in a small village with plans of siphoning the peasants dry. Her mother became nothing more than property, and swore vengeance on the four who had destroyed her life. Under the guise of prostitution, she eventually became pregnant, with the sole purpose of having the child she bears set forth to claim revenge for her family. When Yuki’s mother dies giving birth, Yuki is passed on to a local priest, who trains her to become an assassin and fulfill her destiny.

As a grown woman, Yuki begins her travels through the land, hunting down information that will guide her to the men and woman who destroyed her family. She finds help in the leader of a beggar’s clan, who sets her on her way towards the vengeance she has tasted on her lips her entire life. When a curious journalist uncovers Yukis agenda, he begins to write the tale of Lady Snowblood, in a newspaper. These stories catch the attention of Yuki’s targets, and sets the final stage for her carnage to be unleashed.

Based on manga by Kazuo Koike, who also created the Lone Wolf And Cub series, the spirit of the samurai flows through every shot of the film, which is perfectly and painstakingly framed. Metaphors and direct commentary on Japan’s change at the time the film takes place are addressed with the same attention as Yuki’s personal story, as Western influence seeps into the isolated Japanese culture. Yuki, who is dubbed a “child of the netherworld” by the priest, is wonderfully played by Meiko Kaji and reflects that statement in her performance. The many close-ups of her eyes throughout the film are like pools of water without a bottom, where only the task before her has any chance of survival, though humanity tries desperately to cling on. She captures the essence of walking death perfectly, shroud completely in white (Japan’s color of death), until it is stained red by the arterial sprays of her foes. It is this rich, unnatural and vibrant red, which helps to push the action scenes to the next level, and will have fans of gory swordplay cheering for more. The story is not without a moral message though, as Yuki’s cry of an “eye for an eye” can only go so far before she must face vengeance herself.

Quentin Tarantino’s KILL BILL has recently been both praised for sourcing, as well as criticized for stealing, from LADY SNOWBLOOD. Though the film stands completely on its own merits and should be lauded for its strong female lead, one must wonder if such present day attention would have been given to it had Tarantino not dived into his old VHS collection for script inspiration. If film viewers are able to discover LADY SNOWBLOOD for the first time as a result of his homage to Eastern cinema, then all is well in the eyes of the movie gods.

EQUILIBRIUM (2002) In the 21st Century, in the aftermath of World War III, the leaders of world make the conclusion that mankind would not survive a fourth, and take the extreme measure of removing from man’s life that might which provoke war - feelings, thought and emotion. A drug, Prozium, is invented to keep the masses at bay, and a new arm of the law, the Tetra Grammatron Clerics, is created to police sense crimes and destroy anything that might invoke said senses.

John Preston (Christian Bale) is a Senior Cleric, who follows his orders to the letter, kills those that are guilty of sense crimes without hesitation, and commands the destruction of anything illegal. That is, until one day when he accidentally breaks his daily dose of Prozium. That one missed dose is all it takes, and the sensory and emotional world he has fought so hard to destroy creeps into his mind. He begins a double life, continuing to be a Cleric by day, while seeking out the resistance that fights to bring down the controlling government at night. When he finally discovers the resistance leaders, they ask him to kill Father, the all-knowing, all-decision making head of the government, which will set off a chain reaction that will allow the resistance to take over. But with another Cleric already suspicious of Preston’s activities, he may be arrested of sense crimes before he can start the coup d’etat.

The film’s basic premise pulls from the themes and imagery from the great dystopian novels of the twentieth century, gladly borrowing from A Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451, and 1984, as well as the Nazi Germany’s power of persuasion to bring the twenty-first century a new tale of science speculation and dystopia. Director and writer Kurt Wimmer has certainly done his homework, and spins a tale that, much like its inspirations, is just real enough and close enough, that it could happen if society lets it. Some of the more impressive nods Wimmer applies is the drug Prozium, a reference to A Brave New World’s Soma, the burning of books and art a la 451,and the huge “big brother” video screens and the drab grayish uniforms of the common folk of 1984.  Anyone familiar with these novels or their film adaptations are bound to see more similarities.

Societal constrictions are not the only element that is given a sinister overhaul. Organized religion and devout faith are also given a good muckraking. From the head-figure dubbed Father (a synonym for God) to the Clerics who enforce the social religion with pain and death against those who do not conform, to the unwavering faith that everything is being done in best interest of mankind. To paraphrase from the movie “whether we agree on what the Father says is not the issue, but our willingness to obey and to have faith in him is”.

Christian Bale, who is in almost every scene of the movie and easily carries the film, is exceptional as John Preston. Bale plays the duality of the role perfectly, and uses his face to express everything the character is about. At the beginning, he is rigid and emotionless. His face is a blank slate. Once free of the Prozium though, he switches gears and even as he continues to show that rigidness, his slight changes shows the pain of having to willingly suppress his new found freedom of emotion. Bale also performs most of the demanding action sequences himself. It would be hard to dismiss that this movie was one of the main contributors to Bale donning the cloak and cowl in BATMAN BEGINS.

In the film, the Clerics use a martial art called Gun Kata, a form created entirely by Kurt Wimmer that incorporates guns, both as a projectile and physical weapon, into hand-to-hand combat. This weaponplay is brought into the movie several times throughout and adds from some exciting action set pieces that gives the viewer a breather from the oppressive government overtones. And here is where the main fault, if it can be called that, of the movie lies. The movie is marketed very much as a super-action film, and those expecting just that could be easily turned off by the heavy messages that take up a bulk of the film. Likewise, those who may be lulled in by the dystopian tale could find the action sequences a little too brutal.

Dystopian futures are one of my favorite genres, and for some same reason that I like westerns, though the build up is quite different. In each, all it takes is for one individual to take a stand against that which they see as wrong, and not only having the courage and determination to make things right in the eyes of that character, but the ability to be able to see those changes through. It may not be the best way, and many innocent lives are usually lost during that struggle, but it is a price I would gladly pay.