Bunraku

This stylized action film can best be described as an orgy of the following films: part Sin City, part Batman (Adam West era), part Dick Tracy, part The Quick and the Dead, and part Enter the Dragon. Squirt some Cirque du Soleil in there and the resulting love child of all these films is "Bunraku". That's really all I can say. Watch it and tell me if I'm wrong. There are parts of this film that are extraordinary, namely the animation, while other segments (or appendages?) are atrocious. It all makes sense in a mad scientist kind of way, where this creature of a film was cooked up in Dr. Frankenstein's Laboratory School of Film, Dance, and Animation. It's ludicrous, but very entertaining. I give it 7 full test-tubes of film DNA out of 10!

After seeing the relatively low rating on this movie I decided to just give it a go without expecting too much.

Boy was I wrong! One of the most compelling intros I've seen this year, with humor, fast paced storytelling and very, very stylishly done, what's not to like? Well: the story is fast but not so much original. The action is good but didn't quite blow me off my chair. Woody Harrelson is fun, but this role seems to be typecast for him, don't expect too much out of the ordinary. Harnett pretty much copies the role he had in Lucky number Slevin. Gackt makes his debut I think and does so convincingly.

Should you see this movie? Yes! It's beautifully made, switches visual styles, languages and mood a lot and does so convincingly. Just don't expect to many surprises from the writing department. 8/10

In a bleak and heavily stylized future world, two disparate characters are united in purpose. Yoshi (Gackt) is a samurai warrior, and The Drifter (Josh Hartnett) a tight-lipped loner. Making the acquaintance of a wise Bartender (an appropriately cast Woody Harrelson), they take on all the minions of a powerful, hirsute crime lord named Nicola the Woodcutter (Ron Perlman).

Complete with loopy narration by Faith No More frontman Mike Patton, "Bunraku" is pretty goofy stuff, stuffed with various gimmicks. The script has some amusing dialogue, but in the end is pretty routine; one might wish that the filmmakers spent as much time working on the script as they did the visual design. And the film is admittedly a real eyeful in terms of images. The production design, cinematography, and visual effects are first rate. The film is also enough of a curio to make it moderately interesting. It combines elements of martial arts epics, Spaghetti Westerns, post-apocalypse dramas, live-action comic books, and film noir, making it an original mixture of genres. The action isn't the best one will ever see, but it's perfectly serviceable, with the good guys taking some real lumps on the way to the final showdown. The music score by Terence Blanchard is one of the best components.

The cast is variable, as some of them come off better than others. Perlman mumbles his way through his role. Demi Moore is utterly wasted as the object of his affections. Harrelson's bright presence helps quite a bit, and Kevin McKidd has a fun part as the villains' primary henchman.

The bottom line: this serves up some adequate entertainment for people who want to relax their brain for a while. At two hours and five minutes, however, it definitely goes on too long.

Filmed in Romania.

Six out of 10.

I really can't understand why those bad reviews about this movie, this was a great entertainment, never been bored for 2 hours. This could just have been directed by Tarantino, nobody would have noticed and everyone would loved it. The story is imaginative, i mean this is not just the story of a a young man who has spent his life searching for revenge like stated in the plot line. (i will not spoil but the beginning says it all). Also the acting is great, every role is carefully, naturally and so damn well interpreted. Demi Moore was a bit unlucky about that not very interesting character, and in my humble opinion like stated before kind of a waste of Demi's talent. Anyway i would even say theatrical, with Kevin McKidd's performance. If i could choose a mix of films to describe this one i would say: Sin City + Kill Bill + A Clockwork Orange + Dark City ...all with a nice perfume of old japan vs wide west western.

8/10

Quite an interesting movie,set in kind of an origami environment which is quite unique,has some shiny action moments.......a movie which in my honest opinion had some exquisite potential but got ruined by poorly written scenario,typecast roles for actors that could present much more. Watchable but don't expect some Oscar movie going around....

It may disappoint you or you may even like it.Actors like Woody Harrelson,Demi Moore,hell even Josh Hartnett could give a lot more if properly stimulated with a good screenplay...yet they give them cheesy roles like these.Maybe the idea here was to go with the cheesy but in the end - mediocre with a hint of originality.