Sonachine

This is exactly what I'd do if my gang's territory was being threatened by conspiracy and rivalry in the criminal underworld - hide out on a nice beach playing fantastic-looking firework and sumo games with me mates and some random passing woman, listening to crazy old men singing in incredible voices, watching out for assassins in fishing gear and generally building myself up for a massive showdown. Beat Takeshi is a genius with this kind of stuff, he makes his gangster a real man in full 3D, hardened by a hard life but still full of uncertainty and needs, and who in the world could have outdone his deadpan but humourous face, especially in those bleak final scenes. Shame about his appalling TV "comedy" though.

I think the people who criticize this film do so because they've been trained to watch movies the way Hollywood makes them. This is as far from Hollywood as a gangster film can get. The quiet (or as some might say, boring) moments are there because the characters exist in a realistic world where sometimes they can do nothing but sit and think. Sonatine isn't perfect, but it can certainly be appreciated if the viewer will approach it with an open mind. Also, the sumo scene is very fun and beautiful.

I'm not entirely sure what to make of this film--I suspect I need to view it at least once, and probably several more times before I can get a good hold on it. However, my inability to fully comprehend what "Sonatine" is about doesn't strike me as a flaw. Rather, the film is much more complicated than the usual gangster film.

It begins with very unsentimentalized and nonglorified violence. People hit and kill each other and it isn't much different than toast popping out of the toaster. It is fast, moderately bloody, and there. Kitano doesn't seem to be interested in thrilling us with either the danger, grotesqueness, or thrill of violence--another, not clearly defined agenda is at work here.

At perhaps a third of the way into the film, it makes a sudden transition from this gangster life to a period of forced inactivity. I suspect this section, which is delightfully playful, is at the heart of this film.

Since Sonatine was the first movie by Kitano that i enjoyed, I had no real expectations (except for an action-thriller thanks to the cover)and was totally taken aback by what I saw.. Not an Action Film with high bodycount but a story about a man who leads a life without hope and then when all trouble would be removed from it is too scared to start anew (or unable to). The story is told in a totally minimalistic and realistic way that doesn't chase you from one scene to another only to show you the important parts but always takes the time (often more than once) to let you study the protagonist and his comrades only through their faces so you have to figure out what they think on your own. Films that explain nothing often make everything clear. Films that explain everything often have nothing to explain.

In my opinion either you love this film or you hate it, there is no in between, since its so different from the standard or even great gangster movies of our time . I for myself was mesmerized by its artistic beauty, its compelling acting and its wonderful soundtrack.

By now i have seen Hanabi and all the other Kitano movies, but this remains the best to me..

Beat Takeshi movies are without doubt an acquired taste. Newcomers to them, presumably expecting some kind of flashy, gun happy, John Woo-style "action" movie, are often shocked because they are the complete opposite to most Hong Kong cops'n'robbers movies. Slow, atmospheric and character driven, they really make you WORK. Things are not handed to you on a plate all neatly packaged, and generally it's what is NOT said and shown which counts. And yes, they are violent, but only intermittently. Takeshi lulls you into a false sense of security with his stunning visuals and thoughtful character studies and then WHAM, when you least expect it, we get violence, REAL violence. With consequences. The best Takeshi movie I have seen is 'Hana-bi' but 'Sonatine' comes a very close second. Takeshi stars as the kind of character he often plays, an ageing, dissatisfied man. Sometimes he's a cop, this time he's a yakuza. But he basically plays variations on the same "type". And let's face it, he does it very, very well. Takeshi also wrote, directed and edited this wonderful movie. A very impressive feat! If you aren't familiar with his style, this might be a good place to start. Leave your expectations at the door, and I'm sure you will be impressed. The supporting cast, many of whom are Takeshi regulars, are uniformly excellent (and may I say that Aya Kokumai is a real hottie?), but it's Takeshi himself who really impresses as an actor as well as a film maker. Highly recommended, as is 'Hana-bi'. Two of the very best movies released in the last ten years. If Hollywood was this good!