Markmainwaring

Very few so called classics live up to expectations. And very few westerns are any good. Even fewer non Italian westerns are any good.

But this remake of Seven Samuri really lives up to its reputation.

With brilliant performances and some great and exciting action scenes, this is one of only two American Westerns I can think of that is actually any good. The other being Wild Bunch.

Every character is memorable and everyone as a favourite. My favourite being Robert Vaughns character.

Still referenced to this day and with that brilliant theme tune.

Well worth watching.

Unfortunately when I went to buy this I accidentally picked up a dubbed version. And the dubbing was terrible. But it didn't matter. You would not be watching this film for the dialogue. But for the shoot outs.

And the shoot outs are brilliant and what make this film. Like most John Woo films they are very balletic and very violent. And everyone is great. But its the last hour that makes this so brilliant. As there is a very long shoot out in a hospital which puts patients and even babies in the line of fire.

Also it was great to see Chow Yun Fat playing a good guy and not a anti-hero. And for John Woo to make a Hong Kong film where the Police are the heroes.

While watching this I was not sure what was going on.

Set in the future, we meet Ricky, in prison.

Also in the corrupt prison there is some drug dealing going on. As far as I can see thats about the story. The rest is a string of random events that lead to some great and imaginative gore scenes. Which is what the film seems to be about.

For some reason Ricky seems to have magical powers but this is never really explained. Just watch for the gore and violence and Yukari Oshima playing a MAN! If you like films like Braindead you will love this.

For gore hounds only...