User reviews

Normally I like to give more detail in a review, but this is a quick one.

I enjoyed this movie a lot. I'm not entirely sure why. I think mostly it was just plain fun. 'Beat' Takeshi was just brilliant in the role of Aniki. It's a sign of a great actor when he can command your attention without really doing anything.

I loved its thoughtful pace and purpose, and how there was a real symmetry in the story. In terms of introduction of the characters and their interactions, the story closes in reverse really nicely. I won't say much more, as I don't want to spoil it; it's not major, just nicely done.

All in all, I highly recommend it. It's quite violent at times, but if you're okay with that (and hell, perhaps even like it in a Kill Bill kind of way) then definitely check this out.

When I rented Takeshi Kitano's stunning masterpiece brother, it was simply because I wanted to get myself further immersed in Asian cinema. Although, I'm was a little bit iffy because of the fact that Omar Epps was in it, and I was worried that it would be some piece of americanized garbage. But when I watched it,I was completely blown away. It was intelligent without being terribly confusing, and it was violent without being overly gross. This is one of the best movies I have ever seen, and is quite possibly one of the greatest films ever made. The story concerns Aniki Yamomoto (Takeshi kitano, under the name Beat Takeshi) who joins a very well-to-do yakuza family in japan. But when a price is put on his head, he flees to America, to set up shop there with his younger brother Ken (kuroudo Maki under the name Claude Maki) and his gang, which includes a black man named Denny (Omar Epps). They run into trouble with other mobs in the city, but Aniki's style of war brings them on a steady inclination to the top. Underrated and under-appreciated, this little gem is definitely a good one to own, as it is truly a cinematic masterpiece.

I am a huge fan of the brilliant cinematic genius Takeshi Kitano, his films "Hana-Bi" (1997) and "Violent Cop" (1991) are two of my all-time favorites and I also found several other Kitano films such as "Zatoichi" (2003) excellent. "Brother" of 2001 is in my opinion Kitano's weakest film up to date, which does not mean that it's bad. It is just not quite as brilliant as Kitano's other work. Kitano is once again director and leading actor, and he once again delivers a great performance in the lead.

Yakuza Aniki Yamamoto (Kitano) flees to America after his death is ordered by a Yakuza clan. Yamamoto goes to LA where his younger brother Ken is supposed to study. Instead of studying, however, Ken deals drugs with some American friends. And it doesn't take Yamamoto long to plan some drastic improvements for his little brother's gang...

Takeshi Kitano's performance is once again superb, this guy certainly is one of the greatest cinematic multi-talents who ever lived. I found the Japanese characters great in general, and if it was only for them, "Brother" would have probably almost reached Kitano's masterpieces in brilliance. I personally didn't like the American characters though. Omar Epps certainly is a good actor, but his character of Denny is just not very deep, simply the very stereotypical African American street gangster seen in two out of three cheesy Hollywood blockbusters. And that counts for the other American characters too. It wasn't actually that bad with Omare Epps, simply because he is a very good actor. Besides the flatness of the American characters, I found the movie very good. It is once again beautifully and imaginatively filmed in typical Kitano style, and it has the typical Kitano humor that I love. The movie is also very violent, so it's probably not for people who are easily offended by brutality in films. What I also really like about "Brother" is the fact that at least half of the movie is in Japanese. The Japanese characters also talk Japanese when they are in the US.

"Brother" is arguably Kitano's weakest movie, and definitely my least favorite of his movies, but that doesn't mean it's bad. We're talking about a great cinematic genius here, and "Brother" certainly is a good, suspenseful, entertaining, stylish and interesting film. In case you don't know Kitano yet, i recommend to watch "Hana-bi" or "Violent Cop" before watching this, but in case you're already familiar with Kitano "Brother" is certainly worth watching. My fellow Kitano fans should not miss this. Recommended 7/10

"Brother" may be Kitano´s most well-known and successful movie, but after all it´s just another sign that success at the box offices doesn´t make the perfect movie, because it lacks in many respects: the story is too one-dimensional and delivers nothing really new, the characters are not developed enough, excluding the brilliant play of Omar Epps and, of course, Kitano himself. However, if you like heavy gunfight violence in the style of "Reservoir Dogs" or Takeshi´s elder "Violent Cop" this is the right film for you! The body count is higher than in all Quentin Tarantino/Sam Peckinpah films together and even some gore like cut off fingers and heads is brought on here and there. Once more the violent pictures are laid under with beautiful piano music what gives some disturbing aspects as well as emotional rollercoasters to this film. Definitely one of the better gangster movies of the last few years, but not the best as often said. A good film which is a little bit overrated... Can´t await to see Kitano´s "Battle Royale" - this one must be really brilliant..!

"Brother" makes the "Godfather" trilogy look like a kindergarten Christmas production. Kitano is definitely glorifying gratuitous violence, I am sorry to say it but it's true. He's smart and chic enough to know that he could be making wonderfully poetic films for the artsy crowd but perhaps he wants to offend on purpose. However, he ends up making beautifully directed odes to brutality in which japanese contemporary society appears only as backdrop against the vicious and callous homicidal maniacs obssessed with serial killing. Here, Kitano ,expatriated in LA, quickly manages to practically wipe off entire Cholo (Chicano) mob population: dozens of bodies mowed left and right with an aide from three inept street hustlers (one of whom is his americanized half-brother)... Of course, "Brother" does have Kitano's trademark scenes even if not nearly as elaborate as those in "Sonatine" or "Fireworks": a brief long-shot scene at the beach and a GREAT roof scene with the paper airplane...LOOK, OF COURSE, FOR SOME CHOPPED FINGERS ETC.

I am perhaps rambling a little. It shows you how ambivalent my feelings about Kitano in fact are. On one hand I like him a lot and consider him a rarely gifted film maker. In fact, one of the finest. On the other hand I deeply deplore his basic premises: death and misogyny. I can't make up my mind. I keep wanting to stay away from his films and I end up seeing them one after another. A strange experience for me.

Brother (2000) marks the English language directorial debut for Takeshi Kitano in this cross over gangster film about a deposed Yakuza living in exile on the streets of L.A. This entertaining and surprisingly fast moving picture (for a Kitano film) release date was delayed in the United States by more than a year. When it was finally released the film played mainly in Art houses and was heavily edited by the old cronies that sit on the M.P.A.A. board. It's impossible to see this movie how it was original meant to be show. Sadly, prior releases (even on video) were the same old prints that were used during it's theatrical release. Ho-hum. I recommend the director's/international version of this film. The M.P.A.A. cut lacks the punch of the original.

A+ (International)

B+ (american)

Takeshi Kitano's Brother is Kitano's masterpiece among his other films. I really haven't seen bad film from him. Brother is set in America as Kitano's character travels to US from Japan, and starts new life there. He has his half brother living there so he has a place to live in. Soon he starts to have new friends and become a leader and member of their new gang/yakuza. Violent confrontations with other gangs and mafia take place as everyone is willing to use violence and vengeance in order to settle things.

Brother has all the usual and breath taking Kitano elements we've learnt to see. The flashbacks of events, long shots without editing, character's faces that say more things than 100 words, images of beauty and peace and wry humor, among others elements. The main theme in Brother is loyalty and friendship that becomes even love. The last scene is fantastic and very unusual for Kitano; never has he underlined his message this clearly as he does in Brother's finale. It is so purifying scene and really makes the point clear, but still, most people don't understand anything about Kitano's films, because they are so personal and different compared to Western mainstream films.

Brother is like a combination of Violent Cop and Hana'Bi. It has Violent Cop's bleakness and Hana-Bi's beauty and sadness. Brother is very sad film at times, and only last scene gives something really positive and also optimistic. Hana-Bi is very sad and beautiful film, and these two, Brother and Hana-Bi, have much in common. Both were composed by the same guy, Joe Hisaishi, who did fantastic job especially in Hana-Bi and also Sonatine. Violent Cop is very gritty and also pessimistic film, and is very similar to Brother in its overall look of life. Both films are also very calm and restrained and not as visually stunning as Hana-Bi and Sonatine. All these films are masterpieces of Japanese cinema, and it is interesting to see how Kitano mixes elements from his other films and creates always something new and immortal.

The violence is very brutal and challenging but definitely not gratuitous or exploitative. Kitano's violence is always very symbolic and sudden, and not necessarily realistic. These films analyze many aspects of violence as a tool of communicating for weak souls. Kitano definitely doesn't justify violence or praise it; he just shows what most people or film makers probably wouldn't even dare to think of, and once the viewer may be thinking "yeah, kill that b****rd!" the film turns against the viewer and makes him think what he just said and accepted. The more emotionally challenging film is, the more noteworthy it becomes and Kitano's films are perfect examples of that.

Brother is also occasionally filled with Kitano's wry and personal humor which was at its taunting in his Boiling Point. Brother has many great personal touches of its creator and every time Kitano's character laughs here, there is something very twisted in his mind and going on. Brother is not thoroughly cynical film after all, and these humoristic touches only add to the great purification of the last scene.

The film criticizes yakuza also pretty much and with the director's personal style, as there are numerous scenes involving yakuza rites and codes of honor. Also, there is a great scene involving basketball and yakuza member's attempt to get the ball and be king of the game and have a feeling of being somebody. Boiling Point has plenty of these scenes and tones as the gangsters play tough guy with big guns and thus try to get acceptance. These films really should make yakuzas ask themselves, why?

I am totally stunned by cinematic styles Kitano uses in his films. The editing and photography is so incredibly smooth and stylish, and creates the atmosphere of the film. The faces are among the most important details in Kitano's films as there are so many things to be read from characters' faces. For example, there is awesome scene in Brother's beginning where Kitano "sees" the death of a yakuza boss. Kitano has totally unique sense of beauty, sensitivity and expressing emotions that has no comparison from other films. His character doesn't talk too much in his films, but anytime he says something, he says and expresses more than thousand words. His films are immortal and can be seen over and over again, and still they have plenty of things to offer for the lover of this unique cinema.

Brother is among Kitano's greatest films and I definitely give this ten out of ten, because there are absolutely no negative aspects in this film, and this proudly stands in Takeshi Kitano's filmography.

This movie has got the highest deal of violent deaths per square meter I have ever seen in cinema. And many of them totally gratuitous. The movie is well directed and quite solid in technical terms but in terms of content it leaves much to be desired. As a matter of fact it's only the story of a Japanese Yakuza gangster who goes to Los Angeles and after becoming the boss of a small group of petty drug dealers to which his younger brother already belongs, strengthens it and starts a war against other gangster families first also Japanese, then Latino and finally the Italian Mafia whose gun power is much higher since they use machine guns against Yakuza's pistols. We have the opportunity to watch also the Japanese code of honour in action even among Yakuzas and this is perhaps the most interesting feature of the movie. The rest is rather uninteresting, showing a succession of killings which happen almost every minute with lots of blood spilled everywhere and bodies jumping like puppets under fire. A weak story though told in an efficient style.

Beat Takeshi is a filmmaker so distinct and so completely different from any other filmmaker that you have to be prepared before seeing one of his films to watch something differently than you normally would. Brother is his first overseas production, and to this day his only one, and perhaps its minimal success and marginal fan base is due to its seeming lack of plot, its evasive editing, or something else that Takeshi customarily draws attention to, whether purposefully or not.

Brother is not quite his best film, but you will realize that the focus is not on the story but on the themes of its story. Completely unlike its characters, especially Takeshi's stone cold killer, its story is something to feel your way through. These characters do not feel much. They do. The movie is mostly made up of deadpan scenes of bloody violence, occasional dialogue, and quiet medium closeups. The music, which like in all Takeshi films is lush and emotional, directs our feelings.

Brother is great for fans of crime movies, gangsters, violence overall, Asian cinema, and even action fans, but Takeshi Kitano's style is a strangely deadpan and very personal approach. It's an acquired taste.

This is the 4th Kitano film I've seen recently. It has most of the characteristics of the other films - the sudden, shocking violence, the impassive silences, the same supporting actors, the obligatory seaside scene. But the shift to an American location weakens it, despite the excellent contributions of the US actors, especially Omar Epps.

But the core, unmissable qualities of a Kitano film remain. Takeshi Kitano must be the natural successor to Clint Eastwood as an anti-hero. Most of the stylised violence takes place off-screen, with a flash of humour, then the after-effects vividly on display. The sound-track from Joe Hisaishi matches the screen action perfectly, at times an aggressive supplement to the violence, at other times hauntingly peaceful.

The ending is the film's weakest part, as though Kitano pandered to imagined (or real) American requirements. The out-of-town setting and road movie elements fit uncomfortably with the rest of the film. But if this is the compromise needed to get Kitano to make more films out of Japan, it must be worthwhile.

Another interesting movie from well known Japanese director Takeshi Kitano.Kitano established himself as an excellent director and in this one he acts good too.His face has no emotions in portraying this character.He had help from some American actors,especially Omar Epps.Probably you wonder what connection could possibly have Kitano and Epps but there are few scenes in witch they work perfectly.

Movie has lots of blood,lots of dead people but it also shows us the way of living.The underground scene of Japan and America.Gangs,drugs,weapons,yakuza,Japanese and Americans.The only man who can connect this is Kitano and his excellent writing.

This is definitely not the best Kitano movie but it's worth watching.Because of very good script.Because of very good acting.And finally because of Takeshi Kitano's talent.

I am a fan of Omar Epps ever since I seen the TV movie First Time Felon so I decided to purchase Brother on DVD. I was shocked by the great quality of the film although it is extremely violent I feel it is necessary to get across the severeness of the yakuza. I recommend this film to anyone who likes gangster movies or violent flicks. Takeski Kitano is an extremely good actor/director. I rate it 4 out of 5. I also recommend Kitano's film Sonatine.

Sweet Daddy Jones said it all - the best gangster film since Goodfellas. Go beyond that and you have one of the best, most economical pieces of film making in years.

Someone in the thread moaned about the lack of dialogue, did they feel the same way about Eastwood's spaghetti films or the Unforgiven? You either understand that level of economy or you dont. Like the best music, somtimes its what artists leave out that speaks volumes, and creates art. Its the space 'inbetween', not chucking the kitchen sink, that pulls you in.

This film is excellent, if you like Tarantino or Scorsese - watch this and see someone who actually manages to bring Eastern film making to Hollywood with the utmost panache. Unlike John Woo, who I love dearly, but was comprehensively f***ed up the ass by Hollywood (Mission Impossible2, Face Off, Hard Target) in the process.

'I may not understand American, but I DO understand Jap motherf***er' There's a quote, there's a fact. If, like previous respondents you dont get minimalistic action (which is also mega hardcore),this is not for you. Those of us who like our action slick, sleek and to the bone, sign up now.

I like gangster movies. I like Japanese movies. You see that Beat Takeshi stars, directs and edits the movie and you may fear that he's an egomaniac and the film will be self-indulgent. It's not. It's got a unique point of view. It's got nobility. Takeshi's character is noble. One of his followers is noble. One would say that the family feeling in this movie is sweet, if it would not be weird to talk about the sweetness of a movie as blood-spattered as this one is. And this one is blood-spattered. My wife, whose taste in movies is usually much more sanguinary than mine, stopped watching it before it was over, so violent were the obeisances made to show faithfulness. This movie would be utterly unsuitable for children because of blood and guts and language. But it's funny. It's funny and honorable people gain moral victories and family members as well as people unrelated by blood show each other brotherly love. I fear for this culture-- our world culture-- that the only movie where I have seen honor and brotherly love lately is this film filled to overflowing with buckets of blood.

to say that this was good is a complete understatement. I had heard about this movie before but never saw until one night it popped up on HBO Zone. I was like "what the hell" and figure it wouldn't hurt to watch, but when I did - I LOVED IT!! there isn't much English dialogue in this movie, but there's enough - it's understandable as it's about a Yakuza gangster(Kitano) who is Exiled from Japan only to form an American Yakuza overseas in the U.S. - He collaborates with his brother(Miko) and his crew to form the organization. Omar Epps is in this as Denny, he is pretty good in this but it was the Japanese in this movie that really made this worth the watch... VERY Good mafia flick

10/10

Kitano's attempt at an Americanization of his unique world view is uneven, but not without merit. His usual composer, Joe Hisaishi, helps preserve the familiar tones, and Kitano plays his signature laconic gangster, but the LA setting and presence of Omar Epps as a low level hood who forms a friendship with the Japanese visitor feels wrong. Combining black culture with Asian culture may have seemed like a good idea on paper, but it comes across as cynical. The violence is graphic, explosive and frequent. For reasons difficult to fathom, the last shot of Epps driving away from a bloody climax is out of focus. Sporadically excellent, but compared to such incendiary works as "Hanna-Bi" and "Violent Cop", it is a poor cousin.

I can never understand why critics want depth of story telling and character development in gangster films. Why do we need to paint a picture of drug dealing murderers as conflicted men on trying to find the proper path? Brother is one of the few gangster films that doesn't try to create a moral high ground for killers to stand on, and that's what makes it great. THEY KNEW HOW THIS HAD TO END! Because the had the samurai spirit they faced their end like men. Too many people don't understand samurai spirit though and will never understand...

This was the first film of Tikeshi Kitano's I saw back in August last year. It started off pretty well, especially with a back story as to how events came to be. However towards the second half things started to fall apart as it seemed to cliche itself with the Yakuza rising to power only to suddenly and abruptly lose it.

The only highlight for me was Omar Epps a very convincing performance I might add.

The film would've been better if more thought/emotion for characters had been portrayed, but in the end all you seem to get is everyone getting disposed of in a variety of brutal ways (i.e. dismemberments, finger cuttings, cars exploding and chopsticks being stuffed up noses).

For me the second half began to get a little pointless, although I might be wrong about this it didn't offer anything surprising.

Since "Ring" (or "Ringu" as it's called) I thought there were going to be other quality flicks from various Japanese film makers.

Not bad though, but too extreme with the violence. 6/10

Brother is Kitano's first picture financed by western production companies and produced on American soil. It centers on Yakuza-member Yamamoto (Kitano) being exiled from his home country by rival gangs. He travels to the U.S. where he teams up with his brother, formes his own Yakuza-force and climbs the ranks of the underworld by violently disposing of his enemies. Kitano is known for using extreme violence in his pictures and Brother is no exception. On the contrary, Brother features some of the most graphic scenes in recent film history. Unfortunately, Kitano fails to create any sense of direction or unity in his effort. Brother consists of consecutive scenes depicting violent assasinations of rivals, followed by scenes featuring retaliations by the aforementioned rivals. The is no sense of allegiance or even alignment with Yamamoto and his associates (including Omar Epps, in one of his worst performances yet). We never get inside the mind of Yamamoto and Kitano leaves us with a ruthless, stoic, unendearing zombie wearing sunglasses all day long, hardly talking and thus failing to make us care about him or his actions. I have no problems with scenes of people cutting of their thumbs as long as they serve somekind of purpose in the plot. Kitano seems to have no motivation whatsoever for showing us these images, beside maybe shocking us. Furthermore, he includes various scenes that don't have any purpose in the movie at all. It all makes for a very confusing and uneven piece of work. Acting-performances in Brother are bland and very poorly delivered, with the actors saying their lines without any sense of conviction or purpose. Kitano's poor writing only makes matters worse. Also, cinematography in this picture is handled very poorly (just as every other aspect of Brother). There is no direction in most of the shots, beside making sure the actors appear in them. All in all it makes for a very tiresome and unsatisfying viewing. I've heard Brother being compared to the likes of Goodfellas and The Godfather and i have to say it's a disgrace as Brother doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence with these masterpieces. Not recommended, to be sure.