Samouraïs
- 2002
- Tous publics
- 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
3.4/10
765
YOUR RATING
A descendant of a cursed, ancient clan, is investigating the gruesome murder of a video game designer.A descendant of a cursed, ancient clan, is investigating the gruesome murder of a video game designer.A descendant of a cursed, ancient clan, is investigating the gruesome murder of a video game designer.
- Director
- Writers
- Stars
Tsuyu Shimizu
- Fille du Samourai
- (as Tsuyu Bridwell)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
The French action movie "Samouraïs" boasts an incoherent plot, some slightly better than average fight scenes and weak attempts at humor. Nothing that would cause any applause from the viewer, I guess.
Why watch it at all? For one, there's the music by Kenji Kawai. The legendary composer incorporates some nice tunes, except perhaps the guitar-heavy-title track. Also, the cast is OK - most notably action veteran Yasuaki Kurata and the cute leading man, Cyril Mourali.
There's really not much more to say about the film which has the look of your typical direct-to-video-stuff. Nothing exceptional. I'd give it a
Rating 3/10
Why watch it at all? For one, there's the music by Kenji Kawai. The legendary composer incorporates some nice tunes, except perhaps the guitar-heavy-title track. Also, the cast is OK - most notably action veteran Yasuaki Kurata and the cute leading man, Cyril Mourali.
There's really not much more to say about the film which has the look of your typical direct-to-video-stuff. Nothing exceptional. I'd give it a
Rating 3/10
I didn't know until now that countries like Spain and, or France were capable of making things like Samourais. I understand America's obsessive impulse to rent movies that are hilariously terrible, but I didn't know that Europeans are answering our demands. I'm not saying all foreign films are great, but for the larger majority of what we absorb in foreign cinema, American audiences usually get the upper rung.
However, Samourais seems to be the product of a massive delusion on the part of the director, writer, etc. I don't know how money gets spent on things like this. If movies are meant to incur a profit, Samourais' net gain must have earned the director a sandwich.
If I wanted to see a film that included scenes with insipid lackeys working at a video store,transmute into what's supposed to be ancient warriors/demons coming back from the past to battle, I. . .well, to tell you the truth, I don't know why I would ever watch something like this. I find that actually reading about Japanese mythology or renting Kurosawa films much more enterprising. Why spend money on something with clunky cumbersome dialog as it is? Especially considering that the dubbed features only convey that the French/Spanish dialog is bad in itself ! The worst is the action sequences- Historically, most martial arts films puts characters into the perspective that they are warriors fighting against impossible odds, however, this film mutates that concept horribly. The fighting sequences are just as awkward and clunky as the dialog, and they lack the fluid execution and limits that most martial arts movies are actually implicative of. This movie seems like it was made by someone who failed a course in metaphysics in college.
The only thing good about this movie is the repulsive french rap during the credits.
However, Samourais seems to be the product of a massive delusion on the part of the director, writer, etc. I don't know how money gets spent on things like this. If movies are meant to incur a profit, Samourais' net gain must have earned the director a sandwich.
If I wanted to see a film that included scenes with insipid lackeys working at a video store,transmute into what's supposed to be ancient warriors/demons coming back from the past to battle, I. . .well, to tell you the truth, I don't know why I would ever watch something like this. I find that actually reading about Japanese mythology or renting Kurosawa films much more enterprising. Why spend money on something with clunky cumbersome dialog as it is? Especially considering that the dubbed features only convey that the French/Spanish dialog is bad in itself ! The worst is the action sequences- Historically, most martial arts films puts characters into the perspective that they are warriors fighting against impossible odds, however, this film mutates that concept horribly. The fighting sequences are just as awkward and clunky as the dialog, and they lack the fluid execution and limits that most martial arts movies are actually implicative of. This movie seems like it was made by someone who failed a course in metaphysics in college.
The only thing good about this movie is the repulsive french rap during the credits.
While it's nice that more French non-art movies are being brought to this side of the Atlantic, this is one that can be skipped. To be sure, it has a few nice martial arts sequences, and the production values are pretty good - in fact, some of the special effects are up to those in big-budget Hollywood movies. Unfortunately, the movie has some of the negative attributes commonly found in big-budget Hollywood movies - a story sorely lacking in explanation, annoying characters, blatant product plugs, and unfunny comic relief. But the main problem is that the story is slow-moving and downright dull at times. If you want to see a more entertaining French actioner, rent WASABI.
My video store has been getting in an increasing amount of these types of movies in. What I mean by "these types" of movies: Movies that you just can't resist picking up of the shelf as you laugh to yourself about how stupid you KNOW it would be, and then you put it back on the shelf never to ever rent it. BUT, last night we rented one of these movies, and it happened to be Samouraïs. This movie had every bit of stupid plot, lame characters, and cheesy action you could ask for. However, I will say this, the fight choreography was actually decent, and some of the f/x were ok too. But as a whole, this movie bites bigtime. So, if you are like me, and you sometimes just have to rent a lamer like this to get a laugh, rent Samouraïs. 3/10
who wouldn't love a French martial arts movie? The dubbing alone was the epitome of spoof, especially the hapless sidekick, a Tunisian-looking dude who was voiced by some sort of terrible Eddie Murphy/Martin Lawrence impersonator. Not much of the movie made any sense (in a good way), but quite frankly, whatever. It was what it was, and the fight scenes, I thought, were very good- especially the fight in the gym with the 7 or 8 identically dressed Japanese goons against the 20 or so sparrers- multiple styles, 1 on 1, 3 on 1, every other combination. Plenty of mean-looking cold-eyed warrior action, open-hand, sword v. baton, all kinds of good stuff. Go at it with open eyes and enjoy on every level.
Details
Box office
- Gross worldwide
- $1,057,035
- Runtime1 hour 30 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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