5 comments about Harakiri - Criterion Collection.

1. ... and yet the action takes only the last five or ten minutes of the film! Mr Zack Davison's "most helpful" review describes the premise of the movie very eloquently; it's helpful indeed, since I don't feel like writing a straight expository essay, just a few impressions:
   
   Black and white! Every frame of such stunning black and thoughtful white that it rivals a Zen garden in stones, or closer to home, an Ansel Adams photo of Yosemite in winter. The new print from Criterion captures most of the black intensity of the film I saw first run decades ago.
   
   Tatsuyo Nakadai! Mifune got more fame in the West, but Nakadai was the actor, Kabuki trained, who could make you cry or make you grab the back of the seat in front of you in panic. He was the "Jack Palance" bad gunfighter, by the way, to Mifune's "Clint Eastwood". In this film, he portrays a man of such honorable concern for his family, both the household and the clan, that his sword is inspired by righteousness, until the clan proves utterly unworthy.
   
   The historical context! Kobayashi isn't into comic book fantasies of martial magic. This is a film of detailed and precise historical realism; even the virtuosic swordsmanship of the Nakadai character is realistically justified. The moment of history portrayed is the very moment when Japan closed its doors to Western influence, when the aristocracy "gave up the gun" and thus preserved the monopoly of violence of the samurai class. Imagine if the feudal lords of Europe had prohibited not only the gun but the long bow. No Agincourt, no Crecy, and we'd be writing this review in French.
   
   The suspense! The Nakadai character enters the hall of the clan chief, sits cross-legged, and stays seated throughout the first 90% of the film (though much movement is shown in flashbacks). And then... well, I won't spoil the suspense, except to say that all samurai H_ll breaks loose.



2. One interesting fact I read about Director Masaki Kobayashi was that he was drafted into the Japanese army in 1941. He subsequently rejected any chances at promotion, instead remaining a private. That was his way of protesting the war itself.
   This movie itself makes a similar statement against the rigors of war and authoritarian power. It explores the very definition of the word "honor".
   
   An unemployed samurai Hanshiro Tsugumo asks the leaders for permission to commit Harakiri (ritual suicide). The clansmen suspect him of having hidden intentions, perhaps trying to get a handout or a place among them. They underestimate the depths of his heart and the honor within him. What transpires is a thought-provoking journey.
   This movie speaks volumes about the importance of individuality. It has other implications about the present day that are undeniable. Plus it has an exciting climax of swordsplay that is spectacular. I'm sure Tarantino took some tips from it for his movie Kill Bill.
   I can't wait to see more of Kobayashi's work. This rivals anything from Kurosawa. Yeah, that's right. Highly recommended.



3. "Rage when FOCUSED on a Single purpose is a very powerful weapon..."
   
   HARAKIRI (1962) (aka. Seppuku) is the award-winning film from Masaki Kobayashi (Samurai Rebellion, Kwaidan) and has been pronounced as Kobayashi's masterpiece by his mentor Kinoshita and as one of the TOP Five Greatest Japanese films ever made. The film was originally titled "Seppuku" in Japan which translates into ritual suicide. Western audiences are more familiar with the word Harakiri; Hara means belly and Kiri means cut. The two kanji (Chinese characters)are reversed to form "Seppuku" a more formal term. In the full ritual, the samurai would cut his belly open and then the "shakunin" (second) would behead him. During the Tokugawa period, the Shogunate ordered quite a large number of lords to commit "seppuku" to curb the number of Daimyos to avert disorder and possible challenges to the rule.
   
   1630. Following the collapse of his clan, unemployed samurai Hanshiro Tsugumo (Tatsuya Nakadai) arrives at the manor of Lord Iyi, begging to be allowed to commit ritual suicide on his property. Iyi's clansmen, believing the desperate ronin is merely angling for charity, tells Tsugumo the tale of another samurai who they forced to commit Seppuku after they had determined that his intentions were only for show. The Iyi clan have greatly underestimated Tsugumo's honor and his past--who is this stranger and what does he really want?
   
   An empty suit of samurai armor opens and closes the film, it represents the samurai of old as an active warrior who fights for his Daimyo who after the Tokugawa era is reduced as a wandering Ronin. While it has all these connotations; Harakiri's focus is its emptiness. For this film is a scathing, devastating indictment of the hollowness and hypocrisy of the way of Bushido, the warrior's code. The colliding characteristics of giri (the duty to Bushido) and ninjo (human feelings, compassion and conscience) are the central themes that Kobayashi has incorporated into his film. If you saw his "The Human Condition" trilogy, the director was highly critical of the Japanese martial condition; whether in the olden samurai traditions or in the modern Japanese army. Kobayashi's thesis expresses that such systems are inhumane and such inhumanity are only hidden behind such noble sounding rules that are hypocritical and meaningless. Of course, it was extremely easy to see which side the filmmaker comes down on. Kobayashi's rebellious themes portrays the samurai code as superficial, that after all the rules and supposed nobility exuded by retainers; he delves into the rotten core of the system that reveals naught but cowardice among certain clansmen.
   
   Kobayashi's direction is flawless; the film depicts its social themes through allegory. He is more an expressionist than a realist. The contrasts of black and white depicted by Tsugumo's black kimono against the white matted platform on which he tells his tale, represents the Iyi clan's intransigence. Kobayashi sets the mood for the film successfully as the lead character unveils his tale, the proceedings are extremely intense and immersive. I have never been so engaged in a film as much as I've been with "Harakiri". Even during that time, Kobayashi exhibits excellent film techniques. He uses the widescreen format with such skill that signifies the endless horizontality of the feudal period. Kobayashi's frames and cuts are examples of more a modern film style that solidly defies the rituals of the past; that expresses his stance that society mustn't be destructive in the face of authoritarian power and that such things, however may seem permanent, is not invincible to the "rivers" of change.
   
   It was no accident that Kobayashi had picked Tatsuya Nakadai as the lead. Kobayashi chose him because during that time, the actor had embodied postwar individualism and youthful culture as an actor of modern Shingeki. Nakadai has a very clear enunciation and a powerful deep speaking voice that expresses all the emotional aspects of his character. With almost an uncanny quality, the actor expresses his soul with his body movement, facial mannerisms on behalf of the outworn notion of samurai dignity. Also worth mentioning is the performance of Rentaro Mikuni as the clan elder, Kageyu Saito. His performance has the outward appearance of an individual so engaged and committed in the system, that while he sees what is happening he is so dedicated that he incapable of doing the right thing. Another very human flaw is shown, indifference and that some individuals are so used to their ways that they would do anything to prolong it.
   
   While Kobayashi's masterpiece is so gripping and truly engaging, the film also has its share of realistic swordplay that contains a lot of violent intensity and visceral attitude, that almost look like a "Ballet" of eventual destruction. The dialogue by Shinobu Hashimoto (Samurai assassin) in the hands of Kobayashi, becomes a meditative, brooding play that creates an intimidating aura that is very menacing and that exudes the strong hand of fate as an inevitable doom. Strong and powerful with its expressions, Tsugumo`s disrespectful treatment of the empty armor was meant to express pure disgust of such pretentious nobility and cowardice in the Iyi clan. This film truly hurts and quite painful in its expressions of social and political ways.
   
   Dark, moody and gripping, Harakiri remains as a perfect example of excellent Japanese filmmaking. It is a very POWERFUL expression of Masaki Kobayashi's beliefs that human feelings and consideration must take precedence to superficial rules and beliefs that merely beautifies the surface. It is a vibrant depiction that Injustice must be confronted with unrelenting force and single-minded purpose that is worth sacrificing one's life for.
   
   HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION! [5+ Stars]



4. I hesitate to add my two cents to this collection of excellent reviews. I have long been a fan both of Japanese cinema and Sword films, as well as a life long student of Zen. Samurai culture has roots in Zen traditions, and the most sophisticated Sword films address this spiritual context. These principles are illustrated profoundly in the famous Samurai Trilogy, by Inagaki Samurai Trilogy Box Set - Criterion Collection. It is said that the soul of a Samuai is his sword. To approach a craftsman and request that he polish your sword is a form of metanoia, the surrender of a student to the guidance of an expert. So, if the sword IS the soul of a Samurai--what does it mean to polish the sword? This is the essence of Zen--the Sword of Discriminative Wisdom. How does one polish the sword of discriminative wisdom, which separates truth from illusion, or right Being from wrong Being?
   
   Of course, mastery of swordsmanship, commitment to tradition, even sitting Zazen, is no guarantee of right understanding. Social status and pride is no certification of right understanding. Neither is adherence to custom and convention. The essence of the film reminds me of the admonition by Paul in his letter to the Corinthians: 'We are all qualified by the Spirit to minister the new covenant, not in the written word, which kills, but in the Spirit, which gives life. If it is possible to describe right understanding in Zen, this comes very close to the target.
   
   Here is a Clan who misunderstood their moral imperative, and must accept a brutal lesson from a man they regard as worthless--but who demonstrates he is more worthy than the lot of them put together. The heart of Buddhist teaching is compassion. Compassion is identical with the recognition of the law of interdependent causation. The pursuit of the Noble Eightfold Path is no slight undertaking. A man who comes to your door requesting to commit suicide on your doorstep deserves special consideration. His situation is dire by definition. Why condemn him out of a rigid adherence to a sense of duty? Why condemn him just to send a message to other would be deadbeats? What would Buddha do? Why not lift the veil for a second and discover what brought him to your doorstep? Thing are not always as they appear. Not always as they seem. "Is that so?", asks the student of Zen with a smile.
   
   This is a compelling, challenging film--a great lesson in moral obligation, in the inviolate supremacy of compassion as a guiding principle in the pursuit of justice, in the false aspects of presentation, and how the truth is often more concealed, and deeper, and more profound than you are capable of imagining.
   
   I cannot recommend this film highly enough. It is comparable to Shakespeare in its depth, scope, and elegance. A true classic.



5. I have both versions. The video is cleaner now and the translation/subtitles make MUCH more sense.
   
   Kudos to the production company for Improving the movie and not just re-releasing the old version!!!!

No comments about Ultimate Fighting Championship Classics, Vol. 9: Motor City Madness.

5 comments about Desert Heat.

1. A MAN SEEKS VENGEANCE AGAINST A GANG THAT STOLE HIS MOTORCYCLE. STRAIGHT UP PREDICTABLE AND UNDENIABLY BORING. VAN DAMME LOOKS SO TERRIBLE IN THAT BEARD, I HOPE HE NEVER DOES A MOVIE WITH HIS BEARD LIKE THAT AGAIN. THE MOVIE IS STUPID, THE PLOT IS SO LAME, AND THE ACTION IS SO BORING. I DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND HOW A DIE- HARD FAN OF VAN DAMME COULD LIKE THIS! THIS IS A MOVIE THAT DOESN'T EVEN DESERVE TO BE IN STORES. THIS DEFINITELY AIN'T WORTH ONE CENT OF ITS PRICE. IF YOU ARE A VAN DAMME FAN, DO NOT WASTE YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY ON THIS MOVIE. A WALK IN THE WOODS IS MORE EXCITING THAN THIS. IF THIS MOVIE REALLY DOES APPEAL TO YOU, THEN YOU OBVIOUSLY DON'T KNOW YOUR ACTION MOVIES TOO WELL.



2. This is a typical Van Damme action film which means you have to park your brain in Nuetral to watch it. Jean Claude plays an ex soldier who is tormented by his dreams and is contemplating suicide in the desert. Then his motorcycle gets stolen and this gives him the perfect opportunity to kick some butt.This movie is redeemed soley by the presence of Gabrielle Fitzpatrick who is a truly beautiful Australian actress. This actress is absolutely GORGEOUS and I hope to see her in many more movies to come!!!



3. I never stop being amused by some audience demands for great (o'k, good) acting from Van Damme. It sounds like entering BurgerKing and asking for a rack of lamb (and being dissapointed that they do not serve it). For me this movie is attractive enough not so much because of VD character and action (though he is surprisingly funny too) but mostly for the surrounding hilarious characters. Just the elderly Japanese gentleman who gleefully giggles packing yet another body (provided by VD's hero) into cellophane and dumping it into a ravine, would have been enough to enjoy the movie but there are others as well, equally hilarious. I believe it would be the best to approach that movie not as a serious action flick, but rather as a black trash comedy - that everything falls into its proper place.



4. I've never been a big Van Damme fan but I have to admit this movie is fun. It's another retelling of Kurasawa's classic Yojimbo much like A Fist Full of Dollars (Clint Eastwood) and Last Man Standing (Bruce Willis), this however, is like the trailer park version. It's a little less classy and has nowhere near the same caliber acting. What it does have is Mr. Miyagi, Danny Trejo and a couple other surprise faces. Van Damme even comes across with a hint of self-depreciating humor (probably unintentional) that sets this flick apart from the rest of his stuff. Nobody takes Van Damme seriously, he should make more movies like this with ensemble cast and maybe his career would turn around.



5. Surprised bought this movie by mistake. Was really good. Im looking for a van damn movie with the same bearded big guy that was with him in blood sport. I remeber girls in bikini's in a empty swimming pull but cant remeber the name of the movie.

5 comments about The Bride With White Hair.

1. The movie is widely considered a classic for Hong Kong action movies. Leslie Cheung is a fantastic actor, and I enjoyed Bridgitte Lin very much in Chungking Express. So, even though I don't normally enjoy action movies and certainly not kung fu movies, I still decided to watch this movie. I was extremely disappointed. The cinematography is boring and poorly done. The plot is juvenile. It is the type of movie that would appeal to teenage boys. I hated the movie. However, I fully understand that many, many people love the movie and that it is one of the most important HK movies ever made.



2. What a great movie. Ive seen it more than once and it got better each time. The way it is shot is pretty old school but the story and acting or top notch! there is not a lot of fighting action but the love felt between the two main characters really keeps things interesting. the ending of the movie is sad but the reason why the swordsman stays on the mountain ledge is very romantic! To me , great story , acting, and old school flair!



3. The Bride With White Hair is a curious beast. Much of the first half of the film feels like you've seen it a hundred times before (a troubled sifu/student relationship, divided loyalties, warring clans and the rise of what would become a united China) and the style often looks like a relatively low-budget film trying to look more expensive than it is rather than the genuinely expensive film it was, with director Ronny Yu shooting much of the film in near darkness with deep blacks, heavy blue filters and smokey backlighting, stylistic devices that aren't to everyone's visual taste. The action scenes are often played out via jerky step-printing (where the film is shot at around 12 frames per second or less but each frame is printed twice or more to create a sense of motion at normal speed that's either heightened or degraded depending on your point of view). While the film was shot on massive sets (genuine exteriors are few and far between), they're neither lit or shot to stress their scale or often to be particularly visually interesting, with much of the early action of the film very deliberately styled after a shadow-puppet play, all profiles and silhouettes. And yet gradually it casts its spell over you and begins to grip as the story becomes more ambitious and intriguing.
   
   On the surface it's a Romeo and Juliet story between Leslie Cheung's heir apparent to a clan dedicated to good but filled with doubt no-one else shares about the severity with which it is enforced and Brigitte Lin's "wolf-girl" (meaning she was raised by wolves rather than turns into one) who has been trained as a supernatural killing machine by an evil pagan cult and who sports a particularly lethal whip that Indiana Jones would kill for - sharper than a meat cleaver and very handy for slicing-and-dicing any number of opponents. Their inevitably doomed romance occupies a moral middle ground that, naturally, neither side will tolerate, with their respective rejected mentors eager to reclaim their undivided loyalty. In many ways the film is a rejection of all the intransigent moral codes of the fantasy swordplay genre, where even the "good" clan and their allies are so blinded by their own self-importance that they have no qualms about killing innocent peasants just to be on the safe side in case they're lying ("Better to kill a hundred innocents than let one guilty escape"). And just to add to the complexity, the film offers a truly unique villain - a pair of male/female Siamese twins, the sister often goading her brother over his inability to understand the woman he loves. The finale is certainly unusually ambitious, and can be seen either as a fantasy battle or as a physical realization of the hero's nervous breakdown: either way, it offers a welcome level of emotional weight to what could easily have been clichéd fare. It's a film that has a lot working against it, but it lingers in the memory long after it's over.



4. The story is good and the screenplay has the right idea, but the low-grade technical aspects are terrible. The considerations one must make for this is too much. The movie on this DVD is primitive stuff! (too bad for South City) If Ronny Yu did it today with access to all the technical devices and support it would be worth the money.



5. An exciting movie about Chinese martial arts and how true love is value. A good movie with plenty sword fights with nice love scene.

5 comments about Kill Bill - Volume 1 [UMD for PSP].

1. This is one of my favorites movies of Tarantino, and see it in the PSP is great



2. Director Quentin Tarantino really blows up minds with this movie. One of the best films made in this time. Tarantino takes us back in time to an almost samurai movie, mixed with today's reality and problems. Uma Thurman's caracter the bride is a "super hero" for women of nowadays. Really great movie, original plot and lot's and lot's of blood and overall ACTION....



3. This film was so bad that after 5 minutes, even the guys in our group were groaning. We all voted to immediately turn it off and watch something else.
   
   A violent version of "Dumb and Dumber and Dumbest (the director)".



4. Kill Bill - Volume 1 (UMD Mini For PSP) was a great movie for the PSP.



5. "Kill Bill" was either a disaster-in-the-making or a one of a kind hit -- a sprawling revenge flick that had to be cut in two and released separately. But director Quentin Tarantino serves up entertainingly mindless gore and twisted thrills in "Kill Bill Volume 1," a salute to homages.
   
   Tragedy strikes the Bride (Uma Thurman) on her wedding day: The Deadly Viper Assassination Squad (DiVAS) attacks and slaughters the guests, the groom, and wounds the very pregnant Bride herself. Her former boss/lover Bill (David Carradine) finishes the bloodbath by shooting the Bride in the head. But despite his efforts, she isn't dead.
   
   A few years later, the Bride wakes to find that she has been in a coma for a few years, and has been being used as a sex toy for rent. After recovering enough to move, the Bride gets a sword sharp enough to "cut God," and goes on a revenge spree against the people who wrecked her life and killed her baby, including Cottonmouth (Vivica A. Fox) and the deadly O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu).
   
   Don't expect cinematic art in "Kill Bill Volume 1." If anything, this is cinematic pop art, a loving tribute to cheesy martial-arts flicks and westerns. Tarantino even inserts a stretch of anime detailing O-Ren's background. It's pure Tarantino, untainted by typical directing methods and immensely entertaining if you switch off your critical faculties, refrain from asking "How the heck could that happen?"
   
   "Kill Bill" isn't for the weak of stomach; over 450 gallons of fake blood are used in both movies. But the blood usage is more "Monty Python" than "Braveheart"; it's so over-the-top that it's silly and sick rather than disturbing. So is the violence -- hacking dozens of people down without getting so much as a scrape is impossible, but it's sure fun to watch.
   
   Tarantino throws out more one-liners than just about any other filmmaker around. The absurd "Trix is for kids" line aside, there are a number of great lines like "Those of you lucky enough to have your lives take them with you. However, leave the limbs you've lost. They belong to me now." The script teems with impossibilities, but they seem plausible enough in this alternate reality that Tarantino has cooked up. Call it Tarantinoland.
   
   Uma Thurman, with her yellow tracksuit and katana, rules the screen as the Bride. Despite the Bride cutting down people by the dozen, it's impossible not to appreciate her. And the best supporting performances come from Liu as the ruthless O-Ren, Carradine in a brief but intense appearance, and the wonderful, underrated Chiaki Kuriyama as evil schoolgirl Go-Go Yubari.
   
   It's silly, it's creepy, it's gaudy, and somehow it's vastly entertaining. Tarantino's special triumph in "Kill Bill Volume 1" is to somehow rope his vast store of movie homages into a gory, action-packed storyline, and one that is, at the very least, hard to forget.

5 comments about Wendy Wu - Homecoming Warrior.

1. For those who laugh with London, the heiress to the Tipton Hotel at Zack and Cody, this DVD will be a surprise. The story reveals another facet of the actress. Cute, not boring at all. I saw it with my nine-year-old girl.



2. It turns out it was sort of not like I had expected. I mean, Wendy never really fought another girl, but a male villian in a girl's body! Still, this movie is quite good.
   
   
   
   This movie's about a popular teen who starts to learn that she's a Yin warrior and must train her martial arts skills to defeat a non-mythical creature, Yan-Lo. Yan-Lo keeps going from body to body, searching for this soon-to-be warrior!
   
   
   
   So, I give this movie 4 stars. It's probably not the best Disney Channel movie, (like "Read it and Weep,") but let's see how you'll like it!



3. Wendy Wu Homecoming Warrior is a positive values entertaining movie for the whole family. My wife, daughter (8) two nephews (14) and I really enjoyed it. Yes the flying on cables and the speeding up of the film speed at times cheesed it up a bit but over all it was still a great movie. It is easy to see that picking two stars for the film who were already taekwondo blackbelts paid off. Brenda Song really did well in this movie and we hope to see her in more future movies. My daughter loves this movie the most. When we first picked it up she did not want to watch it, Once she took a look she wanted to watch it every day for more than a week.



4. I ordered 2 videos one from kjsmedia which I will never order from them again. I have never received my video but my credit card was charged but the other one that I purchased from video warehouse I received in 2 days and the kids are enjoying their video.
   
   Debbie Pruitt



5. Wendy Wu is a pretty good TV Disney movie. The movie is about Wendy Wu, a Chinese American popular high school teenager. Her world changed when a Chinese Monk, Shen, comes to her and tells her she is the reincarnation of a powerful line of Yin female warriors and that she is destined to fight an evil spirit, Yan-Lo. Wendy Wu has to deal with getting a better grade in History, becoming the homecoming queen, reluctant training to be a Yin Warrior and also having Ya-Lo constantly possess people and attack her. All in the day of the average highschooler. Wendy Wu is a fun film for the family, especially the tweens. It is fun, exciting (tons of martial arts) and even has some info about Chinese history and culture. I enjoyed the movie and the younger audience will enjoy it a lot more.

5 comments about Today You Die.

1. While Today You Die is not a horrible maovie, it just isn't an exciting one either. While I praise Seagal for keeping the movies coming, I can't praise the excitement level of his newer films. The age and weight of Seagal I guess is catching up with him, and therefore his level of skill in the martial arts department is diminishing. While he still kicks butt and keeps the bone-breaking alive, there is no skill to it in this movie.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   The story in Today You Die is nothing exciting either. The Seagal character is set up and set to prison. He escapes with the help of an inmate. The two become partners and get revenge for the guys who sent the Seagal character up. There is a twist with one of the chracters in the film, the only interesting part, but nothing that you may not have already seen coming. The lack of story requires more action than this movie provides. While scenes seem to cange often, attempting at keeping pacing strong, it still fails to heighten our most entertaining movie senses.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   The bright spot of the movie is Vegas. If you love Vegas there are plenty of clips of the city, during the day and during the night. Perhaps the only good spot of the movie is after the first 15 minutes of thie film, there is a decent car chase scene through downtown at night. You don't get many movies for a chase through Vegas, and this is pretty much the only reason for buying this dvd.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   This movie turns out to be only good for watching the first time, just to see what happens. Unlike most action movies that I can watch over and over for the action, I can't say that this is even worth it. Check out the chase scene in Vegas and that's all that is worthy.



2. If you've read any of the other reviews for other noted 'Seagalists' on Amazon you will pretty much have my feelings on this film. This has got to be the worst Seagal film I've seen. I thought Out for a Kill and Ticker were his lowest points but this has got to be the king of the dung hill. I'm working my way (slowly, carefully) up to Attack Force and Flight of Fury so those might just take the title from this one, but this is not for anyone who has some sensiblity of what a good movie is.
   
   There are quite a few amusing (and bemusing) things to look out for:
   
   -From the opening credits, you know this one is going to be a stinker. Just listen to the crazy early 90's action guitar riffs and you'll understand. I seriously would not doubt if they recycled the soundtrack from Hard to Kill for this!
   
   -Seagal still in the shadows like Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now for about 80% of the film. Seems to be one of his trademarks now. At least there is none if any dubbing of Seagal's voice in this one. I don't think he takes the trademark arms crossed over belly posture much in this one either which is unusual (see Mercenary for Justice cover).
   
   -The whole plot point that doesn't really surface about Seagal's wife's visions. And about his employer, Max who was 'born with the devil inside me' (I kid you not, he actually uses that line! Seagal's retort is even funnier), having some connection to a little girl in a hospital. Apparently Tibetan mandalas that have no bearing on the scene can appear out of nowhere also for Seagal to interprete. The ending like all Seagal movies nowadays is only slightly above nonsensical. All this leaves you scratching your head.
   
   -The ability for our characters to walk away scot free. Apparently, Seagal can get away with breaking and entering (he is billed on the cover of the movie as a master thief after all), killing a number of police officers (on purpose)and a DEA agent, smashing civilian vehicles and by the end of the movie, walk free without any penalty. His buddy Ice, who for one was in penitentiary for some obvious felonious crime, is able to kill another inmate, start a prision riot, and escape from jail and by the end of the movie, fly to Switzerland, deposit stolen money, and jive walk his way out of the bank!
   
   -The state penetentiary where all inmates are guarded (or rather not guarded) by incompetent and lazy guards. I suppose we are to believe that as an inmate, you are free to wander the corridors of this maximum security facility without any supervision. Its quite laughable.
   
   -Seagal's confrontation scene with Bruno in the jail. Literally mops the room up with his face!
   
   -Seagal's extensive array of jackets and coats. The long brown Matrix inspired pleather coat is particularly handsome on him, hiding most of his belly protrusion. Also, note the hip Roca-wear jeans jacket he sports when he is admitted to prison. Borrowed from Treach most likely.
   
   -Seagal and Treach exchanging dialogue. This has to be the funniest thing the movie. Its so stilted its damn fun to watch. You aren't a Seagal fan until you have heard him attempt to speak jive. Seagal also uses more instances of the F-bomb in this movie that any other I've seen.
   
   -Classic Seagal disarms. Shotguns, handguns, its no problem since all bad guys get close to Seagal even though they can easily shoot him from across the room.
   
   -The stereotypical Tong gang (replete with high pitched Chinese flute music) with a small dis-homage to The Fast and the Furious. There is also a amusing part where Seagal puts a guy's head into a vice.
   
   -Seagal (or stunt double rather) swinging on a chandolier. You'll have to rewind to actually believe this one! Which brings me to the fact that there are more stunt doubles used in this movie that any other of his films in recent memory. Its pretty embarassing.
   
   The whole movie is just hacked. It feels like someone tried to use mostly stock footage to make a Seagal film. The director and cinematographer, Don. 'Little Lord' Fauntelroy was able to make a half descent attempt later with Mercenary for Justice, but this one seems to be his trial run and he didn't care. There are so many basic things for good moviemaking that are ignored that there are too numerous to go into detail about them. If you dare watch this 'film', you'll see what I mean.



3. This is my first direct-to-dvd Steven Seagal film, and it is also my last direct-to-dvd Steven Seagal film. The film is idiotic in nature, with possibly the most horrid acting since Pee Wee's Big Adventure. The plot is mind numbingly unrealistic (not even worth mentioning), in addition to the fact Seagal looks like 30 feet of bad road kill. He's overweight (is it any wonder he wears a bulky coat throughout the movie-hide that gut, Seagal-hide that gut) and over the hill, his hair transplant looks like it was grafted from a mangy dog, and his acting is the pits. Yet, in true Steven Seagal center-of-attention wannabe form, he gets the beautiful girl (who has to be 25 years his junior). Yeah, right.
   
   It's obvious to just about everyone who is paying attention, excluding Seagal, that his days as a top box office draw are long gone. I'd personally like to see him in a Grumpy Old Men type of film, perhaps with Chuck Norris and/or David Carradine. No more of these improbable only 10 years away from senior citizen discounts though I'm still able to conquer the world through brute force type of flicks. Yawn.
   
   Someone needs to tell this clown that he's fat, a disgustingly deficient actor sporting a grotesquely unnecessary mangy mop of a hair transplant, with a fatally career killing severe case of an unwarranted superiority complex. For me, his excessive narcissism comes forth in his performance, or lack thereof. Honestly, I feel sorry for the guy. He definitely needs to grow up. Do yourself a huge favor and skip this one and stick exclusively to the classic Seagal films of the late '80s and early '90s.....



4. This is one of Seagal's better DTV titles. It features some cool action sequences and tons of classic Steven Seagal charm. He and Treach make for a particularly fun pairing and play off each other nicely. Unlike many of Seagal's earlier DTV movies, this one gives him plenty of nice character moments. The tone of the movie is much more fun and in keeping with some of his best movies like Hard to Kill and Out for Justice. If you are a fan of Steven Seagal as a personality, then you will really enjoy this movie. I give a lot of credit to the director Don E. Fauntleroy. He also directed Seagal's very best DTV movie, Urban Justice. He knows how to stage a nice action sequence and use Seagal correctly. I hope they make more movies together in the future!



5. Ironic: About twelve minutes into the film, Steven Seagal asks one of the film's villains "Do I look sleepy?" Not a minute later, his girlfriend asks him "Why are you whispering?"
   Feel free to chuckle.
   
   Seagal's 22nd action feature stars him as a virtuous thief who steals from the rich to give to the poor. Upon the urging of his pseudo-psychic girlfriend (Mari Morrow, "Nikita Blues"), he tries to go clean and takes a truck-driving job from a shady fellow (Kevin Tighe, "Escape To Witch Mountain"), but is double-crossed when it turns out that the job is a heist. Sent to prison, he quickly buddies up with an inmate called Ice Kool (Anthony "Treach" Criss, "Face"), breaks out, and pursues his turncoat-of-a-boss.
   
   As bad as Steven Seagal's DTV outings have been, "Today You Die" is a surprisingly decent bit of action that, at times, reminded me of the fun-yet-brainless 80s-90s action flicks of yesterday.
   Of course, there is no way to turn back the hands of time, and yes: Seagal still looks overweight, there is some dubbing of his voice, and the extended storyline (with its useless tangents and plotholes) and dialogue are silly enough to kill off a few brain cells. But while "Today" doesn't match "Urban Justice", it's better than the likes of "The Foreigner" or "Attack Force" by leaps and bounds for the fact that it chooses to focus on fun rather than pretending to be intelligent.
   
   The best example of this is probably the car chase near the beginning of the film: it's fast-paced, exciting, shot well, and has a few one-liners thrown in for good measure. In addition, the handful of fight scenes and shootouts in the film are satisfactory as well; Seagal vs. bodyguards near the beginning and the gang confrontation close to the end are particularly attention-worthy.
   The supporting cast also works well for once: the afore-mentioned names are alert and add to the plot, as do Sarah Buxton ("Devil's Highway") as Agent Knowles and Nick Mancuso ("Ticket To Heaven") as the hiss-able Agent Saunders.
   
   If able to ignore the use of stock footage from the prison break scene (from Wesley Snipes' "Undisputed"), Seagal fans should find "Today You Die" a thoroughly enjoyable bit of violent fluff. Essentially, if you tolerated films like "Into The Sun" and "Mercenary For Justice", liking this movie won't be too difficult.

5 comments about Shaolin Wu Tang (Chk Sen).

1. 2 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS GO AT IT. WUTANG VS. SHAOLIN, TRAINING IS HOT. SWORD FIGHTING IS SUPERB. AND GORDAN LIU DESERVES THE BEST KUNG FU ACTION STAR, BESIDES THE VENOMS. PICK THIS UP KID! WUTANG CLAN AINT NUTTIN TO !@#% WIT. SEE YA FR. KUNG FU COLLECT.



2. Great movie ! I absolutely enjoyed the martial arts, especially by Gordon Liu and Adam Cheng. The different styles were cool to watch of Gordon's Shaolin and Adam's Wu-Tang. The ending fight scence is very cool, but I wish there was more! I wanted to see an all-out battle, but I guess you can't always get what you want. And the final ending was, "what?".. Oh well!
   The basic plot is that the local Ching overlord wants to learn both the Wu-Tang and Shaolin fighting styles. Both Masters veto him, and thus he hatches a plot with his servant to pit the Wu Tang against the Shaolin.
   As has already been mentioned, the translation of the dialogue is horrendous! The english dubbing does not match up with the english text at the bottom of the movie. I was laughing at the various translations, that at times were so far off. Come on guys, get it right at least!
   I was also disappointed about the lack of extras on the DVD. Throw on at least a couple of trailers or something.
   5+ for the movie, 3 for the translating and extras !



3. Now I finally know where all those old-school quotes from the first Wu-Tang Clan album came from, a film that was written/amalgamated from elements of other, superior Gordon Liu flicks. There are some inevitable comparisons with "Instructors of Death" and "The 36th Chamber of Shaolin". This one has lots of well-choreographed fights. The opening credits are amazing. Unfortunately, the rest of the film fails to outdo said credits. That's a bummer, and in my opinion, should never happen.
   
   Gordon Liu directed and plays a Shaolin student who is good friends with Adam Cheng, a Wu-Tang student. Their masters are kind of snooty with one another, and talk about sparring, but never do it. Some obligatory Manchu jerk (Johnny Wang) wants to learn the secrets of their styles, but the respective masters will not reveal them. Angry, Mr. Wang poisons the Wu-Tang leader to blackmail him into giving him their manual. When it doesn't work, Adam Cheng takes the fall for the master's death and goes to prison with a bunch of psychotic ladies who always bogart his share of the rice. Gordon and his sister break him out. Soon after, his sister is killed by the Manchus as the dudes from Wu-Tang are taking away Adam Cheng to punish him for the death of the master. There are no Manchus at the death scene and Gordo assumes it was Wu-Tang who killed his sister. Then Johnny Wang orders that the two schools have a competition in the hopes of further dividing them and learning their techniques.
   
   This version from Xenon says "Digitally Remastered" but I'm a little skeptical. Perhaps they lack the equipment that Celestial has. The picture quality is not bad and more than watchable, but some of the night shots will have you squinting to see the action. The movie is still pretty good and I would have to recommend it to old-schoolers. Just because the story is silly and the fights never get better than the opening sequence doesn't mean the rest of the film ain't worth watching. English dubbed only and full-screen.
   
   1981



4. This is where the Wu-Tang Clan got most of their sound clips from, but mostly this is a great movie!!! IT IS A MUST-HAVE!!!



5. If you like movies like "8 Diagram Pole Fighter" and "36 Chambers" you are probably going to like this film. It is the story of two friends who fight using different Kung Fu techniques--one Shaolin, the other Wu-Tang Sword. I'll admit, I mainly wanted to know something about Wu-Tang because I like the rap group, and if that is why you're reading this, go for it. The movie is easily 88 minutes of fun, but don't expect the Gordon Liu of those other films. He's good (when isn't he) but the story lacks some of dynamics of those other films. To be clear, I enjoy it, but it's not my favorite.

5 comments about Fire Down Below.

1. This movie was Steven's last really good flick. It really isn't his best , but after "On Deadly Ground" it sure is better , and much better than his later movies. How many EPA workers carry guns , break bones , know kung-fu , and play guitar, I don't know but in this movie a least one does. It's the same thing as in all his other movies but at least he is still fit here.



2. Wow, the left will have a hard time with this one. The rednecks in the mountains are led by Steven Seagal to fight back against a big moneybags dude that is dumping toxic chemicals in the mountains. Yeah peoples a good movie with a great chase scene involving a Mack truck! Well Seagal cannot act but he can kick some booty when necessary. Marg Helgenberger or however you spell her name, well she is hot, oh so hot and she is great in this! Then there are like 20 cameo appearances from a bunch of Country singers, I recognized Randy Travis and Kris Kristofferson but I could not place the fella playing the guitar on stage. Maybe it is Marty Stuart I don't recall and it does not really matter. Lots of action but really this story is just so much better than most of the junk action stuff Seagal did in the years following this movie. Whatever, he is over the hill now but hey there peoples, for nine dollars it is not a bad DVD to have. Yeeeeee haaaaaawww!



3. 1997's "Fire Down Below" stars Steven Seagal as an E.P.A. agent who goes undercover in SE Kentucky to investigate the evil deeds of corporate mogul Kris Kristofferson & his minions, which includes dumping toxic waste in abandoned mines and murder. Seagal masquerades as a do-gooder helping people with his carpentry skills and living at a local church, but Kristofferson's gang are on to him and try to chase him away.
   
   The plot kinda reminds me of Clint Eastwood's 1985 "Pale Rider" (which borrowed heavily from "Shane"). A lone stranger comes into town and befriends the common folks, saving them from the evil tycoon and his motley crew. The difference is that "Fire Down Below" is an Eastern rather than a Western, and it takes place in modern times. Seagal may not have the supernatural overtones of Clint in "Pale Rider" but his heroics are so fantastical that he comes off a bit supernatural just the same.
   
   Seagal, of course, is a highly likable protagonist. He's ultra-confident, cool and soft-spoken at all times; and he knows how to kick some serious arse. Numerous times throughout the film he takes on multiple attackers and wins without even breaking a sweat. Unbelievable? Yes, but Seagal makes it believable. He is, after all, 6'4", dressed in cool black threads and a master of all kinds of martial arts.
   
   Some say Seagal's a bad actor, but this isn't true. If someone is giving a bad acting performance you can tell because there's an awkward air to their delivery and you don't buy them in the role. This is not the case with Steven. Never for a second does the viewer question Seagal as the protagonist. It may be the only character Seagal can play, but he does it well.
   
   Plus Seagal has numerous great one-liners throughout the film. For instance, late in the film he confronts his E.P.A. colleague who has sold out to Kristofferson and says, "You're a piece of s*** and I'm ashamed of you." The line is perfect and perfectly delivered, not to mention so true-to-life. Hasn't anyone ever betrayed you, abused you or disappointed you to the point where you finally give up with the realization that they're just a shameless and shameful piece of s***?
   
   One of the best highlights for me is the gorgeous Appalachian locations and cinematography. The picture was filmed on location in SE Kentucky -- Hazzard, Mt. Vernon and points between, to be exact. I feel Appalachia is largely under-utilized in filmmaking and greatly enjoy it when films take advantage of this magnificent area of the USA.
   
   Seagal's romantic interest in the film is played by Marge Halgenberger, who became popular a few years after this film starring in TV's "CSI." She's very believable as the local infamous woman who has a strange relationship with her brother, played by Stephen Lang.
   
   Another highlight is the blues/country music heard throughout the picture. It turns out that Seagal wrote or co-wrote many of the songs featured and even performs one on camera. I never even knew he was a musician! How about that?! There's even a country-ish Jimi Hendrix song. Plus a couple Country stars make cameos, like Marty Stuart and Travis Tritt.
   
   FINAl ANALYSIS: "Fire Down Below" falters a bit in the final act but, other than that, I love this film. It has everything you'd expect in a film that takes place in hillbilly country -- good family folks, rednecks, poverty, coal mines, brawls, alcohol, pot farms, backcountry churches, incest and country music. The best feature for me is the genuine Appalachian locations and photography. Add likable Steven Seagal to the mix and you have a winner!
   
   As another reviewer has stated, Seagal has a totally winning personality -- a hero with a heart of purest gold. He's certainly someone worth emulating in my book. In fact, in this film he represents all (or most) of the qualities of authentic manhood missing in our current society that celebrates effeminized and weak men (another good example would be Clint Walker in "Night of the Grizzly," which has unfortunately only been released on VHS).
   
   Lastly, I should warn action fans that this is hardly an action film. Yes, there are action pieces interspersed throughout, but they flash by with a blink of an eye. For the most part, "Fire Down Below" is a drama wherein the story plays out fairly leisurely. If you don't like movies of this ilk, stay away.
   
   Although "Under Seige" is technically a better film and arguably Seagal's all-time best picture, I personally favor "Fire Down Below" for the reasons cited above. In other words, I'll likely be rewatching this one more often in coming years.



4. After the weak entry in "The Glimmer Man" Stevie decided to redeem himself by somewhat recreating "On Deadly Ground" Unlike that movie, Segal plays Jack Taggart, an agent of the Environmental Protection Agency; and like "On Deadly Ground" Segal has a thing for protecting people from rich industrialist, that only have one thing in mind...to make more money. Taggart arrives in a small town in Kentucky, he posses as a carpenter, interested only in fixing peoples porches and houses. But as we all know Segal is undercover and is ready for some action. In this small town in eastern Kentucky, Someone is dumping toxic waste down the mountains...now that's a big no-no. Taggart begins to question people of the town, if they know of anyone that is involved with the dumping; no one of course can help because they are being watched, and even if they could they're too chicken....So you know what that means..That's right, Seagal is goanna have to save the day from cowards that cant stand up for themselves.
   
   The plot of this movie is very similar to that of High Plains Drifter & Pale Rider, only modernized. We have the same mysterious character arriving into town, don't know much about him, and is interested in protecting the innocent. This movie, even though unoriginal in some areas, manages to be a solid action flick. One of the things I disliked in this movie was the doubles for Seagal; this is the movie where we see the birth of Seagal's doubles. Many action scenes involving...Simply running they add a double replacing Seagal...WTF? but that's nothing compared to the doubles Segal would later have in his DTV releases. Anyhow this is worth owning if you're a Seagal fan, I recommend buying the special 4 film favorite edition from Warner Bros; it includes 4 of Segal's Best movies, It comes out cheaper that way.
   
   
   MY PERSONAL RATING: 3 ½ OUT OF 5



5. By the time "Fire Down Below" rolled around, it was all too clear that things had taken a turn for the worse with ol' Steven Seagal: gone were the days when his antics were considered blockbuster material, and the only awards his films had a chance of winning were the dishonorable Raspberries that regularly highlighted him as a bad actor who was simply getting too old to kick butt anymore. Indeed, our favorite wrist-snapping aikido master was in the doldrums - stuck between his best work and his short-lived comeback, and just barely making back the budgets of his then-current offerings.
   Still..."Fire Down Below" ain't all bad...
   
   "Fire Down Below", for all non-canon purposes, is a follow-up to "On Deadly Ground": Seagal is Jack Taggart, an EPA agent dispatched to ascertain what's causing the toxic epidemic that's swept a small Kentucky town owned by a wealthy millionaire (Kris Kristofferson, "Blade") and operated/oppressed by his son (Brad Hunt, "Cookers") and the local posse. After fending off several attacks by the proprietors' goons and getting affectionately involved with the town's beautiful outcast (Marg Helgenberger, "CSI"), Taggart realizes that the sicknesses arising around the town are not the result of some environmental accident, but of something purposely ruthless and dangerous...
   
   Actually, the film is more akin to "The Patriot", for it lacks "Deadly Ground"'s level of action: "Down Below" contains approximately one hand-to-hand brawl, one car chase involving a big rig, and one big shoot-out; the rest are all one-hit knockout encounters. Admittedly, the rig chase is done very well and the brawl (a six-on-one affair) features Seagal wielding a wooden staff with surprising skill, but the amount of remaining film that is given up as thriller-material is likely a bit too lengthy for most of his fans' tastes. Then again, Seagal has very little reason to fight, for the film has probably the easiest-to-defeat villains that Steven has ever crossed paths with: never once do you get the impression that he's in legitimate trouble, because apparently the multi-millionaire baddie can't afford to hire anyone other than clueless yokels to do his dirty work for him.
   
   Surprisingly enough, when it comes to acting, this is one of Seagal's better outings. No, he's not exploring different characters or broadening his range of emotions, but for once, his persona is actually pretty likable: his relationship with the townspeople and especially with the misjudged young woman allows him to show a soft side that he isn't usually quick to expose. While the latter relationship does seem a tiny bit forced, he does give the overall impression of being a gentle giant who really does care about those his job entitles him to interact with, and for once, his actions are fueled by generosity and personal duty rather than vengeance.
   Oh, and in case you haven't guessed, the film does have a pretty strong environmental message. Decide for yourself whether or not this is something you want to see in an action flick.
   
   The supporting cast generally pulls its weight well, and the editing (with the exception of the tired-looking opening montage) is solid, so the question to the view is whether one is willing to trade the rough & tumble Seagal for a friendly Seagal: a Seagal who would rather strum a guitar than shoot somebody in the face (which he eventually does, though), or use a hammer to fix peoples' homes rather than crack peoples' skulls. For myself, the transition was actually pretty smooth and easy to accept...but regardless of whether or not you enjoy the film, chances are that you'll be ready to pop in a more characteristic bloodbath of his by the time John Prine starts crooning.

5 comments about Elektra - The Director's Cut (Two-Disc Collector's Edition).

1. Ok, although I worked in a movie store, and I am usually a good judge of films (thus no need to review movies less than 3 stars, generally)...I bought it for the cover and a few previews.
   
   I thought that this movie would be an intense, butt kicking, action packed film with a hot chic superhero cutting her way through obstacles. This movie has not left as strong of an impression in my mind, as most films do. I only vaguely recall the plot and some rather boring scenes.
   
   Don't get me wrong, the actress is hot, and she does a little butt kicking, but if you want action I'd recommend movies with Milla Jovovich, such as Ultraviolet (Unrated, Extended Cut), Resident Evil - The High-Definition Trilogy (Resident Evil/ Resident Evil: Apocalypse/ Resident Evil: Extinction) [Blu-ray], etc., or Kate Beckinsale; Underworld (Unrated) [Blu-ray], Underworld - Evolution (Widescreen Special Edition), and obscure flicks such as Bloodrayne (Unrated Director's Cut)(DVD ROM game is included).
   
   Elektra was not very electrifying. I give it a "watch it once" rating, but I was not very impressed with the movie.



2. Ah yes, super heroes, those eccentric, maladjusted, social pariahs, forever troubled by their pasts. Ben Affleck was effectively blind and dysfunctional as Daredevil; Christian Bale much less appealing (in my humble opine) as a wimpy Batman. But when it comes to a super hero who can simultaneously kick arse and hold a guilt-ridden pity party, no one can hold a candle to sleek bombshell Jennifer Garner; not only that, she wears a red outfit that makes Viagra a mere breath mint, and she moves and grooves in ways that make ELEKTRA serve its very own call of the wild.
   
   The plot is campy and goofy, but name me a super hero plot that isn't. Garner's Elektra is a professional assasin (what a way to go), only she's taken a gig she can't complete; meanwhile, she's pitted against some supernatural ninja-types (talk to the Hand) who share a commonality with her high-drama past. She fights, she pouts, she swims to relieve her guilt, then--like all action heroes--she comes back from near-death to become an invincible villain mauler.
   
   Garner makes this film so much fun to watch; she's beautiful, graceful, exotic, and deadly, and I want to take my next vacation in her dimple. Heck, in that outfit she could just stand in front of a camera and read the phone book; I would not be entertained any less. Jennifer, sweetheart, you are my alltime favorite super hero as ELEKTRA. And you've got the costume to prove it.
   --D. Mikels, Author, Walk-On



3. I have to say that I am not familiar with any Daredevil or Elektra comics, games or had had any other contact with the characters apart from the two movies so I cannot compare the characters to other sources, nor can I take part in discussing the technicalities and the specifics like other reviewers have. Therefore, coming from someone that did not "know" Elektra prior to the film I have to say that the movie was pretty good.
   Jennifer Garner (who is ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!!!) and the rest of the cast carry out their performances very well, allowing for an entertaining movie. On the negative side, there were several parts that were too predictable/obvious taking away from the overall enjoyment of the movie.
   In short, the plot, the setting, the special effects, and the music are all good.
   Overall, though not a masterpiece, it is definitely a movie worth watching, as it will provide for an evening's entertainment! 3.5 Stars



4. I like Garner and think she's an appealing actress, and I liked her in Daredevil, but in this movie the action scenes are so weak and unbelievable. She is supposed to be a great fighter, but we hardly see anything, it's just implied that she is able to get past an army of ninjas or armed thugs. Then the battles with the superpowered guys are even more absurd, because any one of them could end the fight in a second. The story?.. not much there, there's a young girl who is supposed to be a good fighter so she protects her, and something about her learning from a blind teacher. Not as bad as Catwoman though.



5. The beautiful Jennifer Garner is back as Elektra! After being reborn from DareDevil, Elektra assassinates the bad guys. During Christmas time, Elektra moves to a cottage and meets Mark Miller and his 13-year old girl, Abby. She find out that her next mission is to assassinate them both. After having Christmas dinner, she doesn't want to and all three of them are being hunted down by an organization known as The Hand. There are a lot of special effects and action sequences. If you love action, and sexy Jennifer Garner, you'll love ELEKTRA!!!