Nonureva Really Surprised!

2freensel I saw this movie before reading any reviews, and I thought it was very funny. I was very surprised to see the overwhelmingly negative reviews this film received from critics.

Sarita Rafferty There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

Phillipa Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

herbprof-739-348592 I do not have the language of a movie critic, just that of someone who appreciates the art. I have seen a lot of martial arts movies and I rate this one highly, not that it was real slick, but because of its simplicity and a nice feeling of time and place. I enjoyed the fight scenes because I have not seen many hard style films. So this was a treat to see actors who are Masters keep the fight scenes (with few exceptions), dynamic and strong. This movie captured my mind many times and gave me the immediacy of, "how would I react in similar situations?" And if I was up against a well trained fighter of this style, how would I do? Like many of the reviewers, I was also at first confused by the final words of the master. As the movie progressed my interpretation was to fight with no mind, "mushin no shin," fully aware, not fixed, no plan, no target, no thought, no emotion. With just the body and deep consciousness in-charge, ready to express the art spontaneously as the fight presented itself. If you are truly in the no mind state you are not striking, "it" is doing the striking (I have had that experience but not as much as I would like). I did not see this in the final fight. But I would think that even the best martial artists would have a difficult time with that expression of the art as an actor, far too dangerous.

Elias T. If you like a decent story line with realistic fight scenes like in Twilight Samurai, The Hidden Blade and Love and Honour you might like this movie as well. But if you like lots of wire work and long fighting scenes with lots of unrealistic moves then watch your typical mainstream HK movies such as Legend of the Fist, Once Upon a Time in China and Iron Monkey.Simple. Just because it's a martial arts films doesn't mean we have to throw them all into one category. They are completely different types of movies. It all depends what you prefer or what you're in the mood of. Personally, I wish they made more movies like this.

SenseiTrish As a Goju Ryu Instructor and a professional actress I have a unique perspective with which to review this film. I LOVED it! Some of the acting (military police) hints at Gay 90's Melodrama. However, the simple and honest portrayal of Goju Ryu Karate is thrilling to see. The three main characters are portrayed so very well. It's hard to believe that the players are martial artists and NOT actors. I, too, stumbled over the symbolism of the red balloon. After some thought, it seemed to me to be a metaphor for setting one's spirit free. Kenta first spies a red balloon flying free as he is heading to rescue his sister. While Giryu loosens a red balloon from the tree in which it is entangled, symbolizing his working out the issue he has with the restrictions placed upon him by his O Sensei and how he can be correct in the world and in his karate. It's a bit 'schtick-y', but I can deal with it as it is in line with the genre. The fighting is very realistic. It's not flashy. There are no leaping, spinning, summer-saulting back kicks. There are no nun chuckku. Don't expect to see and computer generated graphics. This movie is about pure Karate and what it means to train for your whole life. Why do we train? To fight? No, to be our best. If we must fight, we must; but it is not why we train. It is one moment of 'supreme bliss'.

kobushi Not sure what the other guy is talking about, but the movie is awful, and I speak from the perspective of one who has almost 10 years experience in the art presented in this movie.Plot (minor spoiler alert): The chasing of a piece of cloth has so little to do with karate that it's silly to even make a movie where this is one of the central plot items. The two characters, Taikan and Giryu compete for their teacher's black belt, which is one of the silliest things that karate people work for. Karate training, actual hard work, body development, and realistic self-defense take a back seat to the competition for something to keep your uniform closed.Acting: For some reason, people seem to think that posing and sulking is acting. It's not. Yes, I suppose the two main characters' acting is better than, say, that of the Military Police in the film or what you see in previous karate movies like Black Belt Jones, but I wouldn't be proud of it. At the best of times it's wooden, and at the worst formulaic. Granted, the script didn't give them much room for much acting, but it didn't sell me. The military police were absolutely terrible - they might as well have walked on and said nothing but "I'm eeeevil, mwahahaha..." Not even a wooden performance, a melodramatic cartoon that would have been better acted by Muppets. (Actually, that might have made the movie more watchable.) This may be what people are calling the Asian style, but so many other Japanese films over the years manage much greater subtlety of character and motivation, and can convey wrongness of character without resorting to overstatements. It's like saying fried Mars Bars are cultural cuisine - they're not, and there are many better things you can do with the ingredients.Direction: Much more emphasis on poetic scenes of people doing karate in tall grass or meditating in windy areas or looking tense and conflicted. The scenes are beautifully and clearly directed, which is the only reason that this gets two stars rather than one. However, the red balloon scene after the beating of Giryu is unrelated to anything and doesn't actually have anything to do with the plot, showing that the director is just trying to play up the "beautiful poetry of Asian cinema" aspect of the film rather than actually trying to make a good movie. More like "Look! Look! This is pretty! Ooh, this too! Look! Imagery..." Basically worthless to the story, but then, they couldn't make a decent movie, so they might as well make it look nice.Fight scenes: JKA Point Kumite is not a fight scene, and techniques from said kumite do not make for good fight scenes. I've never seen anyone in any real fight ever jump in, punch, and jump out again. Not going to happen. Likewise, the "block only" circular patterns that are supposed to cover the Goju-ryu part of the movie does not make for interesting fighting, or any sort of powerful set of techniques that we can believe. Finally, the lack of grappling, tegumi, locks, and throws show just how bad karate is being misrepresented in the film. It's simply a bad sport karate demonstration with no relation to the real art.Overall, this movie is not worthy of the title of karate movie, and I feel should be struck from the record.