Siflutter It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

Micah Lloyd Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.

Yash Wade Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

Marva-nova Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

Martin Bradley Sydney Pollack produced and directed this very classy and somewhat unusual gangster picture set in Japan. Robert Mitchum is the hard-boiled American who goes to Japan to help secure the release of the kidnapped daughter of friend Brian Keith. For most of its length it's a slow moving, intense movie beautifully shot in widescreen by Okazaki Kozo and with a cracking script by Paul Schrader and Robert Towne from a story by Leonard Schrader. It isn't as well known as some of Pollack's other pictures and isn't much seen now which is a pity as this is the kind of gripping and intelligent thriller we would welcome in our multiplexes these days.

Murtaza Ali Here is a terribly underrated "Yakuza" classic starring the great Robert Mitchum in one of his most iconic screen appearances. In the movie, Mitchum plays a WW - II veteran, Harry Kilmer, who reluctantly returns to Japan after a gap of over two decades in order to retrieve an old friend's daughter abducted by a Yakuza outfit.Mitchum plays Kilmer with his characteristic on screen charisma. Here is a tough, no nonsense, chivalrous man who wouldn't think twice before sticking his neck out for a friend. But, there is an element of tenderness and vulnerability to him which Mitchum brilliantly succeeds in evoking. To his credit, Mitchum makes Kilmer look more human than a caricature like this one has ever looked on the celluloid. He adds finesse even to the all-hell-breaks-loose action sequences. Ken Takakura plays the part of Ken Tanaka (described as a man who never smiles) with scalpel-like precision and complements Mitchum really well. In fact, the chemistry between the two great actors is the movie's real highlight. Sidney Pollack's direction is absolutely topnotch; Pollack succeeds in bringing an element of realism to a Yakuza tale. Overall, The Yakuza is a magnificent work of cinematic art that certainly deserves more attention than what it has received over the last four decades or so. The movie features one of Mitchum's all- time great performances. It's also one of the best films directed by the legendary Sydney Pollack. Watch it now, if you haven't already!

arminhage There are some serious problems with the movie from the screenplay to production. Let's start from the screenplay.It starts slow plain boring. There is a flat opening scene which a Yakuza member offers his service to the mob boss in Japan, follows with an exceptionally long opening credits and then again one flat scene leads to another. Nothing really happens till almost half of the movie and by that time I bet half of the audience decide not to waste more time. When the action begins again there is another surprising fact to the downside. It was not supposed to be a Kill Bill type of movie in which a good swordsman kills an army without getting a scratch and apparently that's what happening. I really didn't expect the movie to get as unrealistic as it got but what really bothered me was that the hero of the movie was aging Robert Mitchum (Kilmer), at 57 years old he was already in bad shape, seeing him I could easily dream of heart attack! How come this 57 years old, 75 looking heart attack dreamcatcher manages to shoot and kill everyone like John Wayne in his 30s? Also the Yakuza looks like an army of brainless zombies... Makes sense, they better be if the hero is that old fart otherwise the movie would look even worse than what it already was. Kilmer and Tanaka managed to kill the zombie Yakuza army easily, kilmer attacked with guns representing USA and Tanaka with samurai sword representing Japan and by the way, apparently Japan has no police. People are being killed by white Americans in public places and yet they walk free no one looking for them, isn't that awesome?Anf finally the post climax... Post climax should short and sweet, showing how the characters are doing after the end of action but apparently the post climax on this movie was a episode of it's own! almost 25 boring minutes!!!This movie could be descent if not awesome with a faster and shorter screenplay and of course better cast selection but for what it is, it belongs to the hall of fame of worse movies ever!

Armand it is that kind of movie who seduces step by step. for admirable acting, for music, for high care for story build. and that fact does to not be part from a precise genre. because the fight scenes are only support for a profound story about love, honor, duty. and because it is not exactly a film about a criminal organization but a form of homage to Japan. the essence of it - the precise delicacy to present a different universe out of clichés temptation. it is more than a beautiful movie - it is one of rare shows who remands basic values in a wise style. sure, not surprise - a great director as Sydney Pollak is a sort of guarantee for viewer - but The Yakuza is special for the use of emotions. the recipes is old and classic for the crime movies but it is a real gift to present in honest and convincing manner the roots of events in a mixture of poetic manner and cold exposure. and the option for Ken Takakura, James Shigeta or Robert Mitchum is the key for understand , level by level, the seduction source of this admirable movie.