Reader JamesFromMelbourne wanted to share his experiences with the movie, “The Warrior’s Way”. Directed by Sngmoo Lee and written by Sngmoo Lee and (an uncredited) Scott Reynolds. The film stars Dong-gun Jang, Kate Bosworth, Geoffrey Rush, Danny Huston and Tony Cox. JamesFromMelbourne Writes:
A long time ago a comic book was made called Lone Wolf and Cub (the baby carriage series), now the theme of this film is contrast and change. A samurai who kills is now given the job of protector of life, a struggle of balance ensues with his soul at the centre. It was also an important comic because it was reflective of the changes in men’s roles at that time. No longer were they the estranged parent, but one that took an active role in the child’s life and from a lot of these images I am sure the movie “The Warrior’s Way” is based.
Ironically this film has vast contrasts, some of the scenes are brilliant, especially the Kurasawa style scenes. I don’t often say this, but some moments are genius (the “crows”, as I call them, are fantastic). It’s a bit bloody, but I think it should be and the characters are very stylised but that’s okay too, ’cause I think they were going for a comic book look.
However, when you put it against some of the other monumentally shit moments… yes absorb that for a second, because I really mean it, shit moments, the film suffers. For example, warpaint (hang on I will get to Bosworth in a minute, there’s plenty of shit moments to go around) should never be applied the same way a clown would do it, unless you want to cram 100 of them into a small tank and hopefully get your enemy to die laughing. The way the film goes from “serious” Japanese to almost slapstick comedy… I mean some things just don’t merge, fish and chocolate, Geoffrey Rush in red chaps and ninjas… see what I mean?
And this would be the time to mention Kate Bosworth…(takes a breath) okay.
One of the important things to do with a revenge based character is to show the character change from socially adjusted to emotionally destroyed. The viewer will then invest and join in on the hate, but that’s not what Bosworth does, oh no, she goes from a child whom the viewer has no vested interest in, and becomes Calamity Jane and I don’t mean that absolutely brilliant and complex role played in “Deadwood” nope, I’m talking Doris Day. Now I love “Calamity Jane” (1953) with Doris Day, it’s a great film, I grew up with it and it’s really feel good family fun, but Calamity Jane doesn’t decide in reel three to carve someones head off does she? No, cause that’s as jarring as being hit in the head with a brick at a fairy floss factory.
So after all that… It’s a fail, and I don’t want to do it, which is really annoying, cause I could watch some scenes over and over again, but I wont. dammit!
– JamesFromMelbourne
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