grodscorp@grods.com
Film rating: 0.5/5
Walkouts: 2/5
Pretentious clapping at credits: 0/5
BPM sighting: No
A gentle samurai on a mission to take revenge on his father’s death. To kill or not to kill — that is the question.
Hirokazu Kore-eda’s most recent release — and his first period film — is a decidedly unconventional samurai film. It follows an inept warrior, unable to avenge his father’s killing, but soon awakened to his actual calling in life.
Kore-eda admits this film is his response to the climate of revenge overwhelming the world since the September 11 attacks. “Vivacious and strewn with humour, Hana speaks the language of today and conveys a message of hope and serenity that crosses the boundaries of its temporal setting.”– Toronto Film Festival
I’m not the walking out of films kind of guy. In fact, I’ve only ever walked out of one before (Last Days — shit served in shit sauce). But last night I came close to walking out of film number two. Hana was a Japanese mass-market slapstick-samauri film, trying to be serious, with a soundtrack straight from a 1970s BBC production of Robin Hood. Realistic editing could’ve reduce its bloated 127 minute duration to around the 80 minute mark. Bloody hell, it was drawn out.
And even if it was 80 minutes it would still be hard viewing. Trite, predictable and unoriginal. Viewers’ laughter was incredibly forced and I’m sure it occurred only to keep them awake. Just because it’s got subtitles doesn’t mean it’s good.
Dog.
