There's a seductive quality to the opening of "The Yakuza", between the score and the stylized credit sequence, that just draws you in. I get lost in its attractiveness. It's kinda like "Chinatown" in that regard, but I was surprised at just how nice this movie is to look at. They captured Japan's outdoor beauty, the sets are striking (really dig Herb Edelman's open floorplan house), and the Kyoto Convention Center is amazing.
But the film's real power lies in its well-written story, which drags grizzled Robert Mitchum back to Japan only to be mixed up in the workings of the Japanese mob. It's here that we get a crash course on the discipline, sacrifice and honor (twisted though it may be for some of these people) that make up this culture; and just how one's life can be made or broken over the importance of a debt to another person. "The Yakuza" isn't without its shootouts, but they culminate in a truly fine swordfight - one that sees one man stare down many.
The movie's final moments with Mitchum and Takakura is a moving piece of cinema, and one hell of an ending. There's a profound sadness once we hit the end credits, but it's a story very well told.
Side note: if you're a comics reader, this pairs remarkably well with the Claremont/Miller run on Wolverine.
10/10
But the film's real power lies in its well-written story, which drags grizzled Robert Mitchum back to Japan only to be mixed up in the workings of the Japanese mob. It's here that we get a crash course on the discipline, sacrifice and honor (twisted though it may be for some of these people) that make up this culture; and just how one's life can be made or broken over the importance of a debt to another person. "The Yakuza" isn't without its shootouts, but they culminate in a truly fine swordfight - one that sees one man stare down many.
The movie's final moments with Mitchum and Takakura is a moving piece of cinema, and one hell of an ending. There's a profound sadness once we hit the end credits, but it's a story very well told.
Side note: if you're a comics reader, this pairs remarkably well with the Claremont/Miller run on Wolverine.
10/10