It turns out my hotel was right. When I was a working
man a few years back I had to go to Sao Paulo a few times on projects. When
I checked in the first time the receptionist said as a matter of hotel policy
we have to advise you not to go out at night and never go anywhere unless
you are in a taxi. Sao Paulo is a dangerous place to go especially if the
Yakuza is trying to kill you. I am not sure if this was really filmed in
Sao Paulo but they make the place look like death is around every corner.
Now I should mention that safety in Sao Paolo has improved dramatically -
I don't want to give it a bad name - now Rio is considered the murder capital
of the world - and as it was I was mugged or pickpocketed there three
times and that was when it was considered safer. Ok, none of this has anything
to do with the film but it helped set the mood for me. Sao Paulo is not a
place to be walking alone at night even with a katana at your side.
This seems to be a much hated film - 4.5 on IMDB, 38% on Rotten Tomatoes
and 34% on Metacritic. That is less popular than a stripper at a church bazaar.
Maybe I am just watching too many low budget films or I am just a nice person
but this was fine by my standards. Which admittedly are not high. Sure there
are a few drawbacks - silly mystical Yakuza dialogue at times and a ridiculous
plot right out of a graphic novel. Which in fact it was. But the cinematography
is good as it wanders down dark streets and into frenetic clubs, some sleek
style, most of the acting is fine, locations are cool and though the plot
seems foolish - again graphic novel - how much more ridiculous is it then
most of the action films these days. It creates this secluded insular world
where carrying around a katana raises no eyebrows and leaving sliced bloody
bodies all over the city is no big deal. The main issue for me is the
lead actress, Masuni, a professional singer with next to no acting experience.
I am not sure how she got this gig but she wasn't ready for it. Blank faced
through-out no matter the situation.
Twenty or so years in the past a Yakuza family was wiped out with only the
baby girl getting out alive. In the present Akeemi is living in Brazil and
is a waitress who practices kendo with her teacher. She knows nothing about
her past other than her grandfather brought her here and brought her up.
The grandfather was killed in a mugging recently and she is still in mourning.
Nothing is of course what she thinks - she is the last descendent of a once
powerful Yakuza family and the gang that killed her family has learned where
she lives and is coming to finish the job. I have to sort of ask why they
would bother. She is a damned waitress. Do they think she will come for them?
Well ya. She does. But the ending made clear that there will be a sequel
- Akeemi and Katana go to Japan. Considering the reception and box office
of this one that may be in doubt. I would look forward to her killing more
Yakuza slime. In the film is also Jonathan Rhys Meyers as a hitman who has
lost his memory and keeps taking a beating but keeps on ticking and Tsuyoshi
Ihara as Takeshi, a Yakuza whose loyalties are a mystery. Both are excellent.
Dialogue is a mix of Portuguese, Japanese and English.
