Gurasuhoppâ

If I can characterise this movie in one word is that Grasshopper was confusing.

The story had premisses to become a good crime thriller, but the three main characters, as well as the rest of the criminals and so, were just there, added to the story to create the world of crime. No prior information on who they are, why they are killers and so were provided in order to get to know them. At least the main character was presented well enough so we could keep up with the story. The ending was satisfying however, as it concluded the story nicely. Again, however, the story was confusing.

So, four out of ten.

I had been seeing grasshopper listed on Kissasian for quite a few weeks but I always gave it a miss as there were no reviews to be found. I decided to give it a go as I didn't have anything else to watch last evening and wasn't disappointed.

The movie mainly deals with Suzuki, who's fiancée has been killed in a traffic accident orchestrated by a crime lord Terahara. He decided to take revenge by infiltrating the gang after receiving an anonymous tip uncovering the actual person behind the crime. While doing so his fate collides with numerous others including the gang members and several hit men hired by Terahara.

I wouldn't say that the film is some sort of a masterpiece as the story is something that you must have seen several times before. But what makes this film watchable is the way it has been filmed. The end too was highly satisfying not leaving anything to the imagination.

The plot unravels a bit slowly and the director takes ample time to introduce us too the characters involved and develop them at the same time. The script seems a bit over used but the screenplay saves the movie from being another run of the mill thriller.

The acting ranges from average to good and actors never drop the ball. One actor I really liked was "Nanao". Apart from the fact that she's is amazingly pretty, she lit up the screen whenever she was in it with sheer raw talent. She acts flawlessly and shows what it takes play bada$$ gangster on the screen. She gives an amazingly intense performance and I loved her angry grunts and outbursts.

If you have liked films like the Suspect X series you may find this interesting, although its not a investigative drama. My advice is to give it a go if you enjoy Japanese drama every now and then.