37 reviews
It was the same with Casshern and it will be the same with Goemon. At this moment, the film hasn't gotten as much exposure in the West but needless to say, when it does, the film community will be awash with disappointment and confusion. Why? I think it has a lot to do with the role of CGI in film today. Being largely the domain of larger Hollywood studios, the technology has been used as a means of replacing reality, emulating it to the point of near transparency. Jurrassic Park was one the first films to show that such a goal was even possible and effects have progressed so much further since then.
It therefore are that a Hollywood films attempt to use CGI for enhancing reality or making an entirely new reality of their own. Sin City was made outside of the studio system and perhaps that is why it was made at all. 300 was a valiant attempt as well at using CGI to create the actual fantastical. On the other side of the coin, Lord of the Rings, though amazing for its depiction of monsters and creatures of the imagination, ultimately had the purpose of bring THEM into OUR world.
GOEMON, like Casshern, is an attempt to bring us into another world, similar to our own but in so many ways, different. The effects and design serve the purpose of creating an unreality of enhanced surreality, mimicking the pages of comic books and the frames of animation. Visually, it was never intended to fool the eye or make the fantastical 'real'. Like its predecessor, it had loftier, more artistic goals. The question is, did the film reach them? In many ways it did, but in many, it fell short. In the running time of story, there is certainly no lack of sumptuous composition and stunning colour. The action is hyperactive and generally defies the rules of the real world, though they make total sense in the scheme of Goemon's. The sheer audacity of the large scale battles, especially in the last quarter, makes the viewer simultaneously bewildered and amazed. You have never seen this before outside of the imagination and the boundless universe of pen and paper. No Hollywood film would dare do it.
And that is the film's dual strength and weakness. What it does is alien to a majority of film fans bred on Hollywood's particular brand. They have been fed so much in the way of safe challenges and formulaic product, that their first instinct is to rebel against any films cutting against the grain. The beauty of GOEMON is that it isn't a Hollywood picture and therefore doesn't need to apply itself to pleasing a conservative demographic who are otherwise unable to accept what the film ultimately creates.
That is not to say that it doesn't follow clichés and formulas of its own origin, but the presentation is fresh and eccentric enough to counter them. The whole is entirely a product of Japan. It reflects the culture's own eclectic, modern tastes while also preserving a filtered rendition of the old. It both revises and reinforces its subject matter, forming it into something that is Japan and at the same time, is not. It doesn't matter that most of the story never really happened. The vitality of the film is its lust for a life of its own and, its characters, while largely archetypal, serve the mythic aspects the story perfectly, because that is what myths are made of.
GOEMON is a film that shouldn't be weighed against standards set outside its context. It is a film trying to shed the limitations forced upon it by a conservative industry and consuming public. It is a myth, a comic book, a video game, an animation, and an epic drama; it is a lush and inspirational 'other world' and doesn't need to be constrained by our own. Films should not need to succumb to our ingrained demand for adherence to our reality. Go into the film with this in mind, and your imagination will be enriched by it. Be unable to let those strictures go, and I think that sadly, you will miss out.
It therefore are that a Hollywood films attempt to use CGI for enhancing reality or making an entirely new reality of their own. Sin City was made outside of the studio system and perhaps that is why it was made at all. 300 was a valiant attempt as well at using CGI to create the actual fantastical. On the other side of the coin, Lord of the Rings, though amazing for its depiction of monsters and creatures of the imagination, ultimately had the purpose of bring THEM into OUR world.
GOEMON, like Casshern, is an attempt to bring us into another world, similar to our own but in so many ways, different. The effects and design serve the purpose of creating an unreality of enhanced surreality, mimicking the pages of comic books and the frames of animation. Visually, it was never intended to fool the eye or make the fantastical 'real'. Like its predecessor, it had loftier, more artistic goals. The question is, did the film reach them? In many ways it did, but in many, it fell short. In the running time of story, there is certainly no lack of sumptuous composition and stunning colour. The action is hyperactive and generally defies the rules of the real world, though they make total sense in the scheme of Goemon's. The sheer audacity of the large scale battles, especially in the last quarter, makes the viewer simultaneously bewildered and amazed. You have never seen this before outside of the imagination and the boundless universe of pen and paper. No Hollywood film would dare do it.
And that is the film's dual strength and weakness. What it does is alien to a majority of film fans bred on Hollywood's particular brand. They have been fed so much in the way of safe challenges and formulaic product, that their first instinct is to rebel against any films cutting against the grain. The beauty of GOEMON is that it isn't a Hollywood picture and therefore doesn't need to apply itself to pleasing a conservative demographic who are otherwise unable to accept what the film ultimately creates.
That is not to say that it doesn't follow clichés and formulas of its own origin, but the presentation is fresh and eccentric enough to counter them. The whole is entirely a product of Japan. It reflects the culture's own eclectic, modern tastes while also preserving a filtered rendition of the old. It both revises and reinforces its subject matter, forming it into something that is Japan and at the same time, is not. It doesn't matter that most of the story never really happened. The vitality of the film is its lust for a life of its own and, its characters, while largely archetypal, serve the mythic aspects the story perfectly, because that is what myths are made of.
GOEMON is a film that shouldn't be weighed against standards set outside its context. It is a film trying to shed the limitations forced upon it by a conservative industry and consuming public. It is a myth, a comic book, a video game, an animation, and an epic drama; it is a lush and inspirational 'other world' and doesn't need to be constrained by our own. Films should not need to succumb to our ingrained demand for adherence to our reality. Go into the film with this in mind, and your imagination will be enriched by it. Be unable to let those strictures go, and I think that sadly, you will miss out.
- UberNoodle
- Nov 6, 2009
- Permalink
I've always like the Japanese History, and often got disappointed with some of the movies that try to rewrite the storyline. But i was actually impress by Kazuaki Kiriya for an attemp to do it with Goemon, using parts of the Japanese era to combine it and fit into Goemon. The bad side is sometimes he tries to hard expain the background of the story and it become dragging in the first 20mins of the movie while also getting to confuse the audience. It should be more plain and simple story background as so much history character has been involved. overall i have come to see the style of Kazuaki Kiriya and this is what i came to see the movie for. But i could see an improvement on Kiriya attempt this time round. I do not want to comment about the over using of CG and background as its one of the style of Kiriya. Acting wise only Takao Osawa who portray Saizo score greatly on my books. Gori was a huge disappointment. I'm a big fan of Yosuke Eguchi but he seem not holding his role too well to make an impact. I will always remember the part of goemon buro, as the story took a complete twist from the real history which kiriya and Osawa hugly impress me for this part onwards.
Neverless i will be also waiting to get a blueray verion of this for the parts which impress me and Osawa acting on this. Anyway Kiriya has make some improvement.
Neverless i will be also waiting to get a blueray verion of this for the parts which impress me and Osawa acting on this. Anyway Kiriya has make some improvement.
Mention Kazuaki Kiriya, and Casshern inevitably comes to mind. After all, that's the only feature film he had done since, and it comes with plenty of CG used to create backdrops which no longer existed, and effects used to overload the senses, making what's on screen seem very much like a computer generated comic book, with characters possessing superhuman prowess that are of course second nature since nothing is impossible in the virtual world. I had the opportunity to view this film on board an airplane, but it's a good thing I held out in the hopes that it'll make it to the big screen here, since Kiriya brings back the same technical formula for the telling of his tale of legendary ninja bandit Goemon Ishikawa.
Played by Yosuke Eguchi in the titular role, the folklore of Goemon is just like that of Robin Hood, where a man of nobility becomes the bandit of the land, robbing the rich and distributing the wealth obtained to the poor to ensure the narrowing of the rich-poor divide. With each retelling the legend just grows, so much that there's no more a definitive version of the story, but stories which build upon one another to bring out the flavour and characterization of a known hero in 16th century Japan, where feuding warlords ensure that peace is but a buzzword of a promise yet to be fulfilled to their people. This of course allows Kiriya to heap on loads of artistic license in his tale, which is relatively complete with an origin story, political intrigue, a romance and plenty of fight sequences which will make the action junkie in you whoop for joy.
Which of course is the mainstay for anyone who's watching this. Almost all the battle sequences here are far out and CG enhanced with steroids, ranging from huge armies squaring off, or individual one on one battles with out of this world weapons and moves, reliant on dizzying camera work to bring out the dexterity of the combatants, that you're left gasping for air sometimes as it loops all around the action. If there's a minor gripe, then it'll be moments where such powers get forgotten, which of course helps the narrative at its convenience, otherwise we'll be faced with an indestructible superman that will make it rather boring.
Themes of friendship, loyalty, betrayal and vengeance become staple in this period fantasy film, especially when we learn of Goemon's allies, which include his ninjitsu peer Saizo, played by Takao Osawa whom I thought resonated more with the story given the plight he got put through. Also, the episode with Saizo highlights how Kiriya focused a little more on the emotional aspects of the characters involved in its more dramatic moments, and the writer-director's knack of fusing together historical events (such as the Battle of Sekigahara and the ascension of the Ieyasu Tokugawa) and personnel into the narrative, making it a richer experience for the audience, and lending itself some grandeur in terms of epicness
Despite clocking slightly over two hours, there are enough twists and turns here given changing loyalties, and supporting role appearances by other legendary characters such as Hattori Hanzo (Susumu Terajima) the famed swordsman. Ryoko Hirosue has a flower vase role here as the love interest of Goemon who decided to do a noble thing of being sacrificed as a concubine of the deranged warlord, but does little else other than to continue reminding Goemon how infatuated he is with her.
The initial moments do require some getting used to as the visuals are built upon CG created landscapes, but it'll soon build on you that without which a film like this could probably not be easily made. It's Kazuaki Kiriya's signature visual style, and I had enjoyed Goemon very much so when it found some balance between its action scenes, and its dramatic moments. Just so you know if I have to choose my favourite fight sequence, it'll have to be Goemon and Hattori's duel in the last act, which showed why one is master over the other.
Played by Yosuke Eguchi in the titular role, the folklore of Goemon is just like that of Robin Hood, where a man of nobility becomes the bandit of the land, robbing the rich and distributing the wealth obtained to the poor to ensure the narrowing of the rich-poor divide. With each retelling the legend just grows, so much that there's no more a definitive version of the story, but stories which build upon one another to bring out the flavour and characterization of a known hero in 16th century Japan, where feuding warlords ensure that peace is but a buzzword of a promise yet to be fulfilled to their people. This of course allows Kiriya to heap on loads of artistic license in his tale, which is relatively complete with an origin story, political intrigue, a romance and plenty of fight sequences which will make the action junkie in you whoop for joy.
Which of course is the mainstay for anyone who's watching this. Almost all the battle sequences here are far out and CG enhanced with steroids, ranging from huge armies squaring off, or individual one on one battles with out of this world weapons and moves, reliant on dizzying camera work to bring out the dexterity of the combatants, that you're left gasping for air sometimes as it loops all around the action. If there's a minor gripe, then it'll be moments where such powers get forgotten, which of course helps the narrative at its convenience, otherwise we'll be faced with an indestructible superman that will make it rather boring.
Themes of friendship, loyalty, betrayal and vengeance become staple in this period fantasy film, especially when we learn of Goemon's allies, which include his ninjitsu peer Saizo, played by Takao Osawa whom I thought resonated more with the story given the plight he got put through. Also, the episode with Saizo highlights how Kiriya focused a little more on the emotional aspects of the characters involved in its more dramatic moments, and the writer-director's knack of fusing together historical events (such as the Battle of Sekigahara and the ascension of the Ieyasu Tokugawa) and personnel into the narrative, making it a richer experience for the audience, and lending itself some grandeur in terms of epicness
Despite clocking slightly over two hours, there are enough twists and turns here given changing loyalties, and supporting role appearances by other legendary characters such as Hattori Hanzo (Susumu Terajima) the famed swordsman. Ryoko Hirosue has a flower vase role here as the love interest of Goemon who decided to do a noble thing of being sacrificed as a concubine of the deranged warlord, but does little else other than to continue reminding Goemon how infatuated he is with her.
The initial moments do require some getting used to as the visuals are built upon CG created landscapes, but it'll soon build on you that without which a film like this could probably not be easily made. It's Kazuaki Kiriya's signature visual style, and I had enjoyed Goemon very much so when it found some balance between its action scenes, and its dramatic moments. Just so you know if I have to choose my favourite fight sequence, it'll have to be Goemon and Hattori's duel in the last act, which showed why one is master over the other.
- DICK STEEL
- Feb 27, 2010
- Permalink
Like I was, maybe you aren't expecting much more than a flashy fantasy action flick to dazzle a few brain cells for 2 hours. Certainly the DVD cover, the IMDb description, and the first 15-20 minutes of the film fulfills that expectation: we get a lot of action sequences following our hero Goemon, the legendary 16th century Japanese Robin Hood character, as he performs rapid fire feats of martial arts & agility that would make Superman turn in his cape. (Aside: we'll talk about the controversial cgi in a minute, let's focus on story first.)
But what begins as a seemingly predictable comic book tale of good vs evil becomes a much more complex epic saga, as characters' loyalties and motivations change, as secrets are revealed, and as the characters themselves evolve and question their own actions, showing us that this is far more than a mindless good vs. evil tale. I won't ruin who's-who, but I'll say by far my favorite character dynamic is the complex relationship between Goemon and his antagonist Saizo. At first it seems like a straightforward hunt to the death, but buckle your seatbelt because it has a lot of unexpected twists & turns, culminating in an awesome, climactic scene.
Similarly, as the story twists & turns, the it takes on the air of a political thriller where the answers aren't as simple as you'd expected. Don't worry if you're not up to speed on 16th century feudal Japanese politics: the power struggle is frighteningly familiar and applicable today, 500 years later. Of course don't let the political angle scare you off, because it's still rooted in action/fantasy with plenty of eye candy visuals if that's all you want.
Which leads us to the controversial use of cgi... Yes, there's tons of cgi, and yes the film was made in 2009 when cgi wasn't very realistic looking. So you might find yourself distracted by the video game look of the action scenes. But I think the video game look is exactly what the filmmakers were going for. But in this film's defense, it was a bold stylistic choice in league with other heavy-cgi flicks like "Sky Captain" (2004), "Sin City" (2005), or the French flick "Immortal" (2004), which were the first films to depart entirely from traditional location filmmaking techniques in favor of green screen and post production. Here in "Goemon" we have a similar hyper-stylized look that's not necessarily supposed to seem realistic, and that could be a plus or a minus depending on how you like your flicks.
The bottom line is that the story and character development, not the look, is what really impressed me about "Goemon". It raised this seemingly simple action romp to an epic scale. In that respect (not visually) I would compare it to Zhang Yimou's "Hero" (2002) another surprisingly complex story proceeding from the simple premise of an assassin sent to kill a ruthless Emperor.
But what begins as a seemingly predictable comic book tale of good vs evil becomes a much more complex epic saga, as characters' loyalties and motivations change, as secrets are revealed, and as the characters themselves evolve and question their own actions, showing us that this is far more than a mindless good vs. evil tale. I won't ruin who's-who, but I'll say by far my favorite character dynamic is the complex relationship between Goemon and his antagonist Saizo. At first it seems like a straightforward hunt to the death, but buckle your seatbelt because it has a lot of unexpected twists & turns, culminating in an awesome, climactic scene.
Similarly, as the story twists & turns, the it takes on the air of a political thriller where the answers aren't as simple as you'd expected. Don't worry if you're not up to speed on 16th century feudal Japanese politics: the power struggle is frighteningly familiar and applicable today, 500 years later. Of course don't let the political angle scare you off, because it's still rooted in action/fantasy with plenty of eye candy visuals if that's all you want.
Which leads us to the controversial use of cgi... Yes, there's tons of cgi, and yes the film was made in 2009 when cgi wasn't very realistic looking. So you might find yourself distracted by the video game look of the action scenes. But I think the video game look is exactly what the filmmakers were going for. But in this film's defense, it was a bold stylistic choice in league with other heavy-cgi flicks like "Sky Captain" (2004), "Sin City" (2005), or the French flick "Immortal" (2004), which were the first films to depart entirely from traditional location filmmaking techniques in favor of green screen and post production. Here in "Goemon" we have a similar hyper-stylized look that's not necessarily supposed to seem realistic, and that could be a plus or a minus depending on how you like your flicks.
The bottom line is that the story and character development, not the look, is what really impressed me about "Goemon". It raised this seemingly simple action romp to an epic scale. In that respect (not visually) I would compare it to Zhang Yimou's "Hero" (2002) another surprisingly complex story proceeding from the simple premise of an assassin sent to kill a ruthless Emperor.
Goemon proved an Asian box office hit on its cinematic release. Helmed with a bold fresh eye for visuals by Casshern director Kiriya Kazuaki, Goemon is a multi-layered historic action epic tinged with fantasy and impressive swordplay. With elements of Western legends such as Robin Hood and the mythical Pandora's Box thrown in, Goemon is ultimately the story of one man's battle with his need to be free and his destiny.
The film perhaps would've been better in two parts, or even as a trilogy, to allow time to completely unlock each integral character's own story and ambitions.
Goemon is a stunning visual treat, but too convoluted in essential plot points. Undoubtedly watchable, it falls short of the epic it wants to be by simply trying much too hard. JM
The film perhaps would've been better in two parts, or even as a trilogy, to allow time to completely unlock each integral character's own story and ambitions.
Goemon is a stunning visual treat, but too convoluted in essential plot points. Undoubtedly watchable, it falls short of the epic it wants to be by simply trying much too hard. JM
- thisissubtitledmovies
- Aug 24, 2010
- Permalink
- primevalsoup
- Jun 28, 2010
- Permalink
I saw the movie in a private preview so it might have technically gotten even better since then or the web trailers.
Actually, I am glad that the web trailer is nothing revealing. Let the people get the real thing where they should get it: in the cinemas. I rather hate those movies that pack the trailer with best they have and then there's nothing left than those 30 seconds of glory.
A pity I can't talk about the story to avoid spoilers, at this time I would just explain why it was excellent for me:
*the way Kiriya re-wrote this little piece of history and made a great thing out of it and one worth watching in a movie.
*it has anything that a blockbuster shall have but keeps a pure and decent heart and yes, done at an extremely low budget under one million $.
*the CG is (in my opinion) not intended to look like Iron Man Hollywood stuff but rather like Final Fantasy and I really hope people not being snobs about this because this is not the point. Besides, I never felt that the CG isn't good or not good enough, I didn't even feel it was a CG because the story moves on so fast and takes you in its stream, you don't have the time or need to think twice.
*there are no gaps and goofs or illogical actions in the story line
*the style is very solid: the mix of Asian/Western costume design or architecture is continuous through the entire movie and nothing looks like a mistake or an accident or bad taste. The mix of true historical elements and modern elements (dance, etc) keeps things real while traditional elements (like the firefly) constantly remind us it's also a fairy tale that we are watching.
*you will get to see all martial arts you would dream of and better than that though you will not get tired with repetitive & unnecessary war/fight scenes.
*the cinematography is amazing at all times thanks to the elaborate costumes and architecture but the way that camera moves is one of the best new things too.
*all actors match their roles, great casting and especially the lead actor Eguchi Yosuke is so universally good, he could stand right next to Johny Depp in let's say Pirates of the Caribbean and be as good at it. By not looking extremely Asian, he could be a Latino, European, someone rather easy to identify with for the rest of the world besides the Japanese viewers. Hirosue Ryoko is also a wise choice and quite familiar to us from her earlier international hit Wasabi or the recent Academy Awards winning "Departure"(Okuribito)
Last I shall say, I'm not that much into (Japanese) directors trying rather desperately to impress the (Western) world through their forced/artsy/bloody/cruel/avant-garde/decadent/sexual stuff, I think a nicely shot good story is what we all badly need and this is the hardest part of it to get a thing that will improve human race. I am convinced that Goemon will do.
Actually, I am glad that the web trailer is nothing revealing. Let the people get the real thing where they should get it: in the cinemas. I rather hate those movies that pack the trailer with best they have and then there's nothing left than those 30 seconds of glory.
A pity I can't talk about the story to avoid spoilers, at this time I would just explain why it was excellent for me:
*the way Kiriya re-wrote this little piece of history and made a great thing out of it and one worth watching in a movie.
*it has anything that a blockbuster shall have but keeps a pure and decent heart and yes, done at an extremely low budget under one million $.
*the CG is (in my opinion) not intended to look like Iron Man Hollywood stuff but rather like Final Fantasy and I really hope people not being snobs about this because this is not the point. Besides, I never felt that the CG isn't good or not good enough, I didn't even feel it was a CG because the story moves on so fast and takes you in its stream, you don't have the time or need to think twice.
*there are no gaps and goofs or illogical actions in the story line
*the style is very solid: the mix of Asian/Western costume design or architecture is continuous through the entire movie and nothing looks like a mistake or an accident or bad taste. The mix of true historical elements and modern elements (dance, etc) keeps things real while traditional elements (like the firefly) constantly remind us it's also a fairy tale that we are watching.
*you will get to see all martial arts you would dream of and better than that though you will not get tired with repetitive & unnecessary war/fight scenes.
*the cinematography is amazing at all times thanks to the elaborate costumes and architecture but the way that camera moves is one of the best new things too.
*all actors match their roles, great casting and especially the lead actor Eguchi Yosuke is so universally good, he could stand right next to Johny Depp in let's say Pirates of the Caribbean and be as good at it. By not looking extremely Asian, he could be a Latino, European, someone rather easy to identify with for the rest of the world besides the Japanese viewers. Hirosue Ryoko is also a wise choice and quite familiar to us from her earlier international hit Wasabi or the recent Academy Awards winning "Departure"(Okuribito)
Last I shall say, I'm not that much into (Japanese) directors trying rather desperately to impress the (Western) world through their forced/artsy/bloody/cruel/avant-garde/decadent/sexual stuff, I think a nicely shot good story is what we all badly need and this is the hardest part of it to get a thing that will improve human race. I am convinced that Goemon will do.
Having been somewhat disappointed by Casshern -which was beautiful but soulless - I wasn't expecting much. Goemon came as a fairly pleasant surprise.
Yes, it's incredibly effect & CGI heavy, but that's fine, because it's very obviously an art film and works entirely within its own context. The sets all look relatively real, colours are intense where they need to be, and flashbacks are by turn grey and sepia. It all makes sense. Action (and there is a lot of it) is poetically realised. Unlike many modern films, the action direction is clear and truly thrilling. The camera zooms around all over the place, but I never felt I was missing anything. This in contrast to countless films that overuse slo-mo and jump cuts (and as a result are plain terrible)
The core characters are all well realised and genuinely sympathetic. The relationships between them are explored and relatively convincing.
In fact, the only point at which this film really failed was in a pivotal scene, where Goemon somehow forgets to use his amazing Ninja powers to get through a crowd, having spent the rest of the film jumping tens of meters effortlessly. It's completely absurd, deeply frustrating (I literally ended up shouting at the screen), and makes no narrative sense at all. If not for that, I'd easily rate this film 9/10
Yes, it's incredibly effect & CGI heavy, but that's fine, because it's very obviously an art film and works entirely within its own context. The sets all look relatively real, colours are intense where they need to be, and flashbacks are by turn grey and sepia. It all makes sense. Action (and there is a lot of it) is poetically realised. Unlike many modern films, the action direction is clear and truly thrilling. The camera zooms around all over the place, but I never felt I was missing anything. This in contrast to countless films that overuse slo-mo and jump cuts (and as a result are plain terrible)
The core characters are all well realised and genuinely sympathetic. The relationships between them are explored and relatively convincing.
In fact, the only point at which this film really failed was in a pivotal scene, where Goemon somehow forgets to use his amazing Ninja powers to get through a crowd, having spent the rest of the film jumping tens of meters effortlessly. It's completely absurd, deeply frustrating (I literally ended up shouting at the screen), and makes no narrative sense at all. If not for that, I'd easily rate this film 9/10
- steven-vanderwerf
- Jan 13, 2012
- Permalink
This fantastic tale of Goemon, a master-less shinobi turned master-thief, is a compelling action drama, with some genuinely funny light-hearted moments.
Like a mixture of Batman and Robin Hood, Goemon is a man unto himself, and a national hero. He lives by his own rules until his self-proclaimed freedom meets his past, and one robbery starts a chain of events set to turn his life upside down.
It's a great story of vengeance and betrayal, and if you add that to some great acting by the leads Yôsuke Eguchi (Goemon), and Takao Osawa (Saizo), and put it all through the beautifully shot stylings of Japanese cinema, you get this enthralling piece.
Only a couple of clichés in plot development and editing stop me from scoring the film higher, but with such minor faults, I couldn't recommend it more!
Like a mixture of Batman and Robin Hood, Goemon is a man unto himself, and a national hero. He lives by his own rules until his self-proclaimed freedom meets his past, and one robbery starts a chain of events set to turn his life upside down.
It's a great story of vengeance and betrayal, and if you add that to some great acting by the leads Yôsuke Eguchi (Goemon), and Takao Osawa (Saizo), and put it all through the beautifully shot stylings of Japanese cinema, you get this enthralling piece.
Only a couple of clichés in plot development and editing stop me from scoring the film higher, but with such minor faults, I couldn't recommend it more!
Legend has it that a ninja Robin Hood named Goemon existed... but don't look him up just yet or you may ruin the plot.
If you don't like fantasy-style ninja films then there's not much point watching this, because it's wire-fu tripped out on CGI - which, admittedly, was a little jarring at first, but the style thankfully soon grows on the viewer.
As for the story itself, the eponymous master thief ninja steals something along with gold intended for peasants, which kick starts just over 2 hours of political intrigue and high octane action... so, since I love ninjas and action, why the medium score?
I won't fault the CGI because otherwise, the film could not have been fully realised, but I can see how it would turn many off; the characters and their history with one another all works well and developments are - for the most part - well written, however, there are certain aspects that just don't add up (I shan't mention them now to spoil the film) and the ending simply doesn't make sense.
Yes, it's worth watching Goemon for the experience, but don't expect it to become your new favourite (ninja) film, and expect to be more than a little miffed and confused when the end credits role.
If you don't like fantasy-style ninja films then there's not much point watching this, because it's wire-fu tripped out on CGI - which, admittedly, was a little jarring at first, but the style thankfully soon grows on the viewer.
As for the story itself, the eponymous master thief ninja steals something along with gold intended for peasants, which kick starts just over 2 hours of political intrigue and high octane action... so, since I love ninjas and action, why the medium score?
I won't fault the CGI because otherwise, the film could not have been fully realised, but I can see how it would turn many off; the characters and their history with one another all works well and developments are - for the most part - well written, however, there are certain aspects that just don't add up (I shan't mention them now to spoil the film) and the ending simply doesn't make sense.
Yes, it's worth watching Goemon for the experience, but don't expect it to become your new favourite (ninja) film, and expect to be more than a little miffed and confused when the end credits role.
- grandmastersik
- Dec 29, 2014
- Permalink
"Goemon" was a movie that I had really looked forward to watching, after having found it by sheer luck on Amazon and then read reviews about it.
And having seen it now, I feel somewhat disillusioned. The story was great, a really well-thought and detailed story. But the movie was weighed down heavily by really, really bad CGI effects. And also weighed down by having a tendency of dragging on unnecessarily in various parts.
Story-wise, then "Goemon" was a rather nice treat. There is a lot of levels to the story, and also a really great plot that offers some nice surprises along the way.
As for the people cast for the movie, well they did great jobs with their characters and they put on good acting performances. The characters in the movie were well-detailed and vibrant, they were believable and nuanced.
Despite all that things that "Goemon" tried to accomplish, it didn't fully pack enough punch to make a lasting impression on me, and it came off as a mediocre movie, unfortunately. Why? Well because it dragged on quite long and the CGI in the scenes was so bad that it was a downright eyesore to behold.
And having seen it now, I feel somewhat disillusioned. The story was great, a really well-thought and detailed story. But the movie was weighed down heavily by really, really bad CGI effects. And also weighed down by having a tendency of dragging on unnecessarily in various parts.
Story-wise, then "Goemon" was a rather nice treat. There is a lot of levels to the story, and also a really great plot that offers some nice surprises along the way.
As for the people cast for the movie, well they did great jobs with their characters and they put on good acting performances. The characters in the movie were well-detailed and vibrant, they were believable and nuanced.
Despite all that things that "Goemon" tried to accomplish, it didn't fully pack enough punch to make a lasting impression on me, and it came off as a mediocre movie, unfortunately. Why? Well because it dragged on quite long and the CGI in the scenes was so bad that it was a downright eyesore to behold.
- paul_haakonsen
- Nov 16, 2012
- Permalink
I got this movie couple days ago on Blu-ray, and I must say it is so amazing. Excellent mix of CG animation. There are also my favorite Japanese actors in this movie, it was great. I've got feeling like playing some samurai video games while I was watching it. Also, the soundtrack of the movie is just great! I don't know why people talk bad things about this movie! Action scenes are awesome. There is also K-1 fighter Choi from Korea in this movie.....If you like ninja and samurai movies, I think you will be satisfied. To me this is great mix of fantasy and action. And one of my favorite fantasy movies of 2009. 10/10
- inge_kacic
- Jan 19, 2010
- Permalink
... i have to say, i was very disappointed.
i expected another beautiful and complex movie with philosophical aspects with less cgi shortcomings than casshern that warrants at least a rating of 9/10 but unfortunately, that is not what goemon delivers.
instead, what we have here is a mix of something like azumi and house of the flying daggers with mostly just superficial hints of casshern. goemon is basically yet another martial arts epic that adds only little to the genre.
usually, if a martial arts film just amuses me, i rate it 8/10, if it has incredible style too, 9/10 and 10/10... well, i have yet to see one with enough style AND depth for that. goemon does have positive aspects when it comes to that. characters and the overall story felt a little deeper to me than what usually goes on in such movies but it is still nowhere near casshern. i think one of the main reasons for that are the comical characters that are way overused for a movie that carries a serious atmosphere most of the time. and while i'm talking about the story - the movie should actually end after the second third. it takes an incredibly illogical twist there, where i was sitting up and asking myself if i have missed something to understand why the characters acted the way they did. but i doubt that i did...
aspects that were basically the same as in casshern was the way the narrative was constructed (flashbacks, details about things being revealed after we've already seen them and such) and a lot of visual choices (you can already see some of that in the trailer). but while the visuals worked pretty well for me in casshern (they still were the only reason i didn't rate it 10/10 though), they didn't in goemon. first of all, the incoherence between cg and non-cg material is far greater. i'm especially amazed that nobody told kiriya that realistic looking cg grass is really a bitch to create. every 3d artist who has ever dealed with grass knows that. and it really is the worst looking scene in the movie. another problem with the visuals is that when you're doing an innovative movie that's more about depth than action, you can get away with quite a few things. but when you produce a movie that has little to set it apart from productions like house of flying daggers, expectations are a lot higher.
another halfway-negative aspect for me was the score. it may have been fitting for this movie but still, i was hoping for more of the great sounds that made me buy my first Japanese cd and my first score cd ever.
to sum it up... if you maybe don't even know casshern and you expect an amusing martial arts epic you might be disappointed because of some sluggish cg work and might be annoyed with what happens at about two thirds of the movie but you will still get plenty of nice entertainment and a little more depth than usual. if you're a casshern-fan and hope for more greatness as you've learned to love from casshern... either adjust your expectations or don't watch it.
i expected another beautiful and complex movie with philosophical aspects with less cgi shortcomings than casshern that warrants at least a rating of 9/10 but unfortunately, that is not what goemon delivers.
instead, what we have here is a mix of something like azumi and house of the flying daggers with mostly just superficial hints of casshern. goemon is basically yet another martial arts epic that adds only little to the genre.
usually, if a martial arts film just amuses me, i rate it 8/10, if it has incredible style too, 9/10 and 10/10... well, i have yet to see one with enough style AND depth for that. goemon does have positive aspects when it comes to that. characters and the overall story felt a little deeper to me than what usually goes on in such movies but it is still nowhere near casshern. i think one of the main reasons for that are the comical characters that are way overused for a movie that carries a serious atmosphere most of the time. and while i'm talking about the story - the movie should actually end after the second third. it takes an incredibly illogical twist there, where i was sitting up and asking myself if i have missed something to understand why the characters acted the way they did. but i doubt that i did...
aspects that were basically the same as in casshern was the way the narrative was constructed (flashbacks, details about things being revealed after we've already seen them and such) and a lot of visual choices (you can already see some of that in the trailer). but while the visuals worked pretty well for me in casshern (they still were the only reason i didn't rate it 10/10 though), they didn't in goemon. first of all, the incoherence between cg and non-cg material is far greater. i'm especially amazed that nobody told kiriya that realistic looking cg grass is really a bitch to create. every 3d artist who has ever dealed with grass knows that. and it really is the worst looking scene in the movie. another problem with the visuals is that when you're doing an innovative movie that's more about depth than action, you can get away with quite a few things. but when you produce a movie that has little to set it apart from productions like house of flying daggers, expectations are a lot higher.
another halfway-negative aspect for me was the score. it may have been fitting for this movie but still, i was hoping for more of the great sounds that made me buy my first Japanese cd and my first score cd ever.
to sum it up... if you maybe don't even know casshern and you expect an amusing martial arts epic you might be disappointed because of some sluggish cg work and might be annoyed with what happens at about two thirds of the movie but you will still get plenty of nice entertainment and a little more depth than usual. if you're a casshern-fan and hope for more greatness as you've learned to love from casshern... either adjust your expectations or don't watch it.
I'll admit I didn't know what to expect from this movie. My main reason for seeing it was that it was the only movie playing and I had a few hours to kill.
The biggest surprise to me was the mash up of Asian and European styles. Suits of armor, marble floors, Gothic interiors kept me thinking of Germany and France. As for the Asian visual influences there was many a tiled roof, and the tiered castles and palaces were impressive and included Gothic touches. Many of the villains had a decidedly Chinese flair to their costuming. The heroes were garbed in a more European style with grubby tunics and thick leather boots. In fact, other than the opening festival scene and the hip-hop dancing girls there seemed to be little Japanese influence o the costumes.
Most of the score was strongly influenced by Howard Shore and John Williams, with just a bit of Orff mixed in for good measure. It wasn't bad, but it tended to use the same themes over and over. The same melodramatic piece was used in a funeral, a scene of love, a fight and more. It didn't always work and by the end of the movie I was tired of hearing it.
The plot was a retelling of the end of the Japanese warring states period with fantastical elements added to it. The real history is full of passion, betrayal and violence and lends itself well to an epic movie. I enjoyed the changes the movie made and how the fictional elements collided with reality. However, I do wish that the movie had done more with its characters. Many of them were just flat and had no real characterization. You know the villains by their sneers and raspy voices. Heroes develop grim determination. And maybe have families. It felt like the only two who were developed were Chacha and Goemon. I don't count Goemon's friend and rival, because to me showing someone has a family doesn't count enough mean development. Also, parts of the story just seemed muddy and unfinished. Things that are dreadfully important are suddenly dropped and never spoken of again.
*To be fair, my Japanese isn't the best. I'm sure there were details I missed. However, the Japanese friend I saw the movie with only did slightly better at following the interchangeable characters and convoluted storytelling.*
The acting was so-so. It's another Japanese movie the falls into the mindset where characters need only three voices: somber, cocky and yelling. While there can be additives to those voices, such as cocky-jocular vs. cocky-taunting, those are the three types and blending and building should not be expected. If our cocky villain (or hero for that matter) gets upset his voice will not natural build to show growing anger, it will just shoot instantly to yelling.
The only actor who really stood out is the entertainer, Gori, who brings overacting to a great height. He was Gori. And he was acting. Badly.
The effects were strange. The lighting was often unusual and nothing ever looked real be it castle, forest or grassy plain. Combine this with super jumps, 1 vs. 1000 fights and CGI straight out of last years video games and the result is an audience questioning if we are supposed to take the melodrama seriously. And since it seems more time and effort was spent stylizing fights than smoothing out a plot, I'm guessing the answer is no.
Overall, it was a fun movie. But it seems more appropriate for watching and laughing at the ridiculousness of it with friends than in the silence of a theater. It's main design concept of East meets West was visually interesting, but I couldn't help but think they should have chosen a style and stuck with it. Or perhaps use authentic period clothing and styles or even the amp up the traditional costumes as in Sakuran.
The main thing that kept repeating in my head while watching this was that it could have been good if it wasn't so bad.
The biggest surprise to me was the mash up of Asian and European styles. Suits of armor, marble floors, Gothic interiors kept me thinking of Germany and France. As for the Asian visual influences there was many a tiled roof, and the tiered castles and palaces were impressive and included Gothic touches. Many of the villains had a decidedly Chinese flair to their costuming. The heroes were garbed in a more European style with grubby tunics and thick leather boots. In fact, other than the opening festival scene and the hip-hop dancing girls there seemed to be little Japanese influence o the costumes.
Most of the score was strongly influenced by Howard Shore and John Williams, with just a bit of Orff mixed in for good measure. It wasn't bad, but it tended to use the same themes over and over. The same melodramatic piece was used in a funeral, a scene of love, a fight and more. It didn't always work and by the end of the movie I was tired of hearing it.
The plot was a retelling of the end of the Japanese warring states period with fantastical elements added to it. The real history is full of passion, betrayal and violence and lends itself well to an epic movie. I enjoyed the changes the movie made and how the fictional elements collided with reality. However, I do wish that the movie had done more with its characters. Many of them were just flat and had no real characterization. You know the villains by their sneers and raspy voices. Heroes develop grim determination. And maybe have families. It felt like the only two who were developed were Chacha and Goemon. I don't count Goemon's friend and rival, because to me showing someone has a family doesn't count enough mean development. Also, parts of the story just seemed muddy and unfinished. Things that are dreadfully important are suddenly dropped and never spoken of again.
*To be fair, my Japanese isn't the best. I'm sure there were details I missed. However, the Japanese friend I saw the movie with only did slightly better at following the interchangeable characters and convoluted storytelling.*
The acting was so-so. It's another Japanese movie the falls into the mindset where characters need only three voices: somber, cocky and yelling. While there can be additives to those voices, such as cocky-jocular vs. cocky-taunting, those are the three types and blending and building should not be expected. If our cocky villain (or hero for that matter) gets upset his voice will not natural build to show growing anger, it will just shoot instantly to yelling.
The only actor who really stood out is the entertainer, Gori, who brings overacting to a great height. He was Gori. And he was acting. Badly.
The effects were strange. The lighting was often unusual and nothing ever looked real be it castle, forest or grassy plain. Combine this with super jumps, 1 vs. 1000 fights and CGI straight out of last years video games and the result is an audience questioning if we are supposed to take the melodrama seriously. And since it seems more time and effort was spent stylizing fights than smoothing out a plot, I'm guessing the answer is no.
Overall, it was a fun movie. But it seems more appropriate for watching and laughing at the ridiculousness of it with friends than in the silence of a theater. It's main design concept of East meets West was visually interesting, but I couldn't help but think they should have chosen a style and stuck with it. Or perhaps use authentic period clothing and styles or even the amp up the traditional costumes as in Sakuran.
The main thing that kept repeating in my head while watching this was that it could have been good if it wasn't so bad.
- coolhandbrent-1
- May 1, 2009
- Permalink
- harry_tk_yung
- Jun 9, 2010
- Permalink
"You can't flee anymore. Not from your destiny."
Goemon is a fun, bloody martial arts epic. It's a story of betrayal and revenge, set after the death of Lord Nobunaga and (very) loosely based on the life of the real Ishikawa Goemon. Don't worry though, you don't have to be steeped in Japanese history to enjoy it.
I won't go into detail about the twisting, turning story. It's interesting enough, but many characters are introduced without much info or background. Luckily, it's easy to keep up with who's good and bad, and the central characters are fleshed out to an acceptable degree to make them matter to the audience.
The more divisive element of Goemon is the heavy use of special effects. Most of the sets and action are all CG, very much like Sucker Punch. And not as well done. While this gives Goemon a unique look quite different from the bold colors and elegant action of many modern martial arts epics, it also makes the movie look frantic and artificial. It's really like watching a video game, at times. That didn't bother me much as Goemon went on, but cleaner, better implemented special effects would have made this an even more enjoyable film. The costumes are great, though, which is always important in flicks like these.
I liked Goemon. It felt a bit long (the last half of the movie could have lost 10-15 minutes, easily), but I was never bored. The actors and actresses are nothing less than competent, even in some of the more over-the-top roles. And there are some very pretty actresses involved, if that kind of thing interests you (it does in my case). I recommend it to anyone who is fine with a more CG-heavy spin on historical Japanese fantasy warfare.
Goemon is a fun, bloody martial arts epic. It's a story of betrayal and revenge, set after the death of Lord Nobunaga and (very) loosely based on the life of the real Ishikawa Goemon. Don't worry though, you don't have to be steeped in Japanese history to enjoy it.
I won't go into detail about the twisting, turning story. It's interesting enough, but many characters are introduced without much info or background. Luckily, it's easy to keep up with who's good and bad, and the central characters are fleshed out to an acceptable degree to make them matter to the audience.
The more divisive element of Goemon is the heavy use of special effects. Most of the sets and action are all CG, very much like Sucker Punch. And not as well done. While this gives Goemon a unique look quite different from the bold colors and elegant action of many modern martial arts epics, it also makes the movie look frantic and artificial. It's really like watching a video game, at times. That didn't bother me much as Goemon went on, but cleaner, better implemented special effects would have made this an even more enjoyable film. The costumes are great, though, which is always important in flicks like these.
I liked Goemon. It felt a bit long (the last half of the movie could have lost 10-15 minutes, easily), but I was never bored. The actors and actresses are nothing less than competent, even in some of the more over-the-top roles. And there are some very pretty actresses involved, if that kind of thing interests you (it does in my case). I recommend it to anyone who is fine with a more CG-heavy spin on historical Japanese fantasy warfare.
- lewiskendell
- Aug 27, 2012
- Permalink
"Legend of Goemon" reminded me of of "Casshern", that movie was also directed by Kazuaki Kiriya. The movie is a feast for the eyes from the beginning till the end, and superior to Casshern in acting, music, story and character-development.
Also, the budget of this movie was a mere 9 million dollars!!! "Ninja Assassin", from last year, made in Hollywood, was produced on a 40 million dollar budget and is a lesser movie in all areas compared to "Legend of Goemon".
I totally agree with all the positive reviews of this movie and want to only mention that if you're looking for a live-action anime kind of movie and you like moveis with lots of ninja-action you MUST watch legend of Goemon as soon as possible!
Also, the budget of this movie was a mere 9 million dollars!!! "Ninja Assassin", from last year, made in Hollywood, was produced on a 40 million dollar budget and is a lesser movie in all areas compared to "Legend of Goemon".
I totally agree with all the positive reviews of this movie and want to only mention that if you're looking for a live-action anime kind of movie and you like moveis with lots of ninja-action you MUST watch legend of Goemon as soon as possible!
- snake_eater-3
- Sep 18, 2010
- Permalink
Horrible, Boring and Stupid.
Horrid sets not out of place from a '50s technicolor yuchfest, squallid costumes, pointless dialogue, monodimentional characters (this fault is almost made up by the abundance of pointless supporting), bad CGI - that alone often spells death from a martial arts action flick, and Goemon is nothing more - soppy story and truly dreadful acting, make this horrible piece of filmcraft easily comparable with Transfomers 2: easy to see how it must have cost a lot to make, and almost impossible to see how it could have been made with no redeeming qualities whatsoever.
The film takes the legendary character of Goemon Ishikawa and .. well, pretty much murders it; token Asian princess, wild-at-heart Asian prince thief, do pretty much nothing except looking frail (her) or looking smug (him), then have a big fight at the end, with some half-hearted fights in between, all made truly horrific by the wannabe-300 CGI. Honestly, FF The Spirits Whithin had better CGI than this.. ten years ago. Throw in some camera work from your average 90's video game, and you have a film that isn't even worth the time to get to the rental shop to get it.
Leave it in the cheapo bin. 3/10
Horrid sets not out of place from a '50s technicolor yuchfest, squallid costumes, pointless dialogue, monodimentional characters (this fault is almost made up by the abundance of pointless supporting), bad CGI - that alone often spells death from a martial arts action flick, and Goemon is nothing more - soppy story and truly dreadful acting, make this horrible piece of filmcraft easily comparable with Transfomers 2: easy to see how it must have cost a lot to make, and almost impossible to see how it could have been made with no redeeming qualities whatsoever.
The film takes the legendary character of Goemon Ishikawa and .. well, pretty much murders it; token Asian princess, wild-at-heart Asian prince thief, do pretty much nothing except looking frail (her) or looking smug (him), then have a big fight at the end, with some half-hearted fights in between, all made truly horrific by the wannabe-300 CGI. Honestly, FF The Spirits Whithin had better CGI than this.. ten years ago. Throw in some camera work from your average 90's video game, and you have a film that isn't even worth the time to get to the rental shop to get it.
Leave it in the cheapo bin. 3/10
- digdog-785-717538
- Jul 20, 2010
- Permalink
- Hellsinger
- May 17, 2009
- Permalink
It's watchable, but quite silly. For starters, it's in Japanese, but somehow it's a Chinese flick, with people flying, armies of 7939240923748293710238 soldiers, huge palaces with colossal rooms and so on...
Oscar Wild once criticized somebody's tie saying one must be deaf to wear it. This movie is like that tie. Too much contrast for the highly insensitive. It's like the dream of a 12 year old kid dreaming of sword fighting and moral values. There are some samurai stormtroopers as well...
Just silly. It's like a bad anime, mostly with real people delivering bad acting and random killing after reluctance to kill.
Oscar Wild once criticized somebody's tie saying one must be deaf to wear it. This movie is like that tie. Too much contrast for the highly insensitive. It's like the dream of a 12 year old kid dreaming of sword fighting and moral values. There are some samurai stormtroopers as well...
Just silly. It's like a bad anime, mostly with real people delivering bad acting and random killing after reluctance to kill.
I watched this movie without any expectation, but I have to say, this is one of best movies I ever saw.
Japanese traditions and feelings, samurai history, epic battles and yes, a lot of lies with not so good special effects, but it really doesn't matter.
The movie starts a little slow, it has almost 130 minutes long, and could be resumed to 100 easily. But still a really, really GOOD movie. You must to see... Even if you don't like samurai or ninjas histories, this movie has so many other feelings, that you'll like it.
I really don't understand people talking badly about this movie.
Japanese traditions and feelings, samurai history, epic battles and yes, a lot of lies with not so good special effects, but it really doesn't matter.
The movie starts a little slow, it has almost 130 minutes long, and could be resumed to 100 easily. But still a really, really GOOD movie. You must to see... Even if you don't like samurai or ninjas histories, this movie has so many other feelings, that you'll like it.
I really don't understand people talking badly about this movie.
For some reason, many reviewers dismiss this movie in favor of older "cult classics" that they have rosy tinted memories of. Those people are wrong. Most of the Ninja movies from the late 70's and early 80's are terrible by today's standards. Particularly the American ones where it looks like a bunch of guys filming each other running around in their pajamas. The Japanese ones are not much better and many look very dated. It's hard to believe they were ever good.
If you are in the right mood, this is a really entertaining, action packed ninja movie that has almost everything a fan of this genre could want. If you aren't a fan of ninja movies, then why are you watching and reviewing this? We don't care what you think? We love ninja movies and this one is great. It is better than Shogan Assassin, the twilight Samurai and any of the boring old black and white Ninja movies.
The film makers got the right idea of portraying the ninja like a super hero. It is silly to complain that it isn't realistic. Iron Man and Batman were not realistic either but they were still great. I even liked the story line too.
The action sequences are among the most thrilling I have ever seen in a martial arts flick and Goemon's double bladed katana sword engraved with the emperors Stamp "spread militarism across the land", is one of the coolest ninja weapons ever seen in a movie.
As well as being entertaining, this movie has the unique feature of being the only movie in the world to not be ruined by being dubbed into English. I know, dubbing that is well done. Hard to believe but true. If you are a fan of action and are in the right mood, check it out. You will love it! If you don't, go and look in the mirror and ask yourself how you got so boring and devoid of fun. This is love it or hate it stuff!
If you are in the right mood, this is a really entertaining, action packed ninja movie that has almost everything a fan of this genre could want. If you aren't a fan of ninja movies, then why are you watching and reviewing this? We don't care what you think? We love ninja movies and this one is great. It is better than Shogan Assassin, the twilight Samurai and any of the boring old black and white Ninja movies.
The film makers got the right idea of portraying the ninja like a super hero. It is silly to complain that it isn't realistic. Iron Man and Batman were not realistic either but they were still great. I even liked the story line too.
The action sequences are among the most thrilling I have ever seen in a martial arts flick and Goemon's double bladed katana sword engraved with the emperors Stamp "spread militarism across the land", is one of the coolest ninja weapons ever seen in a movie.
As well as being entertaining, this movie has the unique feature of being the only movie in the world to not be ruined by being dubbed into English. I know, dubbing that is well done. Hard to believe but true. If you are a fan of action and are in the right mood, check it out. You will love it! If you don't, go and look in the mirror and ask yourself how you got so boring and devoid of fun. This is love it or hate it stuff!
- Roberthart555
- Oct 3, 2013
- Permalink
The basic story and characters here are based somewhat in fact, and there's no reason why one shouldn't be able to play with the story to make for an enhanced entertainment experience. With GOEMON, however, he have a cgi-intensive adventure geared to be more interesting to a younger audience. Heroes leap across rooftops, perform the usual effortless swordplay, or live in an opulent Japan more fanciful than most science fictions.
That said, GOEMON is written with artful economy, compressing the action into a time-frame that's continually entertaining. Everything else about this film is considerably less than economical - the fabulous crowd scenes, the vignettes of old Japan with bustling streets packed with characters, the endless supply of snappy effects...Taken uncritically, this film has a "wow" factor that's not easy to shake off; but when you begin to ask the most basic questions, GOEMON begins to fall apart.
As a fantasy divorced of historical context, there's a lot to enjoy here. As a credible drama, there's too much that's wanting.
That said, GOEMON is written with artful economy, compressing the action into a time-frame that's continually entertaining. Everything else about this film is considerably less than economical - the fabulous crowd scenes, the vignettes of old Japan with bustling streets packed with characters, the endless supply of snappy effects...Taken uncritically, this film has a "wow" factor that's not easy to shake off; but when you begin to ask the most basic questions, GOEMON begins to fall apart.
As a fantasy divorced of historical context, there's a lot to enjoy here. As a credible drama, there's too much that's wanting.
I really really like this movie. I have read most of the reviews about this movie and I disagree with a lot of them. This movie to me is more about the fantasy than the action. There are certainly better examples of CGI and there are some better special effects in other movies, but as a sum of its parts, this movie is fantastic. With multiple viewings it gets even better. The story is very robin hood, but don't think that you have seen this before. The pacing is pretty consistent throughout the movie and I never felt that the scenery, script, or characters did not all mesh very well together. Very lighthearted and fun, I recommend this movie to fans of milder anime and who can enjoy movies like Kung Fu Hustle or A Chinese Oddyssey. Dig those? You will really enjoy Goemon.
- kgrayson82
- Aug 9, 2013
- Permalink