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Crying Freeman

  • 1995
  • 1h 42m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
14K
YOUR RATING
Crying Freeman (1995)
Gun FuActionCrimeThriller

A beautiful artist anticipates dying at the hands of a hypnotized assassin for a Chinese Triad, but he instead becomes her lover and protector amid a brutal war with a Yakuza clan.A beautiful artist anticipates dying at the hands of a hypnotized assassin for a Chinese Triad, but he instead becomes her lover and protector amid a brutal war with a Yakuza clan.A beautiful artist anticipates dying at the hands of a hypnotized assassin for a Chinese Triad, but he instead becomes her lover and protector amid a brutal war with a Yakuza clan.

  • Director
    • Christophe Gans
  • Writers
    • Kazuo Koike
    • Ryoichi Ikegami
    • Christophe Gans
  • Stars
    • Julie Condra
    • Kevan Ohtsji
    • Mark Dacascos
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.4/10
    14K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Christophe Gans
    • Writers
      • Kazuo Koike
      • Ryoichi Ikegami
      • Christophe Gans
    • Stars
      • Julie Condra
      • Kevan Ohtsji
      • Mark Dacascos
    • 83User reviews
    • 41Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 1 nomination total

    Photos159

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    Top cast42

    Edit
    Julie Condra
    Julie Condra
    • Emu O'Hara
    Kevan Ohtsji
    Kevan Ohtsji
    • Takeshi Shimazaki
    Mark Dacascos
    Mark Dacascos
    • Yo Hinomura…
    Debbie Podowski
    Debbie Podowski
    • Customs Agent
    Murray Lowry
    Murray Lowry
    • Head Customs Agent
    Byron Mann
    Byron Mann
    • Koh
    Mikal Tang
    • Koh's Driver
    Rae Dawn Chong
    Rae Dawn Chong
    • Detective Forge
    Jerry Wasserman
    Jerry Wasserman
    • Chief Randall
    Tchéky Karyo
    Tchéky Karyo
    • Detective Netah
    • (as Tcheky Karyo)
    Mako
    Mako
    • Shudo Shimazaki
    Tong Lung
    Tong Lung
    • Shimazaki's Bodyguard
    Kiyoto Matsumoto
    • Shimazaki's Bodyguard
    Paul McGillion
    Paul McGillion
    • Detective
    Russell Ferrier
    Russell Ferrier
    • Detective
    Rav Toor
    Rav Toor
    • Detective
    • (as Ravinder Toor)
    Janie Woods-Morris
    Janie Woods-Morris
    • Mery
    Yôko Shimada
    Yôko Shimada
    • Lady Hanada
    • (as Yoko Shimada)
    • Director
      • Christophe Gans
    • Writers
      • Kazuo Koike
      • Ryoichi Ikegami
      • Christophe Gans
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews83

    6.414.1K
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    Featured reviews

    redbullwodk

    reliable

    This is one of the best movies you'll ever find! It may be a b movie but it has more class than 10 blockbuster-megaproduction-movies together. The story along with the atmosphere is fantastic, beautiful locations, the acting is quite good, and most of all, the directing is superb. For a debut and a limited budget, the director: Christoph Gans (brotherhood of wolf) made something no one could expect. The story is put on the screen driven by first class camera work and effects, varied with the most stylish action scenes ever made. Beautiful details, special moves, original killings and many slow motion gunbattles(also in a original style) makes every actionfan happy during the entire movie. If you don't like the story (witch would be surprising) you certainly wanna watch this beauty for the actionscenes alone. Christophe Gans takes obviously his influence by directors like john woo, but does this without copying and manages to create a style of his own. He's one of the greatest. Personally, i think it's better than the matrix because it's not so excessively and far-fetched, makes the action more real. In fact, its actually wrong to compare it with the matrix, it's a totally different movie. It's more right to compare it with movies like the killer (john woo) for example. For me, this movie is on my all-time favourite list, and the director has a place in my heart like robert rodriuegez, Tarantino, john woo, johnnie to... Bottom line: If you like non-usual (action)movies that try to be something special, with a little more storyline and competent actors, and/or action packed movies with loads of original and impressive shootouts, this is your thing, no doubt!
    HaN-hAn

    Best thing next to the Manga version

    Marc Dacascos is well cast in this role. he has a Manga like face that seems very perfectly symmetrical and too innocent to be a killer. Which adds to the legend that the Freeman is simply a hermit artist, a potter who keeps to himself and, were it not for the Sons of the Dragons, would have stayed that way.

    The movie is a close adaptation to the Manga without trying to do the inimitable. Marc Dacascos is an acknowledged martial artist and acrobat which adds only to the credentials he brings to the movie. Of course, as all avid manga watchers will know, there is always a perverted dimension to the Manga movies. This is not so apparent in this movie adaptation, but suffice it to say that the romantic interest in this movie, has a face which seems so beautiful and tender, it could have come right out of a Japanese novel.

    Superb watching. I recommend it to anyone who liked the Manga.
    7starpeople

    Brilliant work of art

    Some spoilers may follow.

    "Crying Freeman" is one of my favorite movies ever. I can watch it again and again many times. This movie is first of all a work of art. It is uncanny beautiful, in every small detail. Almost each episode I can watch through as if it were a picture of a talented artist. Graceful, elegant, very aesthetic - CF is a masterpiece of visual art. I fell in love with it when I first saw the starting credits: a wonderful katana sword turning and revealing the title in a flash: "Crying Freeman". And the rest of the credits, no less beautiful. I thought that if the creators of this movie could make the opening title so stunningly beautiful, then the movie itself would not disappoint me as well. And it didn't. But besides visual beauty, CF has a marvelous plot, actors and... Well, I'll simply say the whole blend of all things that make a movie is perfect in the "Crying Freeman". And again, when I try to describe my impression from some part of the movie, I can think of only one word - beautiful. No, even "fair". Yo Hinomura, deadly and elegant, as a katana blade. Beauty of death. And his another side - soft and artistic. Beauty of art and poetry. Emu O'Hara, fair and tender. Beauty of peace and modesty. Lady Hanada. Even she has the beauty - of pride and honor. Beauty can be found in every detail.

    And deep layers that accompany each Christophe Gans' movie... You might watch "Crying Freeman" a hundred of times and on the hundred and first you'll something you haven't seen before.

    I am very grateful to all the people that made the creation of "Crying Freeman" possible.
    katzarai

    Late night surprise.

    This film received such an unfortunate review in my TV guide that I would not have chosen to watch it. I was sitting in bed with a book, completing the wearisome process of taking my medication when my partner changed channels. I said 'I know what this movie is' & provided him a synopsis. (He went to sleep.) I was hooked from the opening scenes on the cliff. The style of the film still seems somewhat simplistic but neverless has enormous impact. This film hits on a far deeper level than outright action. Perhaps it is the trapped feelings of the lead characters which forms the basis of interaction for the viewer. I still don't know but I find that I must buy the dvd. This film made me feel and that is so rare nowadays.
    PoPcoRn_

    beautiful

    I thought that this movie was great. At first I was not sure whether this would be good because of Dacascos history of bad karate flicks in the past. After seeing this movie I have now become a fan of Mark Dacascos. If you want to see a beautiful movie watch CRYING FREEMAN.

    Best Emmys Moments

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    Related interests

    Keanu Reeves in The Matrix (1999)
    Gun Fu
    Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)
    Action
    James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)
    Crime
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Julie Condra and Mark Dacascos met and co-starred in this film, and then they married in real life.
    • Goofs
      Yo is clearly naked when he approaches Emu's bed, but after the love scene he suddenly has a white jockstrap on.
    • Quotes

      Shido Shimazaki: "The Sons of the Dragon" exist! And so does the Freeman!

    • Crazy credits
      Leaves Wrangler: insert unit, Los Angeles - Gilles "James" I
    • Connections
      Referenced in Fulltime Killer (2001)
    • Soundtracks
      Active Lion
      Performed by the Fung Hang Orchestra

      Courtesy of Fung Hang Record Ltd.

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    FAQ16

    • How long is Crying Freeman?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 24, 1996 (France)
    • Countries of origin
      • France
      • Canada
      • Japan
    • Languages
      • English
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • Убивця, що плаче
    • Filming locations
      • British Columbia, Canada
    • Production companies
      • Crying Freeman Productions
      • Davis Films
      • Fuji Television Network (Fuji TV)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • FRF 30,000,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 42m(102 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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