Graveyard of Honor

Anyone expecting "just another Miike flick" might get very disappointed, as I'd claim this remake, of Kinji Fukasaku's 1975 success, to differ quite much from Miike's other works. There's a lack of comic events here, while the amount of violence is steady and non-compromising straight throughout the movie. While Miike's other works may have a sort of balance between the cold terror of Yakuza violence and fun punchlines, dark and light or whatever you'd like, this piece is leaning way more to the darker side. No one gets away with anything, women and men, they're all facing their dramatic paths down the line.

As I've mentioned above, the piece feels quite different, and at the beginning I thought it may even be bad. However, such a case didn't await me and afterward I thought it was all good. Different, but good. I prefer the other works of Miike, but that didn't disqualify this one to be a good view. Shattering, touching and filled up with non-sympathy. 7/10.

This is one movie that needs to be released in the West, it is a hardcore dark violent drama, not the typical cartoony Miike. This is probably one of the better Miike movies I've seen, no bizarre cartoon violence or strange events, a straight up yakuza crime violence extravaganza, and apparently a remake of a 1975 movie of the same name. Definitely better than the sort of dragging Araburu Tamashitachi. The lead character Ishimatsu is played by Kishitani Goro, the bad guy from "Returner". In an interview on the DVD, Miike said he wanted to make a movie about a man who didn't learn to be a Yakuza by becoming a Yakuza, but who was born that way... The main character is BAD, far worse than "Ichi the Killer's" Kakihara. Whereas Kakihara is a sort of good-natured amoral sado-masochist, Ishimatsu is a bad natured insane sociopathic drug addict killer rapist. Lots of corpses in this one, men, women, doesn't matter to Ishimatsu. Even more corpses than Ichi the killer or Dead or Alive, and some real violent and realistic knife kills and handgun assassinations, pipe beatings, and other fun. Not for people who shy away from realistic violence and sadism.

A slow burning Miike movie interspersed with bouts of extreme and graphic violence that is toe-curling real. I found the story almost Shakespearian in its handling of the dishwashers "journey to hell" and the strong themes of honour and loyalty that run throughout. I find Miikes misogynistic treatment of women disturbing, but interesting. He seems to relish every kick and slap.. but then he relishes the violence wreaked on everyone. It just jars (my Western sensibility ?)so much to see Ishimatsu brutalise his "wife".

Look out for Miike as the assassin who Ishimatsu knocks out and thereby starts his self-destructing rampage ... and what a scene ! As good as the intro of "Dead or Alive"

I may try to find Kinji Fukasaku's 1975 original which was equally controversial on its release....

All I can say is move over Coppola and Scorsese.. here comes Miike..

Took me a minute to get to grips with this movie after watching but now reflecting thinking how good it was. Great soundtrack and interesting story that covers a lot of different themes of self destruction. The protagonist is deeply unwell and the level of violence and sexual violence harrowing and gritty. Even through all the violence the theme of watching someone slowly self destruct is quite engaging. I wouldn't say you feel sadness for the protagonist but you do feel some sense of shock witnessing the events of his life which are mostly self inflicted. Quite a stirring film but took a minute to settle in my psyche. Def not a feel good movie.

Takashi Miike was on fire in the late 90s/early 2000s, putting out a ton of quality movies in a short space of time. Graveyard of Honor is no exception, and if it counts as a remake, might be one of the better one out there.

Granted, I think it's a little bloated at 131 minutes, but not too much. There's also a lot of brutal yazuka violence - as well as a lot of violence/sexual violence towards women in the first half - and some other unpleasant scenes that could (understandably) put some viewers off.

I did mostly like it, though. To make a movie with such an awful person for a protagonist and still have most viewers not want to turn it off before it ends is impressive. It makes for a gritty, sometimes harrowing, but ultimately the engrossing yakuza crime/thriller.