Black Belt

Tracked it down because one blogger named it one of the top MA movies of all time. No, sorry. On the plus side, was great to see real practitioners on screen. (Unlike the zillion dollar hit series Cobra Kai, for eg). But the story did not not work for me. A martial art known worldwide for strikes ... but the student cannot strike? The trope of the wounded fighter getting shelter from the common folk was used successfully in several Jet Li films ... but completely misses the mark here. And the ending was also disappointing. (WARRIOR 2011 heads my list of the best 165+ films ever -- check it out).

Awesome flick. I have nothing to add to the other reviewers comments, except that with 40 years of studying Goju Ryu Karate (the martial art depicted in the film) - I LOVE IT! No, the ending fight scene isn't the most realistic, but I think we're dealing here with an artistic representation. This I a piece of cinema, not MMA. Kuroobi joined After the Rain as one of my favorite Japanese films, and favorite films, overall. Great spirit in the film and it poses a number of philosophical questions that we, as karateka, daily struggle with as we try to make karate an integral part of our lives. Karate is life, life is karate. This is part of the struggle depicted in the film. While this definitely isn't a kid's night movie (the themes are a bit too mature for that), it does lend itself to peer discussion or use as a teaching tool with adult students.

It was a pleasure to see on screen the true soul of one of the more traditional martial art. The story is great and the masters who play the lead characters do a great job, but for me, what the film was all about is simple as one word: Karate, the soul of the art, the realism of the fights, the Kata, just everything in the movie looks so real and pure. I think in some ways this film reminds me the works of Yoyi Yamada (the hidden blade - the twilight samurai) who also show the realism of the samurai warrior in his last days. For all of you who has practice some kind of martial art, this is a must! but like another comment said, don't expect tony jaa kind of fights, but the simplicity an power of the karate art. great film

The lead actors are real-life Karate masters - Tatsuya Naka (7th Dan JKA Shotokan karate, Akihito Yagi (7th Dan Meibukan Goju-ru Karate), and Yuji Suzuki (1st Dan Kyokushin karate) and action consists of authentic karate techniques.

The acting and plot are engaging on their own - but if you're done some karate in your life, it's even more satisfying.

This is truly a great film. Original and refreshing in its presentation. Sure, the plot can be easily deduced, but the environment, film direction, pure beauty of clean karate used appropriately makes this movie a real winner.

The picture is beautiful, cinematography excellent. You develop a real connection with the characters as well. The movie is also suspenseful and engaging. The fighting scenes are spectacular. It also captures the historic period of 1930's Japan very well too.

You can even learn something by watching this movie. There are lessons of life to be learned and you can come away feeling very satisfied that your time was well spent.

This is one of those movies where after watching it you say, "Wow."