cjk_35

Matt D Wilson (not the colorist) and Chris Sims (Not the quarterback) host a podcast about comic books and popculture. They engage in humorous and insightful conversations about comic books, tv, movies, Swords, and video games during which they often times consult with a machine on whether or not something rules. They also conduct interesting interviews with professional comic book creators including audience listener questions from people like Stone Cold Steve Austin. It's the perfect thing to listen to while washing the dishes.

The other reviewer is saying that this documentary is for hard core Image fans only, and he might be right, because I am so massively pumped and inspired right now. This film for me was a shot of adrenaline and screaming pep talk. As a big fan of Image this is the comic book documentary that I've been waiting for. This documentary shows the original seven founders McFarlane, Liefeld, Larson, Lee, Silvestri, Valentino, and Portacio as rock stars making history. Starting with their skyrocketing launch in the early nineties to their downfall in the late nineties. Then back up with the early Twenty first century. There are many honest interviews with all of the founders as well as newer Image writers. If you love Todd McFarlane then watch this it's got plenty of his interviews in it as longer as all of the other founders. If you can't get enough of big spikes, big guns, bloody violence, backbreaking beautiful women, intense splash pages,and shoulder pads. Then this is your drug.

Usually I start reviews with a plot summary, but it is not necessary. The title says it all. It's Japanese, but don't worry about having to keep up with the subtitles. None of the dialogue is worth reading. All of this movie is, is lousy fight scenes and training in between.

Now I could write about the acting, the directing or the production design etc. but I'm not, they are all lousy. Instead I'm going to write about the fighting, because when it comes to a movie like this, that is what is important. The fights are mildly entertaining. They are obviously fake. Very few of the attacks look painful. In a few shots it visible that the punch or kick doesn't make contact, yet the actor still acts like he is in intense pain. All of the fights are rather one sided and feature basic fighting moves. There is nothing amazing in this movie. No dangerous stunts or amazing attacks. Sure there are high kicks, but they are all replayed and disrupt the flow of the scenes.

Now I would like to touch on the camera work. I usual don't notice the camera work in movies, but it was terrible. There are jump cuts, shakiness and odd angle that make the fight scenes even more unpleasing. There also long pause to create drama, but only create yawns.

There is one good thing I can say and that is that the movie is inspirational for teenage girls interested in karate. The main character is someone that girls can relate to. She is also a good role model. At the beginning of the movie she is disobedient. Then over the course of the movie she learns to respect her teacher. It does teach some morals for teenage girls. It also show the amount of discipline need to learn karate.

Over all I give the movie a four out of ten and that is generous.