Redwarmin This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

FeistyUpper If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Nayan Gough A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Dana An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Shanger Gully *Contains Spoilers*The film started off promising. I didn't buy into the whole "real karate" stuff so I didn't mind if some of the fighting was unrealistic, in fact I quite enjoyed the whole one-strike-fatal-blow scenes. My problem was the whole "not attacking no matter what" principle that the main character was drilled into implementing into his life. I don't believe that there is any martial art that would prevent you from attacking when it is needed to defend yourself or another person from someone who has evil intentions.Giryu came across as very pathetic in trying to stay true to this philosophy, his initial refusal to help save the girl who contributed to saving his life was absurd. Especially considering that she was being kidnapped and was destined to be raped/prostituted yet the karate expert didn't want to attack because of some pseudo-philosophy from his dying sensei. I found this ridiculous. The movie was essentially trying to push an irrational message. Taikan's character irked me in some ways, it almost appeared that because he saw the logic in actually using his karate (not maliciously at first) that he was immoral and bound for a life of debauchery.The final fight scene seemed boring and overly dramatic, inconsistent with the earlier fight scenes which I think were pretty well done. Overall this film could be worth a watch if you want to see something a little different to other martial arts movies, but it does have some big flaws in the plot which in my opinion lets it down.

SenseiTrish As a Goju Ryu Instructor and a professional actress I have a unique perspective with which to review this film. I LOVED it! Some of the acting (military police) hints at Gay 90's Melodrama. However, the simple and honest portrayal of Goju Ryu Karate is thrilling to see. The three main characters are portrayed so very well. It's hard to believe that the players are martial artists and NOT actors. I, too, stumbled over the symbolism of the red balloon. After some thought, it seemed to me to be a metaphor for setting one's spirit free. Kenta first spies a red balloon flying free as he is heading to rescue his sister. While Giryu loosens a red balloon from the tree in which it is entangled, symbolizing his working out the issue he has with the restrictions placed upon him by his O Sensei and how he can be correct in the world and in his karate. It's a bit 'schtick-y', but I can deal with it as it is in line with the genre. The fighting is very realistic. It's not flashy. There are no leaping, spinning, summer-saulting back kicks. There are no nun chuckku. Don't expect to see and computer generated graphics. This movie is about pure Karate and what it means to train for your whole life. Why do we train? To fight? No, to be our best. If we must fight, we must; but it is not why we train. It is one moment of 'supreme bliss'.

Mat I'll say right off the bat, that I enjoy martial arts period pieces set in turn of the century China or Japan, so Kuro Obi was in favour from the off.By the same token, the film starts with lots of kata practice and other kihon that is completely as it is practiced in modern dojo, so the sense of connection with my art also won my approval.But things quickly took a turn for the worse with the whole "do not attack first or strike at all" theme. The idea of non-aggression is one thing, but no martial artist of note ever recommended being beaten up and never fighting back. The fact that this theme is so pivotal just indicates that the film was conceptualised by someone who never really understood the art. That this is finally revealed to mean that one is most vulnerable during attack, is another misunderstanding of the nature of combat. One is only vulnerable during attack if one's attack is ineffectual, and one is not aware of the potential for counter-attack, but I prefer the axiom "action is faster than reaction".I really liked the example of one-hit one kill throughout the film, and although it was just window dressing, scenes of the fighters practicing is beautiful locations were both enjoyable and served to establish a little credibility. The acting was very much in the oriental style, which is so over the top as to be almost operatic. Don't criticise the style - it's cultural.Ultimately, what massively let this film down was the ridiculous final fight scene, and the glib, pointless, vomit-inducing ending.The whole idea of the belt and the martial ethics portrayed in the film, simply demonstrated how little the writer truly understood the spirit and value of karate.The great tragedy is that this is one of the most karate-sensitive films ever released, but ultimately it took the easy route, instead of looking at the deeper ethics of balancing martial skill with human needs and weaknesses.If you want to see a better karate film watch "Fighter in the Wind", the semi-fictional biography of Mas Oyama, founder of Kyokushin.

kobushi Not sure what the other guy is talking about, but the movie is awful, and I speak from the perspective of one who has almost 10 years experience in the art presented in this movie.Plot (minor spoiler alert): The chasing of a piece of cloth has so little to do with karate that it's silly to even make a movie where this is one of the central plot items. The two characters, Taikan and Giryu compete for their teacher's black belt, which is one of the silliest things that karate people work for. Karate training, actual hard work, body development, and realistic self-defense take a back seat to the competition for something to keep your uniform closed.Acting: For some reason, people seem to think that posing and sulking is acting. It's not. Yes, I suppose the two main characters' acting is better than, say, that of the Military Police in the film or what you see in previous karate movies like Black Belt Jones, but I wouldn't be proud of it. At the best of times it's wooden, and at the worst formulaic. Granted, the script didn't give them much room for much acting, but it didn't sell me. The military police were absolutely terrible - they might as well have walked on and said nothing but "I'm eeeevil, mwahahaha..." Not even a wooden performance, a melodramatic cartoon that would have been better acted by Muppets. (Actually, that might have made the movie more watchable.) This may be what people are calling the Asian style, but so many other Japanese films over the years manage much greater subtlety of character and motivation, and can convey wrongness of character without resorting to overstatements. It's like saying fried Mars Bars are cultural cuisine - they're not, and there are many better things you can do with the ingredients.Direction: Much more emphasis on poetic scenes of people doing karate in tall grass or meditating in windy areas or looking tense and conflicted. The scenes are beautifully and clearly directed, which is the only reason that this gets two stars rather than one. However, the red balloon scene after the beating of Giryu is unrelated to anything and doesn't actually have anything to do with the plot, showing that the director is just trying to play up the "beautiful poetry of Asian cinema" aspect of the film rather than actually trying to make a good movie. More like "Look! Look! This is pretty! Ooh, this too! Look! Imagery..." Basically worthless to the story, but then, they couldn't make a decent movie, so they might as well make it look nice.Fight scenes: JKA Point Kumite is not a fight scene, and techniques from said kumite do not make for good fight scenes. I've never seen anyone in any real fight ever jump in, punch, and jump out again. Not going to happen. Likewise, the "block only" circular patterns that are supposed to cover the Goju-ryu part of the movie does not make for interesting fighting, or any sort of powerful set of techniques that we can believe. Finally, the lack of grappling, tegumi, locks, and throws show just how bad karate is being misrepresented in the film. It's simply a bad sport karate demonstration with no relation to the real art.Overall, this movie is not worthy of the title of karate movie, and I feel should be struck from the record.