Mubi Monday: Brother (2000)

Another Japanese gangster directed by, written by, and starring Takeshi Kitano, Brother is a decent little character study that soars when the focus stays on the two leads at the heart of it, but stumbles when it has to work through the criminal acts and violence affecting their lives.

Kitano plays Yamamoto, a Japanese gangster who escapes to Los Angeles after his boss is killed. He has some connections there, mainly Kato (Susumu Terajima), who accompanied him on his journey from Japan, and his half-brother, Ken (played by Claude Maki). Putting a new "clan" together, largely made up of friends of Ken, Yamamoto eventually proves himself to be a strong and ruthless leader, able to deal easily with most enemies trying to stop him from growing his territory and influence. He also becomes firm friends with Denny (Omar Epps), despite the fact that their first meeting didn't go well. Unfortunately, anyone looking to profit from crime in America eventually comes up against one of the biggest gangs of them all - the Mafia.

Although Kitano is a consistently interesting and enjoyable film-maker, and I wouldn't dismiss Brother as a bad film, this seems much weaker when compared to his directorial efforts before and after. The third act, in particular, feels similar to other, better, features helmed by Kitano, despite the culture clash element putting a slightly different spin on things.

There are some nice individual moments throughout, and some sharp dialogue here and there, but nothing feels fully-formed when it comes to the central narrative strand showing the growth of the gang and the effectiveness of their tactics. The editing doesn't help, nor does the strange tone, often juxtaposing threats and murder with a flippancy or humour that lessens the impact of those acts.

For all his faults in the big chair, Kitano does better in front of the camera. He's as watchable and wonderfully laconic as he has been in many other roles, and any scene involving him and Epps together proves to be a highlight, with his co-star proving to be a perfect counter-balance, and a small window through which to glimpse what could be another road through life. The supporting cast also do well, but they essentially feel like they're surplus to requirements whenever Kitano and Epps deliver the best moments.

Whatever Kitano does is worth your time, but some of his work is more worthy of your time than others. I would still recommend this to people, especially fans of either star. It's just not one I think will be remembered a few weeks down the line. And I certainly wouldn't be rushing to revisit it.

6/10

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Netflix And Chill: Trick (2019)

Okay, let me start off this review with some positivity. The whole thing isn't going to be negative, but I think there may be moments when I ramble on a bit and give the impression that I had a terrible time. I did not. Trick is a lot of fun. It's just that it doesn't remain quite fun enough to help you overlook some of the more ridiculous moments, including some pretty big plot points.

The basic story revolves around Detective Mike Denver (Omar Epps), a man determined to catch a killer, believed to be Patrick "Trick" Weaver (Thom Niemann) who embarks on a fatal killing spree every Halloween. He attends a party, spins a knife around, and then starts getting stabby. Detective Denver, and Sheriff Lisa Jayne (Ellen Adair), keeps trying to stay hot on the trail of what may well be a supernatural killer, even if others don't buy into that theory.

Director Patrick Lussier, who once again worked with Todd Farmer on the script, has been delivering horror movies with an emphasis on fun for the past two decades. And they've managed to get a bit better and better after he was done with a number of Dracula films between 2000-2005. Trick may not be as wild as My Bloody Valentine and Drive Angry (especially that one), but it's clear that it's a film based around a fun premise, rather than one intricately plotted to weave between tense set-pieces on the way to a smart and thought-provoking final act. Nope, Lussier and Farmer want a lot of death, an element of mystery to keep the authorities on their toes, and a good mix of gore and silliness. They also throw in one or two death traps that would even make Jigsaw roll his eyes and say things were getting a bit too unbelievable (particularly when one character helps to keep another safe before ensuring they then return to the main target spot that will ensure their splattery demise).

The cast all go along with everything perfectly. Epps is actually deserving of some praise for playing his character as determined and obsessed without going into, for example, the kind of immediate manic and twitchy performance we got from Danny Glover in Saw (he is the first example to spring to mind, due to a few death scenes here, but there are many others). Adair is just as good as the woman working alongside him, casting doubt on some of his theory while continuing to put the work in and follow things wherever they lead. Kristina Reyes is a decent, strong female in her role, Cheryl Winston, a survivor of one killing spree hoping to help stop any others, and Max Miller is fun in the role of Troy, a jock who paints himself as a hero when things didn't quite pan out that way. Others do well, if they don't stand out, but genre fans may enjoy seeing Jamie Kennedy in a small role, and should definitely enjoy a wonderfully grouchy turn from the incomparable genre legend that is Tom Atkins.

I enjoyed a lot of Trick. Unfortunately, the scenes I enjoyed most where the scenes that were supposed to be highlights. They were set-pieces that quickly became ridiculous, taking me out from the viewing experience as I was unable to suspend my disbelief. But then it would get back to some smaller-scale insanity, and I was back on board.

Easier to hate than to love, I hope people give this a watch and simple enjoy it. The end runs a little too long, and has a ridiculous resolution to everything, but it's still worth 100 minutes of your time. Even if it's not a complete treat.

6/10

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