An Emotionally Ingenious Film Kikujiro and Kitano - Movie Review Example

KIKUJIRO AND KITANO An emotionally ingenious film that sometimes goes to the point of being violent, "Kikujiro" showcases the all around talent of its creator, Takeshi Kitano, who is already considered by many as one of Japan's most eminent directors. But that's not all. Kitano also stars in this 1999 film originally entitled "Kikujir no Natsu" (, , literally "Kikujir's Summer") under the screen name he favors as an actor, Beat Takeshi, and even wrote the story himself. This critically-acclaimed director is well-known to Western audiences for being a specialist in tense, unembellished crime episodes where periods of silence are punctuated by sudden and sharp bursts of hostility. "Kikujiro" then is the last kind of movie one would expect him to make, even if he actually skews the whole thing toward his usual yakuza/cop story style. Indeed, as a follow up to his most notable work "Hana-bi," or "Fireworks," this film seems to have gone unnoticed for the most part because of its veering toward the usual Disney-like story of a crabby old man hitting the road with a dejected kid, but then, we're talking about Kitano. He was able to make the movie look fresh, original, and even surprising. He was also able to show that his works shouldn't be stereotyped at all to the yakuza films he made, which are filled with "juxtapositions of life and death, ugly violence and beautiful serenity - and usually end bleakly with suicide." The plot: A dichotomy The movie may be looked into as somewhat having two unique parts, with the first part the more gilt-edged portion. The first half focuses on the journey for the most part. The audience follow the seemingly incompatible pair through various risky adventures such as when they hitchhiked and raced among cyclists. Everything else that happen afterwards has its foundation on the search for Masao's estranged mother in another part of Japan and surprisingly brings on laughs. The second part isn't that quite spectacular though. With the introduction of grotesque characters like the biker type men and a farmer, the series of events that ensues are unconvincing to some, even with the attempt to touch one's heart and bring around memories of childhood days when adults engage in children's activities, just to keep the children from getting bored. The result is that some scenes became a drag to some because of repetitive scenes of adults acting like children such as when Kikujiro forms an assorted crew of misfits to play with Masao and have them dress up as aliens, Indians, marine life and even watermelons. Nevertheless, with Kitano's concept of building a friendship between the most unlikely of people, it really makes for an admirable and interesting story. It is also interesting to note that Masao's scrapbook seems to provide the structure for the movie giving each chapter a fair description. Each chapter offers a well-defined character that is, in different turns, hilarious, playful, surreal, disturbing, and heartbreaking. For one, Kitano is bold enough to use a child molester as an unlikely source of black humor and subject of any child's nightmare. The variations in tone between the chapters help in orchestrating unexpected tonal shifts and works to add to the context of the story. The theme: Alienation and inclusion Kitano was also able to look into the theme of both alienation and inclusion in his very own Japanese society. In fact, the two main characters, and even most of those who help the duo along their journey, can all be considered as unwanted by the society as they were not really a part of any conventional family or group structure. The characters, on the other hand, who live a more unquestioned lifestyles are frequently conflicting with the movie's protagonists. At the onset of the story, Kikujiro reacts to their alienation with anger while the nine-year old Masao with sadness. But along their expedition, they begin to discover similarities between themselves and the circumstances in Toyohashi become a turning point for the protagonists to begin finding comfort in the shared isolation they have. The characters: Kikujiro and Masao The main character Kikujiro, with a twitching eye and a bow-legged shuffle, creates a genuinely unforgettable character who is misanthropically profane, unapologetically contemptuous, immaturely manipulative and surprisingly likable. Yet Kikujiro becomes, in the long run, poignant in spite of himself. As a matter of fact, Kitano does such a decisively quirky job that at some points of the movie, the audience may be reminded of Yasujiro Ozu's dramas, blended with an astonishingly vivid "Quentin Tarantino-like, in-your-face edginess." Some critics say that the protagonist of the movie is really Masao. With his doleful eyes and angelic face, Yusuke Sekiguchi provides the "moral compass" for the film. Whether running with arms wildly flailing on his sides or sadly playing soccer by himself, he is actually touching without being cheesy and totally natural. The direction: More on the style Kitano showcases a seamless film-making style and a "strong visual sense" in this movie which can be credited not only to Kitano's multifaceted genius - directing, script writing, and film editing skills, but also to Katsumi Yanagishima's precipitously rendered cinematography, as well as Joe Hisaishi's redolent Windham Hill-like musical score. As an action director, Kitano was surprisingly able to showcase a style that speaks of comfort in long inactivity. He actually makes the audience enjoy the down time with him and keeps the hostility and action to a minimum. There is this laid-back rhythm, a temperament to let scenes flow and unfold at their own speed rather than being forced. Some, however, would say that it's more of moving on a snail-pace, and the characteristics of the movie mentioned above, may make those used to his Zen-like gangster type movies a little bored with unexpected waxing sentiment and cuteness. Some people say humor doesn't really travel that well between cultures, and Kikujiro may just be one example that nothing can easily dispel that saying. Though some find peace in the slow pace, the Western audience may just find that the use of "Chaplinesque" humor has developed very minimally since Charlie Chaplin's time, thus making whole sections of the movie difficult to ascertain whether it is funny or just downright silly. Again, this could just be another cultural quirk, but some Westerners may just find Mister or Kukijiro a little way too much of being a grouch. He was described by one critic as "surly, ill-tempered pig who believes in getting his own way through lies, deceit, and bullying, and if that doesn't work, abuse automatically follows." This makes Kikujiro somewhat a loathsome hero then that may not be like by many Western audiences. Aside from the problematic flow of the story based on cultural views, there is another aspect that can be looked into, such as the point of view. Kitano uses a child's point of view to ascertain his own sense of humor, action, and color. The point of the story unveils through Masao's eyes, and as mentioned earlier is structured through a scrapbook that would serve as his report on how he spent his summer. Complete with photographs and headings that separate one story from the other, Masao's naivety filters the hard reality he has to face. To illustrate, when Kikujiro (or Mister as the boy calls him) is beaten up by a group of yakuzas at a country fair, the episode is given a title "Mister falls down the stairs," and the scene wherein a man attempts to molest the child is simply billed as "Scary Man." Kitano also gives the audience a peek of Masao's most vivid and often dreadful dreams. In the most detailed vision, brought upon by the sighting of a tattoo of big bloody face on Mister's back, an ominous stranger in red makeup and clothing performing a ritualistic dance keeps the child away from his mother. The audience is also treated to images that show that children notice more details than busy adults, such as seeing the world through a dragonfly's eyes or the reflections created by a moving car's bumper or something. All throughout the movie, the naivety, choreography, and intensity of the boy's dreams very much corresponds to those of the actions shown by Kikujiro, that it is difficult to draw a line between the boy's imagination and Kitano's or Kikujiro's. The undercurrent of violence present in "Kikujiro" is natural according to some critics since Kitano's earlier works are known for them, but the movie does borrow from the director's former movies to add weight to film's opening credits, featuring primitive-like red, blue, and pink pictures of angels (painted by the director himself). Just like "Hana-bi," which was awarded the Golden Lion at the 1997 Venice Film Festival, Kikujiro also portrays the part of a protector, only this time to Masao and perhaps not as efficient, but with the same sincerity. It comes as no surprise then if some critics say that this is "'Fireworks' with graphic violence left out." Last note: On Kitano's comedy "Comedy arises when people are treated like objects," one critic commented. This certainly applies to Kitano's film. Traditional acting is not the main asset of comedy in this movie. It's actually framing and timing that count for it. Kitano produces a gag scene in a wide-shot, then shows it coming from afar; sometimes, it comes all of a sudden, right from an angle that the audience didn't expect. Kitano also has this tendency to use people as props, but transforming them is never complete. They may be dressed up or posed in the kind of shots Kitano loves, but the characters always seem to look like embarrassed figures in a postcard, unsure of what to do. This awkwardness is where Kitano draws comedy to the dismay of some. Much more could be said about Kikujuro, whether positive or negative. But since many find it worthy to be talked about, one can say that Kitano was indeed able to break away from the mold where he is being put into by the sterotyping audience. References: Infofreak. Takeshi Kitano's most underrated movie. (2003, November 22). Retrieved March 31, 2008 from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0199683/usercomments Uyeshima, E. Beat Takeshi's Audacious, Edgy and Heartwarming Road Movie. (2005, December 13). Retrieved March 31, 2008 from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0199683/usercomments Ebert, R. Kikujiro. (2000, June 30). Retrieved March 31, 2008 from http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articleAID=/20000630/REVIEWS/6300303/1023 The ending feels as if it comes long before it's actually over. iF Magazine. Retrieved March 31, 2008 from http://efilmcritic.com/review.phpmovie=4362 McCoy, D. Kikujiro. (2000). Reel Review. Retrieved March 31, 2008 from http://www.reel.com/movie.aspMID=129834&buy=closed&Tab=reviews&CID=13#tabs Razlogova, E. My Summer Vacation. Retrieved March 31, 2008 from http://popmatters.com/film/reviews/k/kikujiro.shtml Urban, A. Kikujiro. Retrieved March 31, 2008 fromhttp://www.urbancinefile.com.au/home/view.aspa=4249&s=Reviews Gough, L. Kikujiro. Retrieved March 31, 2008 fromhttp://www.urbancinefile.com.au/home/view.aspa=4249&s=Reviews Stefan S. Japanese Film Fest: Kikujiro (Kikujir No Natsu). (2006, October 24). Retrieved March 31, 2008 from http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2006/10/japanese-film-fest-kikujiro-kikujir-no.html Kikujiro. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved March 31, 2008 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kikujiro Read More