Ghost Dog - The Way of the Samurai

Amazon.com

Forest Whitaker makes an unlikely modern samurai with his laser-sighted pistols, shabby street clothes, and oddly graceful gait--but then Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai is an unusual film. Quirky, contemplative, and at times absurd, it's just the kind offbeat vision we've come to expect from the fiercely independent Jim Jarmusch (Stranger than Paradise, Dead Man). Whitaker is Ghost Dog, a mysterious New York hit man who lives simply on a tenement rooftop and follows a code of behavior outlined in Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai (passages of this book are interspersed throughout the film). When the local mob marks him for death in a complicated code of Mafiosi-style honor, Ghost Dog sends a cryptic message to his foes. "That's poetry. The poetry of war," remarks mobster Henry Silva, with sudden respect upon reading the verse. He could be describing the ethereal beauty of Jarmusch's vision, full of wonderful imagery (a night drive across town seems to float in time) and off-center humor. Though it briefly stalls in a series of assassinations (Jarmusch is no action director), it settles back into character-driven drama in a quietly epic showdown, equal parts samurai adventure, spaghetti western, and existential crime movie. The film is likely too unconventional and offbeat for general audiences, but cult-movie buffs and Jarmusch fans will appreciate his idiosyncratic vision. He finds a strange sense of honor in the clash of Old World traditions, and salutes his heroes with a skewed but sincere respect. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

Minimalist Action Film.......2007-08-09

This film is truly unique and worth viewing. It has great character development and possesses a fitting sense of irony. The movie touches on the theme of loyalty more than any other film of recent memory and does so without preaching to the audience. While the film does tend to drag at certain points for the most part it is all part of a philosophical lecture on how society has become more comfortable with the absurd and thoughtless, and does not allow common sense to prevail. Not only a good drama/action film, but a movie that makes you think.

Great acting.......2007-07-24

Eastern and Western cultures and philosophies intersect in this comic drama from acclaimed director Jim Jarmusch. Ghost Dog (Forest Whitaker) is a silent modern-day warrior who lives on a rooftop shack. He spends his days breeding pigeons and playing chess in the park with his best friend, Raymond (Isaach de Bankolé), a French-speaking ice-cream man. At night he goes to work as a hit man, performing his tasks stealthily and invisibly, abiding by the codes established by HAGAKURE: THE BOOK OF THE SAMURAI, an 18th-century text.

One night, while on his latest hit, Ghost Dog encounters a mob boss's beautiful daughter, Louise (Tricia Vessey). Although Ghost Dog leaves her unharmed, her father nonetheless orders Ghost Dog's execution, to the dismay of Louie (John Tormey), his loyal retainer. As the mobsters struggle to locate the mysteriously untraceable Ghost Dog, he must find a way to protect himself while remaining loyal to Louie and the ancient codes that define him as an individual.

Jarmusch successfully tackles a variety of genres with GHOST DOG, including mob movies and spiritual samurai films. Fusing all of this with the RZA's thumping, atmospheric score, GHOST DOG remains another lighthearted, entertaining addition to Jarmusch's impressive filmography

Another fully-formed invetion from the singularly creative mind of Jim Jarmusch.......2007-07-21

"Ghost Dog" is another fully-formed invention from the singularly creative mind of Jim Jarmusch. In the 'making of' featurette, Jarmusch remarks that he envisioned Forest Whitaker as Ghost Dog because Whitaker had the presence, authority and serenity (words to that effect) to pull it off (after all, Jarmusch is asking us to like and pull for a contract killer). That choice seems prescient on Jarmusch's part - seven years after "Ghost Dog," Whitaker's acting skills, wise role-picking and genial personality landed him at the top of the heap with his justly-rewarded portrayal of Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland (Widescreen Edition).

Much of the tone of "Ghost Dog" is set by the score, drafted entirely by Wu-Tang Clan leader The RZA (who also makes a cameo appearance in the film - he's the guy in camouflage who greets Ghost Dog on the sidewalk towards the end). RZA's presence isn't an afterthought - Jarmusch says he had in mind from the start a film with RZA as an equal collaborator.

Isaach De Bankolé is a delightful presence as ice cream truck driver Raymond. Also of note: the scenes featuring a slightly younger version of Ghost Dog are, in fact, filmed with Forest Whitaker's younger brother Damon (thank you, IMDB).

Great show! Well worth five stars!.......2007-06-18

There isn't anything I didn't like about this film. Good old Forrest comes through with another superb performance and makes his character very believable. He portrays Ghost Dog - a very intelligent and thoughtful fellow - in such a way that this individual could be a very likely manifestation within the environment the story takes place in.
Equally, there is no wild and absurd special effects to mar the flow or the potential realism; no fancy super-duper martial arts moves to turn what you're watching into a farce. Ghost Dog is careful. He's deliberate. He consciously regulates his behavior and tries to adhere to the code of the Samurai. He comes across as being quite human - a person who has developed a psychological mechanism to allow him to cope and survive within a depressing and dangerous environment.
There's some humor in this movie too, as well as some telling symbolism. The scenes generating the "feel" of the show are quiet, seedy, gritty, and earthy, and when all these elements are combined with the performance of the cast it makes for a very well-done production.
Too bad there isn't more of this type of show and less of the mindless, ultra-violent, formula-type [....] that is spewed out by the cocain-sniffing hacks in Hollywood year after year.

Ghost Dog with Forest Whitaker.......2007-05-22

This is a very good film. The uniqueness of Whitaker's real-life persona enhances the unique character he brings to the screen. Ghost Dog displays all the discipline of a martial arts master but with a gun in hand. From this perspective he is far removed from the on-screen likes of Bruce Lee, Jim Kelly and Jet Li but equally as deadly. The film does not hide the fact the methods of destruction used by Ghost Dog are not only outlandish but straight out of a cartoon fantasy. This adds to its entertainment value: we know we're being taken for a ride. It's a fun trip. Whitaker's supporting cast round out this excellent ensemble work.

Average customer rating:

Mercury Rising [HD DVD]
Starring: Alec Baldwin , Bodhi Elfman , Miko Hughes , Richard Riehle , and Kim Robillard
Director: Harold Becker
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

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ASIN: B000RF1QEC
Release Date: 2007-08-14

Average customer rating:

What ever happened to Kim Dickens?
A very Good and Emotionally Charged Action Film
good action yarn
Mercury Rising (1998)
An underrated gem!

Mercury Rising - DTS
Starring: Bruce Willis , Alec Baldwin , Miko Hughes , Chi McBride , and Kim Dickens
Director: Harold Becker
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0783235119
Release Date: 1999-07-20

Amazon.com

Take off your thinking caps and toss 'em in a corner, 'cuz you won't need 'em when you're watching this deliriously dumb thriller from 1997. Bruce Willis stars as a demoted FBI agent who comes to the aid of an autistic boy whose mind holds a potentially deadly secret. It seems that by gazing on a puzzle magazine and making order out of a hidden system of numbers, the 9-year-old autistic boy (Miko Hughes) has accidentally deciphered a sophisticated top-secret government code. This makes him the prime target of the ruthless bureaucrat (Alec Baldwin, in one of his silliest roles), and Willis comes to the rescue. This formulaic thriller sets up this plot with a lot of entertaining urgency, but you can't give any thought to Mercury Rising or the whole movie collapses under the weight of its own illogic and nonsense. The redeeming values are the performances of Willis, young Hughes, and newcomer Kim Dickens as a woman who agrees (perhaps too easily, it seems) to aid Willis in his plot to outmaneuver the bad guys. Mercury Rising is not a waste of time compared to other formulaic thrillers, but its entertainment value depends on how much you enjoy being smarter than the movie. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

What ever happened to Kim Dickens?.......2006-07-23

Mercury Rising brings to the screen the story of an FBI agent who takes it upon himself to protect an orphaned autistic boy whom the NSA wants dead for having cracked a multi-million dollar government code.
What is important to note is that Alec Baldwin's words in the film do ring true when he says that America needs a secret code to protect her from espionage both from her foes as well as her allies! He is rightfully referring to a specific country in particular, small and yet extremely influential worldwide (especially within the USA), which is considered a close friend of the US and yet has repeatedly been caught spying on America. For some reason... the media always downplay the story whenever it surfaces. Hmmm...
Bruce Willis, Miko Hughes, Alec Baldwin, and the rest of the cast carry out their performances very well. Kim Dickens was delightful as Stacey; what ever happened to her?
The setting, the plot, and the dialogues are all wonderful!
As for the rating, it should have been PG-13.
In a nutshell, it's probably not a movie you would want to add to your collection, but it will surely provide for an evening's entertainment.

A very Good and Emotionally Charged Action Film.......2006-04-03

This is an action film with a lot of emotion behind it. It has a real heart felt story that questions plausibility and true credibility at times but it really hits home as it evokes genuine sentiment and feeling through a brutal world we now live in. This to date is the last great action film staring Bruce Willis. His performance of the dedicated civil servant doing what is right against all odds is admirable. His adversary Alec Baldwin stands for all that is wrong with a system that is supposed to protect our way of life and liberties while sacrificing the innocent trying to protect it at the enrichment of his own ego. At the center is a small autistic boy who supposedly can compromise Baldwin's plans who is being protected by FBI agent Willis who has fallen from grace. In simplest terms it is a film of right and goodness against greed and evil. On that level this film works. This film contains one of John Barry's last great scores as it gives credence to the story by bringing our most tearfully compassionate emotions to the surface while driving the narrative with an impassioned purpose. I like this film a lot I think because it takes the hardened tough good guy hero image and on an emotional level shows what drives him and what's really makes his heart tick.

good action yarn.......2006-01-03

Thoroughly enjoyable action flick that holds your attention throughout. One of favorite Brucey movies. The hitman is the most cold blooded assasin I've ever seen in a cop movie. To those claim "leave your brains at the door", its an action movie, its a hollywood movie, what do you expect for Christs sake ?

Mercury Rising (1998).......2006-01-01

Director: Harold Becker
Cast: Bruce Willis, Alec Baldwin, Miko Hughes, Chi McBride, Kim Dickens, Robert Stanton, Bodhi Elfman, Carrie Preston, Lindsey Ginter, Peter Stormare, Kevin Conway, John Carroll Lynch.
Running Time: 108 minutes
Rated R for violence and language.

"Mercury Rising" begins as an innovative, interesting look at govermental intelligence and the difficulties of autism, but unfortunately becomes a psuedo-"Die Hard" meets "Enemy of the State" and flops under a deflted script, mediocre acting, and lifeless direction. FBI agent Art Jeffries (Bruce Willis) is washed out after confronting his superiors after an undercover job goes bad, while Simon Lynch (Miko Hughes) is an autistic child who loves puzzles. When he cracks a code that the Government put into a magazine to test it's strength he becomes a target and his parents are murdered by someone from the NSA. Jeffries is assigned to the case when the boy goes missing and easily finds him; however, Jeffries soon realizes that this is not a simple case and that both he and the boy are in great danger as NSA Colonel Kudrow (Alec Bladwin) tries to protect his code.

Despite having a career boost in the mid-1990's with the solid "12 Monkeys" in which he showed a nice range of depth, Bruce Willis proves that he an still do pretty lame and mindless films by signing on to do this. Willis looks like he is on autopilot - and Willis on autopilot is not a good thing. He mumbles his way through it and doesn't really convince aside from when being an action hero. Hughes is really good if a little annoying, but his abilities as a young actor are obviously evident in his efforts. Baldwin's performance is reminiscent of his role in "Glengary Glen Ross" here, talking with authority and down to his staff, but he is nowhere near as good. Ginter is menacing but not given enough time, Dickens is simply thrown into the film without thought and Peter Stormare makes a fleeting appearance. In fairness it isn't that the film is really bad, it's more that it is condescending to it's audience. The actual plot is interesting; "Enemy of The State" was good using the same sort of `all powerful Government conspiracy'; however, this film feels so lazy in every approach that it spoils a potentially good foundation by not playing to its strengths and thus exposing its weaknesses.

An underrated gem!.......2005-10-27

I really enjoyed this movie. I think this is one of Bruce's best films. This movie will grab your attention from the very beginning. The kid who played Simon, is a truly gifted child actor! He's very convincing in every movie role he plays! He was fantastic in Pet Sematery, and he was only about two years old in 1989! Don't listen to the bad reviews, this movie is great!

Average customer rating:

What ever happened to Kim Dickens?
A very Good and Emotionally Charged Action Film
good action yarn
Mercury Rising (1998)
An underrated gem!

Mercury Rising
Starring: Bruce Willis , Alec Baldwin , Miko Hughes , Chi McBride , and Kim Dickens
Director: Harold Becker
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: 0783228589
Release Date: 1998-09-22

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

What ever happened to Kim Dickens?.......2006-07-23

A very Good and Emotionally Charged Action Film.......2006-04-03

good action yarn.......2006-01-03

Mercury Rising (1998).......2006-01-01

An underrated gem!.......2005-10-27

Average customer rating:

Code Name: Zebra
Starring: James Mitchum , Mike Lane , Timothy Brown , Joe Donte , and Chuck Morrell
Director: Joe Tornatore
Manufacturer: Platinum Disc
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005CDV6
Release Date: 2001-01-01

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Hitman's Code
Starring: Paul , Novac , Roth , and Brinkman
Manufacturer: Mti Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000679NNC
Release Date: 2004-12-14

Average customer rating:

Hitmans Code

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Widescreen
Optional Spanish Subtitles

ASIN: B000T2KPOU

Product Description

When an expert assassin is employed to kill someone, it's unlikely their target will survive. But in HITMAN'S CODE, a strange new twist is developed between an assassin and his prey. Quinn is the man sent to carry out the deadly deed, but when he is confronted by his target--the beautiful Tasha--he finds it impossible to carry out the task. Tasha manages to convince Quinn that she is not the drug smuggler he'd been lead to believe she was, and the two team up to discover exactly who wants her dead and why. The journey forces both of them to face up to who they are, creating a compelling, gripping thriller in the process.

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