Sukiyaki Western Django (2008)

I really didn't know what to think about this flick before I have seen it and even afterwards I'm still confused. It starts of with Quentin Tarantino sitting before a fake western city or in other words, blue key. From there it is rather okay with the snake but then it changes into a rare western with two gangs fighting against each other for a mysterious treasure. There's also a stranger walking in town.It all looks like a great western story but it is the fact that Japanese people are involved that it just didn't work out as a western. maybe you shouldn't take it all that seriously because it is also the legend of Django. And Django we all knew by Franco Nero's performance. Secondly I watched it as a Takashi Miiki flick that should be full of gore and blood. But even there it failed a bit for me because the way the gore is added is a bit laughable and even funny. Other scene's the gore just works out fine. I just have mixed feelings toward this, to be honest, a samurai story played with a western background. Not my typical Miiki flick, I prefer his old school gore flicks.Gore 2/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 3/5 Story 3/5 Comedy 1/5

Welcome to the twisted mind of one of Japan's greatest ever directors. Try not to notice Quentin Tarantino's chin invading everything that has his name on it recently, this man is responsible for everything Tarantino wishes he'd thought of while he wastes his time recreating WWII history or labelling films, that have no slashing or horrifying, slasher horrors! Sukiyaki Western Django is a tribute of sorts to original spaghetti western, Django, but also an original in its own right. When a mysterious young gunman walks into a small town in the desert, he is faced with the factions of two opposing houses; the Reds and the Whites. They are at war with each other and have been since immediately after they split from the same bunch.The Whites are ruled by a zen but cold-hearted sword brandishing leader and the Reds by a crass gun-slinging pirate-like slob leader. Standing between the bitter rivals are an aging ex-outlaw woman named Bloody Benton and a helpless Sheriff who's so extremely schizophrenic that he frequently has physical fights with himself.By choosing to stay in town and causing rumours to spread the gunman triggers the war they've all been waiting for, unleashing all the rage and uncovering their true agendas as he reveals his own; vengeance! The film goes much deeper than I can explain without spoiling it but what makes this film such a gem is that it was aimed at English speaking audiences, making its Japanese cast speak solely English; a language which they were clearly not familiar with. It makes the frequent comedy scenes between the tragedy and bitterness so much more enjoyable and gives the film that exploitation cinema feel that people have been raging about the past five years without even trying. Basically because it is exploiting itself.Quentin Tarantino has a role in the film as Bloody Benton's decrepit ex-love interest, which is both amusing yet also irritating. Tarantino's gift to film, as we've known a long time.Apart from this, the film manages to seem quite genuine despite it's efforts to be the complete opposite, sometimes switching between real locations and purposely cheap and tacky theatrical sets. What we have here is a feature length parody western that mixes up as much as it can to remain fresh and hard to second-guess as possible as it veers from methodical storytelling into eccentric, surreal and absurd comic book lunacy.If you could watch Machete, Hobo with a Shotgun and Old Boy, this is next on your list!

Sometimes a film presents itself to you as a character, whole in definition, with whom you have to deal. This is possible either because the film has a soul that the artist has created, or because the filmmaker borrows one by hijacking a genre. That is what Miike has done here. Though some of his other experiments sit well with me, this does not.Dealing with such a character is not a simple emotional (and sometimes intellectual) transaction. Sometimes it is a struggle, a contest where each party wants to pull the other into their own world. Even these than be worthwhile, but the chances go way down; motives get questioned, selves get examined when you have to struggle.I saw this together with 'Rango.' Same strategy, and even many of the same references. But as thin as Rango was, it presented a worthy character. Whether you choose to argue or even try to win is up to you. But at least you should choose your encounters wisely.Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.

This movie will be loved by fans of old Akira Kurosawa samurai films crossed with old westerns with a touch of Tarantino story play. It is a little like Yojimbo meets Pale rider.First I want to clear up a significant error that most reviewers are making comparing this movie to Spagetti westerns. This movie is NOT a copy of a Spagetti westers. In fact most Spagetti westerns ARE copies of old Samurai films many written by Akira Kurosawa. This movie has similarities with Fistfull of dollars which came out in 1964. But Fistfull is a almost word for word copy of Yojimbo which came out in 1961, just substitute a gun for a sword. Anyway BOTH Sergio Leone and Akira Kurosawa made wonderful movies.OK let me start by saying the story only starts slow...and kind of cheesy with the whole Tarantino sitting around a campfire with fake Mt Fuji in the back. But all the old westerns and samurai films should have trained you to be patient in the first 15min.The filming is brilliant has just enough color in the background, just the right amount of lighting, nice mix of angry close-ups on hero and bad guys faces. Where the movie excels in a way Kurosawa would be proud is the well used special effects mini explosion bullets, exploding blood packs and my new favorite big bullet holes. There is a lot of clever little homage bits like Eastwood's poncho and Van Cleef's long shot gun.The only points off are for the dumb part by the sheriff. It would have also been better with more sword fighting.Near the end there is a nice homage line "This is for Akira"