Rating: 
Summary: An ~odd~ Yakuza flick...
Review: First and foremost it should be noted that this isn't your average Yakuza flick (although than again, in modern japanese film what is?). At first I found the story/plot of this film somewhat hard to follow, and even up to the end I had several questions as to the motives of some of the characters, namely Jijii and why he is so hell bent on killing the yakuza (which is never explained). There are MANY scenes that are just down right strange and left me going "WTF?!" but they were nonetheless interesting and in most cases played in with the plot.One of my main pet peeves with this film though, was the director's use of multiple languages. One of the characters (who was apparently Chinese), would occasionally speak in English and mandarin to the other Japanese characters and strangely, they would respond in Japanese as if it's nothing out of the norm (and they understood it perfectly). I found this to be very awkward, and quite frankly stupid. The director (Miike) is known for this and has used this style of communication in some of his other films (Dead or Alive 2-3). I'm not sure what this is supposed to symbolize, but it's very corny to say the least.... Aside from the above mentioned, the film has quite an interesting plot (albeit a strange one) about an S&M Yakuza who seeks revenge for the killing of his boss and on the way encounters some interesting/silly/corny characters. It's a good film, but I would only recommend it to people interested in Japan/Yakuza/Anime etc. People who are not particulary interested with Japan would probably find this movie to be to strange to watch. In terms of a JAPANESE FILM, I'll give it 3 stars.
Rating: 
Summary: a few comments
Review: I would just like to make a few comments about this film. First, Miike is my favorite director. There is one reason that I love all his films....and that is quite simply because they are fun. Ichi is a violent film, but damn, it's a fun film to watch. I'm not going to go into a study about why his films are great or what they mean, because honestly, I don't care. He is a director that I get excited about and cannot wait to see what he does. Everytime I get a new movie by him I am on the edge of my seat to watch what he has created. In my opinion he has no rules in what he includes and that is what is so fun about him. Never have I found a director that has entranced me as much as he has. Second, someone in a review said that us "older folks (20-30+)" should stop watching Miike's films. I'm 30 and age has nothing to do with liking his films or not. The reviewer was correct, however, when he talked about being open-minded. If you can't be open-minded and have fun with his films; you are going to miss out on an opportunity to see something new and entirely enjoyable.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best movies ever
Review: This is Possibly one of the best movies ever. The violence is not there to just try to shock or amaze you, but it serves a purpose as to show you the extent of ichi's sadism. It is about a man looking for the killer of his boss, and possibly the most pain he could ever experience. While not everyone will like it, It is definitly one I reccomend for all.
Rating:
Summary: Don't eat anything while watching this
Review: This movie is one of the most extremely gory movies ever made, but thats not all! It has a great Plot and thats pretty rare in an Extreme gore Movie. DOnt, by all means watch this if you have a weak stomach! I tell you some scenes are extremely violent.
Rating:
Summary: Enlighten me, please, im begging you
Review: I am not going to say anymore about Ichi the Killer other than you need to see it (if you find foreign cinema to be at least entertaining if not mentally engaging). I am in total agreement with the person who wrote the latest review (overview?) of Miikes work. It seems to me that if you cant find Miikes films to be the least bit fun than how could you possibly appreciate Francos, Rollins, or Arrabals (just to name a few directors) more personal filmmaking. You see (and NONE of you can disagree with me) Miike in general is not a personal filmmaker (there is one exception which I will mention later). He makes his films on the basis that the audience wants to be entertained and on that premise he delivers. So to me it seems to be a total and absolute paradox that some of you could literally watch ANY film and actually derive any entertainment from it what so ever if you cant through Miike. Esotericism,iconoclasm,political and all other forms of more philosophical and idealized filmmaking would be based far too much in psychology rather than in the viscerality of violence and images for you to comprehend let alone enjoy, so where is the middle ground for you? Basically, what im trying to say is that Miike makes his films with the help of the rudimentary building block of all movies and does it the best of any director. And if you cant see that in his repertoire please dont try to see it in any films that deal with a subject matter that is even the least bit profound in its implications. If you can watch, lets say Fudoh, and see and respect it for what it is than there probably wont be any tribulations to you watching Viva la Muerte or a film of higher meaning. But as is very obvious to me most of you are either totally arrogant or backwards in the way you view not only Miikes films but really the essence of a single image of any movie flittering across the screen. Watch it for what it is, if theres symbolism interpret it to the best of your ability, if its a film that at its core is just trying to entertain like Miikes films, than just be entertained and if you cant than turn it off. I am so unbelievably tired of hearing how some of you watch his films to the end and then try to justify why hes not a "good" filmmaker (hey man if you dont like it dont watch it, just save your breath). What is a good filmmaker to you? Is martin scorsese good, maybe. Was he really being anything but inept when he rehashed the exact same idea with three of his films(casino, goodfellas, and the godfather) without any attempt at visualisation. Absolutely not. Miike might use simplistic and similar plots for most of his yakuza films but, jesus, at least he doesnt use dead pan direction. Its adrenaline, its violence, its against formality and yes contary to some it IS entertaining. I would really like to hear what some of you visagal fans of Miike have to say about my little essay. Do you agree with me that Miike is an across-the-board director who really shouldnt have limits to who finds his films worth while or is he a filmmaker that only a select few can truly appreciate? Hopefully a realisation will occur among some of you that his work is the closest youre going to get to watching a movie that isnt concerned with a higher meaning or of something other than being just unforgettably entertaining. And when this does happen maybe you will be able to start viewing this and all films with less of a closed mind and be more susceptible to the power of what is, not what could have been. I might as well mention that Miikes film Audition does have a sociological comment behind it which seems to pertain to the male/female parallel in Japan. Whether this was intentional or not I can not say. But it is evidence that Miike is a very acclimatable filmmaker who can surely branch off into different genres and types of filmmaking if necessary. But I personally encourage him to keep at what hes doing. "When you put the emphasis on the images of a movie there is no boundary to what can be expressed", that came from the mans own mouth. I advise you to watch his films with that in mind or dont watch them at all. P.S. I would really like you guys who disagree with one or more aspects of my article to write a review and list what you think about my perception (hell I might be pretentious but you and I both know Im right). Give me your best shot turkeys! Oh yeah, just in case you havent realised, this text that I wrote isnt so much of an introspective or informative view on miike (thats not what I intended) as it is a nice big neon lit F U in bold face letters to all you popos who think miike is either convuluted or contrived, what a joke. The goal of this text is to get as many of you to disagree with me as possible. So start racking them up. Lets see how many of you NEED to approach Miike with trepidation.
Rating:
Summary: A GREAT FILM HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION
Review: ichi is a wonderful film which im sure is in accordance with most other people who have seen it. miikes concept of using violence and sexual imagery to counteract/compound his visuals is at the forefront of the movie,even moreso than in fudoh or D.O.A. ichi proves that miike is a true guerilla fimmaker who has no remorse and no restraint. he doesnt abide by let alone give a s*** about normal plot devices or anything else other than what hes shooting at that moment. i find it very funny that there are those people who think hes a hack (tarantino anyone?) or that his films are without any logical rhyme or reason. well sorry bud but there is and if your too close minded (stupid?) to see it stick to watching EXTREME ops and too fast too furious.(WOW stimulating entertainment)cant you realize that miikes films are unique to him and only him. the guy technically created his own genre w/ his so called "yakuza" films which in actuallity is a very restrictive and limiting categorization for they are NOT "yakuza" films they only bare a superficial resemblance in that the main characters are gangsters and the plots generally deal with revenge honor etc. but trust me its almost like black and white. all of his gangster movies really shouldnt have been any more than that. but overlooking standardized plot cliches and really reverting back to why movies were made in the first place (to show images particularlly of a fantastic nature) miike has created an amalgamation of grand guignol violence, vividly beautiful and indelibly memorable images, and lastly a one of kind universe of filmmaking that is both captivating and intriguing (true cinema fantastique) a takeshi kitano or scorsese he is not. but a totally unequaled visualist who can attain god knows what through his medium of expression he is. so if you arent crass and can take more than one dimensional cinematography and characters go out and buy rent or steal ichi and all of miikes films immediately (HURRY!) you will have an indefinite amount of gratitude to pay to this true cinema auteur. as a sidenote i would just like to ask all of you older folks (20-30+) to either stop watching his films or else stop making those aciduous comments. i mean come on guys if you dont like his films dont watch them just stick to domestic movies. "a body becomes stiff unless you change old blood with new" im sure this maxim isnt to profound of a statment for you to grasp and rather than allude to what it means i think ill tell you straightforward STAY THE HELL OUT OF MIIKES AND PROBABLY ALL FOREIGN MOVIE TERRITORY (no jodorowskys or svankmajers for you)as apparently youre to overtaken with the facade of special effects that hollywood has passed off as movies and let miikes body of work be infused with the blood of THE NEW GENERATION. (you know who you are)
Rating:
Summary: Another insanely stylized Takashi-sama film
Review: Ichi The Killer is another example of the level of expertise at which Japanese film makers are creating at in the new millennium. Ichi contains some of the most vivid scenes of violence ever put down on film, and frames them in such a stylized manner that you are completely pulled into their hardcore-ness. Scenes are driven by fascinating characters that live in a world where splitting foes down the middle, accidentally opening jugulars, and disfiguring suspected murderers with boiling oil are all everyday occurrences.
Takashi Miike has once again created a film whose method of style is totally and completely enveloping, leaving any viewer dumbfounded, frozen in her tracks. If you ever seen any of Takashi-sama's films, and found yourself enjoying his unique visual stylings, you will love Ichi The Killer. If you have enjoyed someone "bleed-out" through an opened jugular, whether it was animated or in a live action film, you will love Ichi the Killer. If you breathe, you will love this movie. I promise anyone out there who sees at least one Takashi Miike film, will fall in love with his style.
Rating:
Summary: Sick and twisted
Review: So incredibly violent. The violence goes from insane, almost cartoon-like excesses, to slow, sadistic, ûber-realistic torture. And if this isn't enough for you, the sexual undercurrents are strong, and the psychological traumas of the main characters ensures a good portion of mind-violence as well. Yet it is so extremely well made. The direction is smart and tough, and the actors are hamming it up beautifully, even for Japanese actors. Fabulous entertainment if you can take it. Not a date movie.
Rating:
Summary: takashi miike
Review: As most fans know takashi miike is one of the most ground breakingly visual directors working today. few directors have his eye for camera placement and movement in order to convey subtlety and grace (audition) or a hyper kinetic rapidity (dead or alive). he is more of a visualist than anything else although his films do generally have an underlying social context to them which does show him to be an adept storyteller. it irritates me that there are those few who watch his films for the violence rather than for what his films are truly unique for which for anyone with half a brain cell knows is the aestheticism of the cinematography. i have yet to see ichi the killer but from what ive heard about it it sounds like it could quite possibly be miikes crowning achievement with some of the most stunning visual artistry of any of his previous films. hopefully with the upcoming region 1 release some of his supposed fans will be able to find a new appreciation for his work.always remember a picture is worth a thousand words.
Rating:
Summary: without a doubt the most disgustingly beautiful film ever ma
Review: So many people are idiots when it comes to Miike Takashi. One guy here said "the story is thin, but its made up for in gore." God i hate you. You're not a "fan". You watch it for the guts. Thats only half of what Miike offers. Ichi the Killer has a tremendously complicated but incredibly well detailed plot, with a plethora of ambiguous interpretations ready for the watcher. This is an art film. Not an action film. The gore is there so the viewer can realy see the impact of the ending and, though i hate the expression, "what the film means". This is truly for people who have more than half a brain cell, and those who love David Lynch and hyper surrealty. This movie made me cry. It has some of the most beautiful imagery you will ever see. The kind that will stick with you for the rest of your life. And the greatest line in modern cinema. Plus the violence is coooool.
Sigining out,
Peter McKeand. Asian film extraordinaire. "there's no love in you punches."
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