Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai

December 11, 2004

Rated: R Runtime: 116 min Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

DVD QuickTake

This is one of the most unusual movies I’ve watched in quite some time. Forest Whitaker plays a modern day Samurai whose master just happens to be a gangster. Basically he’s a hit man, but a hit man with a code of honor.

While taking care of business one night, he executes a man in front of the mob bosses daughter. Even though this same boss is the one who wanted the killing done, he’s not happy about his daughter being present and orders the assassin himself to be rubbed out. Easier said than done for two reason. First, Ghost Dog as he likes to call himself, is pretty good at his job and second, these gangsters are a bunch of morons! OK, so they aren’t the Sopranos… they are more like some twisted comedy version of a mob. Quite strange to say the least and you’ll just have to see it to understand what I’m talking about.

Two big faults with the movie come to mind. It’s a bit slow, and its kinda preachy. The interludes of Samurai wisdom dropped in between scenes is OK most of the time, but the director seems to be trying to make the movie more than it is, and it doesn’t always work.

Nevertheless, it is worth watching, but I’d rent it before buying.

Posted by John | Filed Under 2 Stars, Cliff Gorman, DVD, Drama, Forest Whitaker, Frank Minucci, John Tormey, R, Richard Portnow.