From movie crazy Christopher Ganns, the man behind the French Cinema success of 2001 Brotherhood of the Wolf and the film magazine Starfix, comes a tale based on the famous Japanese manga, the Crying Freeman.
The story centres on a deadly assassin who works for a secret Chinese organisation. The one thing that makes this ruthless killer unique is that he sheds tears of regret each time he kills. One day an American artist witnesses him executing three Yakuzza leaders. She becomes obsessed with this mysterious killer and begins to fall deeply in love with him. The Yakuzza clans seek vengeance for their leader's execution and in an attempt to hurt the assassin, take the artist prisoner. They soon regret ensuing the wrath of the Crying Freeman, China's both most deadly and compassionate killer.
The Crying Freeman is a film of disappointment; it is one big let down. Having watched Brotherhood of the Wolf prior to this, I was expecting a film full of stylishly choreographed Kung foo and a heart warming quest. I expected Dacos to be on top form and blow me away, boy was I mistaken. The Crying Freeman is bland and unexciting. I found it impossible to relate to the main characters and found the plot overall as boring as a Sunday afternoon at grandmas, only without the free twenty pence mix up. I find it soul destroying that one of my favourite films, Brotherhood of the Wolf, could of come from the same directorial mind as this dross. As a film professional I don't often turn films off but this is one of those few exceptions. The only way I could force myself to sit through till the end was to harbour the comforting thought that soon I will critically destroy this evil and wipe it from the earth forever, to be honest I would rather have endured Chinese water torture and if the KJB are reading show your captives this and I'll guarantee they'll talk. On the other hand could this just be a case of cultural ignorance on my part. After all I don't read nor even like Manga animation and what do I know of the Yakkuzza. Can a lack of cultural understanding spoil the interpretation and therefore enjoyment of a film? Perhaps I should spend weeks researching Japan and their organised crime in order to get the most out of the film, I think not.
1/5
The story centres on a deadly assassin who works for a secret Chinese organisation. The one thing that makes this ruthless killer unique is that he sheds tears of regret each time he kills. One day an American artist witnesses him executing three Yakuzza leaders. She becomes obsessed with this mysterious killer and begins to fall deeply in love with him. The Yakuzza clans seek vengeance for their leader's execution and in an attempt to hurt the assassin, take the artist prisoner. They soon regret ensuing the wrath of the Crying Freeman, China's both most deadly and compassionate killer.
The Crying Freeman is a film of disappointment; it is one big let down. Having watched Brotherhood of the Wolf prior to this, I was expecting a film full of stylishly choreographed Kung foo and a heart warming quest. I expected Dacos to be on top form and blow me away, boy was I mistaken. The Crying Freeman is bland and unexciting. I found it impossible to relate to the main characters and found the plot overall as boring as a Sunday afternoon at grandmas, only without the free twenty pence mix up. I find it soul destroying that one of my favourite films, Brotherhood of the Wolf, could of come from the same directorial mind as this dross. As a film professional I don't often turn films off but this is one of those few exceptions. The only way I could force myself to sit through till the end was to harbour the comforting thought that soon I will critically destroy this evil and wipe it from the earth forever, to be honest I would rather have endured Chinese water torture and if the KJB are reading show your captives this and I'll guarantee they'll talk. On the other hand could this just be a case of cultural ignorance on my part. After all I don't read nor even like Manga animation and what do I know of the Yakkuzza. Can a lack of cultural understanding spoil the interpretation and therefore enjoyment of a film? Perhaps I should spend weeks researching Japan and their organised crime in order to get the most out of the film, I think not.
1/5