GOJOE (2000)
Directed by Sogi Ishii
Starring: Daisuke Ryu, Tadanobu Asano, Masatoshi Nagase
Genre: Action
Running Time: 137mins

Rating:

After a battle between the Heike and the Genji clans results in the end of the Genji line, the Heike find themselves the victim of a spiritual force that lurks at the legendary Gojoe bridge. Beheading its members with the aim of taking 1000 souls the Heike find themselves in a battle of dire consequences. Arriving at the village, Benkei, a monk seeking spiritual enlightenment, aims to carry out the task set to him by the deity of Acalanatha - to slay the demon of Gojoe bridge. However, after a battle reveals the true identity of the demon as the lost son of the Genji the battle for enlightenment and power begins to question the spirituality of all concerned unlocking the frailty of humans and the demons within us all.

Gojoe is a film that emanates a desire for greatness. With its highly talented cast, wonderful setting, lavish production and the visual mastery of Sogo Ishii at the helm, you'd expect Gojoe to be a truly great cinematic experience. And for the most, it is, there are some truly wonderful moments to savour. However, as a whole, Gojoe fails to live up to its expectations.

It seems that while Ishii has taken the time to perfect the continuously impressive visuals on display, all concerns with the plot have been cast aside in the hope that the spectacle will wash over us. And so, while Ishii does a fine job of painting over the cracks, he cannot prevent the inevitable. As the running time stretches and the plot continues to peak and subside, the underdeveloped story becomes a clear and niggling problem.

It's a shame too, because Gojoe has the look and feel of an epic swordplay film. Exploring themes of mortality, Zen Buddhism, Shintoism, humanity, revenge and hope there is so much to recommend about Gojoe. However, throughout the film all these elements stand alone failing to gel together as a cohesive whole leaving a void that, had it been filled, would surely rank Ishii's film with the greatness it desires.

The heavyweight cast provide exactly what is needed of them, instilling their characters with the strengths and weaknesses essential to the films theme. Daisuke Ryu is a particular stand out as the reformed ex-warrior Benkei. A monk of contrasting needs and desires, Ryu provides a calm, serene voice to contradict the indecisive, intense facial expressions that battle to restrain the demon within him all the while being made aware that his journey to enlightenment is through the sword and not through the mind and spiritual balance. He is a tower of strength throughout, outshining all while taking full responsibility as the lynchpin of Ishii's film.

Meanwhile, Masatoshi Nagase provides a satisfying performance as the iron smith turned scavenger, providing the moral center to the film as a go-between for religion and evil. The rational thinker who sits between both ends of the spectrum, Nagase brings the much needed human element amid the chaos of belief both good and evil.

And then there is Tadanobu Asano playing the films antagonist as the vengeance seeking, power hungry Shanao. Charismatic as ever, Asano's performance is suitably understated with very little emotion. Reigning in the urge to express physically or vocally - uttering his lines in monotone and floating through chaotic battles unphazed we are made aware of not only his nihilistic approach to life and death, but also that he is certainly a force to be reckoned with.

And what of the battle sequences? While they lack the skilled choreography of your average Hong Kong action film, there can be no denying that the two large scale battle sequences pack the power necessary. Exciting and brutally cold, men are dispatched without batting an eyelid and while the blood flows in the stylistics of slow-mo, Ishii shows impressive restraint by refraining from providing a visual overdrive in favour of a gradual build up as antagonist and protagonist get enticingly closer until they are face to face. It makes for exciting cinema.

However, this is also, rather ironically, where the film suffers. For while the build up is intense and engaging these peaks of intensity simply fritter away as on two occasions the opportunity for a climax subsides and we are forced to sit and wait for the next meeting of our hero and villain. Initially, this subsiding is acceptable, expected almost. However, with the second occurrence the build up is such that you desire the end to be near only to find that you still have another 30 minutes of exposition left before you reach the conclusion and as such the film cannot help but drag. And so, with the spiritual element no longer playing a part in the film and all musings of humanity and hope stretched out for all their worth, the re-treading of material begins to grate. It's disappointing, as the problems with the film could so easily have been solved with some minor re-structuring of chronology in order to retain the desired effect.

In spite of this, Gojoe is still a fantastic piece of entertainment. It looks beautiful with some mind blowing cinematography mixed with CG effects in the way that they should be. There are no awfully designed monsters here, we have CG that aids the cinematography much like in Fincher's Fight Club - and it is used to full effect. Yes - Ishii is very much a visual director, but regardless of the momentary lapse in narrative and characterisation there is still enough substance to keep Gojoe plodding along towards its ultimately satisfying, and explosive conclusion which is refreshingly cold in its depiction of hope and survival of good against evil. It has the potential to be incredible, but settles for second best. Gojoe is highly recommended viewing, but best viewed without high expectations.