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Good , But It Is Overrated By Some

As Good As It Gets

Watch something else. There are very few redeeming qualities to this film.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Have a friend who is a MA buff.He has strong views.He says that Chinese film makers often get confused between the pure fighting and the costume budget. Sometimes they emphasize one when they should emphasize the other.He is also harsh with the Japanese studios, saying that over the years they have given in to the exploitation market by doing films about hi--kicking karate girls, karate sisters, karate high school students, etc.So this one is a jewel. Amazingly pure to the original notion of what MA are supposed to be, a simple yet powerful script, great acting and direction.Almost the Asian equivalent of SHANE.

*Contains Spoilers*The film started off promising. I didn't buy into the whole "real karate" stuff so I didn't mind if some of the fighting was unrealistic, in fact I quite enjoyed the whole one-strike-fatal-blow scenes. My problem was the whole "not attacking no matter what" principle that the main character was drilled into implementing into his life. I don't believe that there is any martial art that would prevent you from attacking when it is needed to defend yourself or another person from someone who has evil intentions.Giryu came across as very pathetic in trying to stay true to this philosophy, his initial refusal to help save the girl who contributed to saving his life was absurd. Especially considering that she was being kidnapped and was destined to be raped/prostituted yet the karate expert didn't want to attack because of some pseudo-philosophy from his dying sensei. I found this ridiculous. The movie was essentially trying to push an irrational message. Taikan's character irked me in some ways, it almost appeared that because he saw the logic in actually using his karate (not maliciously at first) that he was immoral and bound for a life of debauchery.The final fight scene seemed boring and overly dramatic, inconsistent with the earlier fight scenes which I think were pretty well done. Overall this film could be worth a watch if you want to see something a little different to other martial arts movies, but it does have some big flaws in the plot which in my opinion lets it down.

If you like a decent story line with realistic fight scenes like in Twilight Samurai, The Hidden Blade and Love and Honour you might like this movie as well. But if you like lots of wire work and long fighting scenes with lots of unrealistic moves then watch your typical mainstream HK movies such as Legend of the Fist, Once Upon a Time in China and Iron Monkey.Simple. Just because it's a martial arts films doesn't mean we have to throw them all into one category. They are completely different types of movies. It all depends what you prefer or what you're in the mood of. Personally, I wish they made more movies like this.

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss kobushi's comments out of hand, even though I disagree -- I actually liked this movie a lot. His comments point to a central controversy in the martial arts world today, which is essential, I think to understanding this movie: Do the "traditional" arts such as karate, jujitsu, and their Chinese predecessors have any relevance at all in a world full of knives & guns? Does kata have any relevance in a world of folks who watch "mixed-martial artists" on pay-per-view and can learn how to kill with their bare hands in 10 easy Krav-Maga lessons? The movie seems to throw that question out there, and answer it with a resounding: YES! I've never heard a martial arts instructor (any style) say to ONLY use defensive techniques (even aikido has its atemi-waza) but that would be the Okinawan tradition of "karate ni sente nashi" (no first-strike)taken to its logical extreme -- if I can block every kick or punch, then in the very purest sense, I could never hit or kick you back (without violating the precept) -- nor would I need to. I'm not recommending the philosophy or even saying it is possible (even Giryu gets beat up), just trying to make it understandable. One other sine qua non of some of these traditional styles was "ichi-geki-hissatsu", (one-hit, certain death) which is visually demonstrated throughout the movie: I've personally been hit with most of the techniques Taikan uses in the fight scenes, and none came close to killing me, but if you're fighting for real, for your life or loved ones or country or king, and you've trained for full-power, that's another story, and these guys obviously were and did.That the army forced the school to teach the military is reminiscent of Gichin Funakoshi's coerced immigration to the Japanese mainland from Okinawa for exactly that purpose -- to bring "Chinese Hands (karate)" to Japan renamed as "Empty Hand".In the end, even Taikan realizes that the game is not so much about being the baddest guy on the block, or taking home the most trophies or the master's belt, but about the character you build inside along the way.Personally, I find these fight scenes a lot more interesting and in their own way more realistic than those chop-socky movies where guys (or gals) throw devastating full-contact kicks and punches at each other for 10-15 min., bow to each other, and walk away.