The Yakuza

The clash between American culture and Japanese culture is not an easy one, especially because of the traditional notion of honor that was applied to the samurai and has now crossed over in some form to the mafia. However, The Yakuza manages to capture this clash so well that it will make you believe in the main characters. Robert Mitchum was perfect for his role. (08.02.2018)

True, the filmmakers went into a lot of unnecessary detail here. Back then, it made sense since most people in the US probably didn’t know much about the Yakuza. But today, anyone who enjoys films and has seen even one Japanese-themed mafia movie has some idea of what it’s about. The first half was more of an introduction and was a bit dull. However, the second half picked up the pace, and I found myself enjoying it quite a bit. (29.06.2023)

The opening half is, sadly, too slow, which is caused by the fact that it almost the first contact of the Western audience with Japan since the war, so there is a need to explain the concepts and the Japanese personality. That is something that everyone knows in today´s world. So, the academic explanations of bushido, yakuza, katana, emotion and duty to honor and commitment is time-consuming. Sometime it looks like filmed Wikipedia articles. On the other hand, unlike many similar Western movies, it is not being disrespectful to Japanese traditions, and on the contrary, it follows the rules and specifics. However, once everything is explained and the bloodshed of getting even and paying back for old commitments, it does the job very well. Except that from the point of view of history, customs, and obligations within the yakuza it was better depicted by Japanese themselves; especially in the movies by Hideo Gosha. (26.08.2015)