Saturday, January 16, 2016

DER SAMURAI (THE SAMURAI) (2014)



Written, Edited & Directed By: Till Kleinert 
Cinematography By: Martin Hanslmayr 


Cast: Michel Diercks, Pit Bukowski, Uwe Preuss, Kaja Blachnik, Ulrike Bleifert, Christopher Kane, Yvonne Yung Hee

A wolf strives through the woods around an isolated German village. Jakob the young local police officer is onto him, but scents something more in the darkness. What he finds is a man, it seems, wild eyed, of wiry build, in a dress. He carries a katana, a Samurai sword. When the Samurai invites Jakob to follow him on his crusade towards the village, it becomes Jakob's mission to pursue the lunatic to end this wanton destruction. At the end of the night Jakob has experienced too much, is too far from whom he once was. Something hidden has been unleashed to meet the first rays of daylight.

The film is more about momentum then any action. Though action does come up now and again and you keep waiting for it. Then when it finally happens it is over so quick that if you blink you will miss it. Though feel the aftermath and repercussions.

As the action is more horror movie massacre mode action then choreographed evenly paced action. So that they are not impressive. Once they do come around.

The reason you look forward to the action is that the film is so slow that you look forward to any type of excitement in this film.

The film tries to stay mysterious, but seems a case study in Psychology 101. As the film tried to leave you with many questions that by the end there aren't many answers and you might find that you don't have any questions as you don't care anymore and just want the film to end. As it just seems to seek to be weird and believe that, that equals interesting. Though really it seems to hair be that way to intentionally become a cult film.

As it has a main character who is a giant muscular man. Who walks around in a dress carrying a sword massacring people with at first it seems little rhyme or reason. The protagonist is a kind of simple wimpy deputy who is hot on his heels and at first usually cowers when confronted by him. Then gains bravery trying to hunt him down. As the killer seems to have a kind of crush on him.

The film has graphic violence galore, but other than a shot of nudity. That is as close to controversial that the film truly gets.

We are given a sort of explanation for everything. This film seems more on it's way to follow it's own mythology mindset.

Like a student film it seems to have a lot of intended symbolism. We are supposed to interpret for ourselves, but believe we will find at a certain point you won't care. Even though the film isn't very long.

The direction and tone of the film also tries to be mysterious and subtle, but I found it to be more obnoxious and overconfident. With an attitude if you as an audience member don't get it that's your problem and you just aren't smart enough.

It's a shame as the film seems to have promise overall and in it's inception before it just seems to drag itself to the finish line.

What comes from all this is Though the film leaves us to wonder did he will him into existence. Is he an evil animal spirit who has been watching and waiting to be invited into being. As he seems to kind of be the cops ID.

I say skip this. Go out and fed better experimental features that are fun and goofy.


Grade: F

No comments: