025 4 Being that the very first Kitano Takeshi film I watched was the bittersweet comedy Kikujiro I had quite a surprise waiting for me when I popped Fireworks into my DVD player almost three years ago . Instead of the loquacious , witty character he played in the former film , the audience is instead presented with the stony , taciturn Nishi who could give a blank piece of slate a run for its money for a deadpan expression . Not knowing quite what to expect and having the whimsical images of Kikujiro still in my head , I was a bit disappointed with the film when I watched it the first time , but after repeated viewings and having viewed most films in which he has directed and / or acted has given me a greater appreciation of the film which many still consider Kitano's masterpiece .
A very quiet and sometimes brutal man , Nishi works alongside his partner Horibe to keep crime , yakuza , down in the streets of Tokyo . If this job was not stressful enough , Nishi has also recently suffered the loss of his daughter and his wife has been diagnosed with leukemia . In order to make ends meet and to pay his wife's increasing hospital bills Nishi is forced to borrow money from the yakuza who he is supposed to be keeping off the street . However , unlike most who are in dept to the yakuza , Nishi is unafraid of those who he is in debt to and even goes as far as to pierce the eye of one yakuza with a pair of chopsticks . With his stoic nature it seems that Nishi is willing to endure his life's situation for as long as it takes . However , one-day Nishi's world is turned upside down .
While on a stakeout with Horibe and two other policemen named Tanaka and Nakamura Horibe suggests that Nishi go to the hospital to check on his wife . Refusing to do so at first , Nishi eventually goes after Horibe has egged him on enough . However , while at the hospital Nishi learns that Horibe has been gunned down by a yakuza . Later , while stalking the yakuza gunman , Tanaka gets killed and Nakamura is injured . With his rage beyond boiling point , Nishi empties his gun into the body of the gunman . Losing his career as a cop , Nishi decides to make amends with his former coworkers and their families , but his methods are far from normal .
Beautifully scored by Hisaishi Joe , Hana-bi is a bifurcated film depicting the life of Nishi , and his wife , and that of Horibe . While healthy in body , Nishi seeks the solace of death because all has either already taken away from him or is soon to be taken away from him . Horibe , on the other hand , while having been abandoned by his wife and child because of his injury that made him into a paraplegic , seeks life through other things such as art and the beauty of nature . Also , some of the most beautiful moments of this film occur between Nishi and his wife Miyuki . While nearly completely silent , the two characters are able to share and experience their feelings for each other just by being in close proximity . Such scenes make the hard as steel Nishi look a bit softer , just don't say anything about his wife's flowers . . .
001 4 This review is from :
Fireworks ( DVD )
While some viewers may find FIREWORKS slightly inaccessible , others will clearly be drawn into Takeshi Kitano's brilliant use of sight , sound , and silence to tell this intensely layered story of ex-cop Nishi - - haunted equally by a violent past and an uncertain future with a wife slowly dying of Leukemia .
Having taken an unauthorized break from his police stakeout , Nishi's long-time partner Hirobe is attacked , an event which leaves him paralyzed . Struggling with his guilt , Nishi leaves the police force to spend time caring for his ailing wife . He wants her final days to be the best he can possibly provide , and this leads him to a series of bad choices made involving the Yakuza ( Japanese mafia ) . However , every attempt to bring balance to his life only drives Nishi deeper and deeper into desperation and desperate acts . . . all the while maintaining the calm , cool exterior of man with his own sense of justice behind his purpose .
This film is meticulously constructed : each of every scene has purpose , and many of them serve several . As is common to Kitano's films , moments of pure calm are juxtaposed with percussive scenes of unanticipated violence in a way very few films have successfully captured and managed to maintain a message .
002 4 While some viewers may find FIREWORKS slightly inaccessible , others will clearly be drawn into Takeshi Kitano's brilliant use of sight , sound , and silence to tell this intensely layered story of ex-cop Nishi - - haunted equally by a violent past and an uncertain future with a wife slowly dying of Leukemia .
Having taken an unauthorized break from his police stakeout , Nishi's long-time partner Hirobe is attacked , an event which leaves him paralyzed . Struggling with his guilt , Nishi leaves the police force to spend time caring for his ailing wife . He wants her final days to be the best he can possibly provide , and this leads him to a series of bad choices made involving the Yakuza ( Japanese mafia ) . However , every attempt to bring balance to his life only drives Nishi deeper and deeper into desperation and desperate acts . . . all the while maintaining the calm , cool exterior of man with his own sense of justice behind his purpose .
This film is meticulously constructed : each of every scene has purpose , and many of them serve several . As is common to Kitano's films , moments of pure calm are juxtaposed with percussive scenes of unanticipated violence in a way very few films have successfully captured and managed to maintain a message .
003 4 Fireworks is a direct translation of the Japanese title Hanabi , which combines the two words fire and flower . The title was chosen due to the juxtaposition of the calm beauty of a flower , and the burning intensity of fire , which perfectly captures the feeling of this Beat Takeshi masterpiece .
I was expecting quite a different film , one more packed with violence and action , something more along the lines of a John Woo / Chow Yun Fat creation . Instead , this is a calm , understated and emotional film peppered with miniature explosions like . . . fireworks . The pacing of the film is typical of Japanese storytelling , patient and quiet allowing enough time for a story to build fully and characters to live and die on the screen .
Takeshi gives such a complete performance , saying everything with a glance or a movement . Dialog is almost unnecessary , although when it does come it punctuates the scene fluently . He is equal parts warrior and lover , tender and hard . Kayoko Kishimoto delivers an equally wonderful performance as Miyuki , Nishi's wife , dying of leukemia yet able to charm with a smile .
Visually , the movie is stunning , full of creative scenes and transitions . Takeshi knows when to have the action appear off-camera , and when to focus . The use of nature as an element in the film is beautiful , as the story moves from snow to sea to mountain .
Takeshi Beat Kitano is one of Japan's greatest modern filmmakers , and Fireworks is one of his greatest film . A stunning film .
004 4 Fireworks ( released internationally as Hana-Bi ) was the seventh film directed by Takeshi Kitano , Japanese comedian , novelist , essayist , short story writer , poet , critic , musician , cartoonist , painter and filmaker .
Kitano ( always credited as Beat Takeshi as an actor ) wrote the screenplay and stars as Nishi , a tough cop struggling to cope with the recent death of his daughter while caring for his leukemia stricken wife . One day , at his partner's urging , he takes a break from a stakeout to visit his wife at the nearby hospital where she's being treated . In his absence , things go terribly wrong ; his partner is left crippled and another officer is killed .
Kitano plays Nishi like a man holding the weight of the world on his shoulders , struggling to maintain composure in the wake of a tragedy that has shattered the lives of people close to him . The quiet dignity with which he carries himself is compromised only by an occasional facial tic , which we see while he listens to his ex-partner reveal that his family abandoned him after the shooting and later when the dead officer's widow pours her heart to him about the emotional and financial difficulties of raising her daughter alone .
Hoping to make his wife's final days more pleasant , he borrows money from a local Yakuza , but when he falls behind on the interest payments , he becomes the subject of harrassment and threats . Determined to correct everything that's gone wrong , Nishi decides to rob a bank to pay back the Yakuza and take care of his wife , ex-partner and the widow of the slain officer . The situation escalates out of control , resulting in an understated , but powerful climax .
This film won the Golden Lion award for Best Picture at the 1997 Venice International Film Festival and propelled Kitano to the forefront of Japanese cinema . It's considered by many critics and fans to be Kitano's best movie , though I consider his 2002 release Dolls ( unavailable on U.S . DVD ) to be a strong contender for that distinction .
Now , the problem with this DVD . The transfer itself is fine . The film is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85 : 1 with clear , well translated subtitles and some nice features . However , the disc is inexplicably missing aproximately 4 minutes of footage . Why a company like New Yorker Films , which specializes in art house releases , would release a truncated version of such a seminal work , is anyone's guess , but American companies have not been kind to Kitano's works . Any DVD released stateside of his films has a much better version overseas . I strongly urge anyone interested in this film to look for the uncut Korean special edition DVD ( under the original title Hana-Bi ) , which is NTSC and region free ( despite being labled Region 3 on the box ) ) , so it will play on any North American DVD player . It has excellent subtitles and even costs a few dollars less than the incomplete American version .
005 4 Never in my life had I seen such a film , and I see almost three or four films a week . When it finished , I couldn ` t stop crying for about fifteen minutes . It was so intensive , powerful and emotive that we only can thanks Kitano for making movies like this . At the beggining of his carrer , Kitano was compared with Eastwood , but watching this film makes me think of another genious : Melville , and his masterwork , The Samurai . The movie is not only about Kitano's particular point of view about death and goodbyes . More important , it's about loyalty to the ones who are close to any of us , the only important moral rule that guides the film . I have only one recommendation : see the film as many times as you can
006 4 Takeshi Beat Kitano shares Michael Caine's mastery of understatement , non-verbal clue , and eye contact . If you're looking for a cinema actor of the first rank , Kitano is the man , and Fireworks displays him at the top of his form . Usually hyped for its violence , Fireworks could just as easily be classed as a study in tenderness . Kitano's self-sacrifice for his crippled partner and dying wife is the true theme of this picture . This 1997 Venice Film Festival Grand Prize Winner is a fine introduction to Kitano's work . I was so struck by this work that I viewed it three times in a row - first for the initial impression , second to study Kitano's direction , and last to revel in his technical mastery of the actor's craft . I advice you to do the same .
007 4 The movie is a masterpiece worth 5 + stars , one of Kitano's best works . But I was totally dissapointed when I so that the subtitles where burned over the film , as a movie lover I consider this outrageous , the film beautifull cinematography is totally ruined by them . The quality of the DVD is not up to the level of the movie . I can't belive that to this date there are companies creating dvds with subtitles burned over a movie . Please wait and see if Criterion Collection eventually releases Hanna Bi , they do respect movie lovers .
The artwork is lousy , I don't know why they changed Kitano's beautifull artwork which is the original to the japanese release .
008 4 I think this movie says a lot of things about what death is . Sometimes someone is killed because of the bad things they've done and sometimes out of mercy . But this movie is'nt about violence as much as people have been saying . The cover says a masterpiece in violence I wouldn't care if Takeshi himself wrote that I would disagree . It's more a masterpiece in guilt , compassion , and a person who doesnt have any patience for those trying to ruin his life . It's really a lot deeper than anything I've said but if you
like sincere acting and a really good story that you'll always remember watch it . That Beat Takeshi He makea mea cry .
011 4 This is Beat Takeshi's masterpiece . Like his other movies , the film is understated , introspective , atmospheric , but with brief bursts of extreme violence . Most of the movie is very slow paced , but with sudden violence interrupting tender moments . The cinematography is wonderful . It is NOT an action movie . Somewhere I read a reviewer saying that Beat Takeshi is the Japanese version of Quentin Tarantino , which I think is incredibly inaccurate . Takeshi Kitano is more much similar to other contemporary Japanese directors than to Tarantino . To make an international comparison , he is much more similar to Wong Kar Wai than to John Woo . The movie is definitely not for everyone , but it is my personal favorite movie and I believe is widely viewed as a seminal movie for contemporary Japanese films .
012 4 First off , the movie is great . Its presented uncut and in the Original Language here . The DVD even offers some nice Extras .
But in the technical department this DVD is really weak . The transfer isnt anamorphic , its just 1 : 1.85 letterboxed . The subtitles , which the cover describes as enhanced , are only hardsubs , so you cant turn them off .
Then the picture blurs quite a lot on motion and of course the transfer is interlaced . . .
Despite that , the picture is ok , enough details and good colors ,
a bit too dark though .
But the biggest joke on this DVD is the Dolby Digital 5.1 Track .
Well , the track has 5 channels , but you can hear all the stuff from every channel . So even the voices are coming out of each speaker ( even the surround ones ) . This was a real let down for me , since the DD 5.1 track was the reason for me to buy the US DVD and not the french or japanese one ( which only have DD 2.0 ) .
013 4 How can one express true beauty ? The answer to this question is one of the most precious and sought after in the minds of all beings in this world . I , myself , have not the answer to this question . I cannot truly express how this film ( not movie ) effects me as the work of art that it is , but i will do my best . The Japanese believe that what is not said is just as important , if not more , than what is expressed in words . This concept is the keystone of the work's power . Kitano's acting and directing are astounding . Nishi , the man of few words and both violent and mindful , compassionate action twiches , as the two sides are in eternal conflict . He is most definately a character that can be put into the same category as memorable characters such as Hamlet , Raskolnikov and Camus ' Mersault . I am overwhelmed by the paintings created by the crippled detective and the raw power and energy that are manifest in scenes of both complete serenity and extreme violence . If film and art are your passion , please do not miss out on this beautiful work .
014 4 Never have I felt so tense and moved when I saw this little-known film ( in the U.S . , that is ) at Sundance Film Festival in early ' 98 . The general audience's reaction , moviegoers and attendees alike , was astonishing as I saw the movie with my dad , who is not familiar with Japanese filmmaking except for a few Akira Kurosawa movies . After the film ended abruptly with a young girl carrying the kite on the beach , the majority of an audience sat through the ending credits stunned , and began talking about it . Fireworks , originally titled Hana-Bi , is by no means Beat Takeshi Kitano's best film ever made . That doesn't mean his previous film efforts like Violent Cop and Sonatine are up to par with this movie when compared ( and that's why Quentin Tarantino loves his films ) . It is a very different movie with the perfect comination of emotions that will leave the viewer haunted with vivid imaginations for days . A word of warning , however : this film is not for the squeamish , as its depiction of bloody violence is intense enough to repulse . But the quiet and emotional texture instilled throughout the characters are nevertheless amazing . That should be enough to rival even decent Hollywood movies .
015 4 It's hard for me not to think of movies like Boiling Point and Violent Cop while watching this . Takeshi ( Beat ) Kitano made quite a switch from Takeshi's Castle to the heavy drama of these movies , but perhaps it was too heavy at first . Violent Cop is , in the end , an unrealized movie that doesn't really manage to control its range of emotional tension , violence and humanity . Boiling Point does better , but perhaps is a little too bleak ( this from a guy who loves violent movies ) . In Fireworks , though , Kitano gets it all right . The violence is stark , Kitano is a bubbling , quiet and stoic while really letting you know what's on his mind , and this film , believe it or not , is bursting with hope - - though it's never really acknowledged by the characters themselves .
016 4 Most of the other viewer reviews say exactly what I would like to say about this film - that it is uncompromising in it's beauty . Alternately brooding , slow , but with occasional outbursts of violence and motion , the images in this film have stayed with me for a very long time .
Very Minor Spoiler Warning :
My only objection to this DVD is in the subtitles . I studied a little Japanese in high school , just basics , but the last line of the film is gomen nasai , which means sorry , not Thank you for everything , as the subtitles show .
Why did the translator feel it necessary to put something other than what the character had said ? That little , I'm sorry , was one of the most poignant statements of the entire film .
I really hope that Criterion will pick this film up - otherwise , I hope that in the future , New Yorker will stop trying to rewrite the world's masterpieces as they come into America . I think that we're smart enough to take the real .
018 4 This film is even better than Kitano's Sonatine . Fireworks is possibly the most beautiful film I've ever seen . Kitano proves himself to be one of the greatest directors of all time and is a close match for my personal favorite , Akira Kurosawa .
020 4 Nothing is ever going to compare to the experience of seeing this incredible masterwork on film , but this dvd comes close . The colors seemed a trifle muted compared to the theatrical prints that I saw , but the extras make it a must have for all Kitano fans . Best of all is the Gallery feature which has written comments by Kitano explaining the inspiration behind each of his paintings shown . Unfortunately , some of the paintings appear a bit fuzzy , but you can always return to the film and view them there . The Japanese trailer and theatrical poster are very cool , and the featurette gives an interesting glimpse at some of Kitano's working methods . Let's hope that when Kikujiro is released on DVD , it includes Jam Session : The Official Bootleg of Kikujiro , a 95 minute film about the making of Kitano's 8th film .
021 4 Takeshi Kitano is one of the most prominent Japanese filmmakers in the last two decades . His personal optical deals with the thriller as reference point to explore those powerful insights inscribed inside the human soul .
So , Fireworks deals with two sides of a same coin ; love and violence being this last concept approached from a very curious perspective : the violence acting as device of a major justice .
Nishi ( Our star cop ) has a dying wife in a hospital ( victim of cancer ) and besides he has decided to retire himself ( a redemption act ) after a terrible shoot leaves his friend invalid and crippled . Both tragedies compel him to act with much more coldness respect the Yakuza gang before he finedraws hos own destiny .
The flash backs are superb ; as well the edition process ; but one the supreme highlights of the movie are the marvelous contrasts between the nature and the paintings of his crippled friend , where the flowers take the place of the faces in every being he represents .
A slow peaced thriller that must be seen and loved with meridian intensity , because of the fact the very possibility to blend a thriller with visual poetry , is not precisely the rule but the exception . A human drama told without ostentation but with absolute conviction of this troubled dramatis personae between love , remorse and duty .
022 4 I have seen many Takeshi Kitano films , but this one haunts me especially . It's very poetic , sad , beautiful , and complex . What can you say about a Yakuza film that begins with serene , tender paintings ( done by Kitano himself ) . Kitano gives probably one of his better performances here , playing yet another version of a disillusioned cop , but with more depth this time . This is not to say that his other films were shallow ( quite the contrary ) , but here the emotional resonance makes this film even more moving and powerful . Yes , it's violent , but with all Kitano films , he doesn't wallow in it , even though it's brutal . I've always liked everything this man has done ( even his comedy Kikujiro , which got terrible reviews ) , and this is probably my favorite of his films .
023 4 From the DVD cover , one would think this movie is full of violence and nothing else . On the contrary , this is one of the most touching films about love , friendship , loyalty , and compassion I've ever seen - - and , surprisingly , the message is conveyed with very little dialogue . My Japanese husband and I both cried at poignant moments throughout the film . The ending was no surprise , but we found ourselves hoping for more choices for characters we felt deserved more . I wish Hollywood film directors would learn from Takeshi's unique style . He's one of the best talents anywhere in the world . Regarding the violence , any American TV police / crime drama can be as bad or worse . The Japanese title is Hanabi ( hana is flower in Japanese ; hanabi is fire flower or fireworks ) and , on its cover , Takeshi is walking on the beach with a flower as background . If the U.S . - marketed cover had less about violence , I think the movie would have the wider audience it deserves .
024 4 This review is from :
Fireworks ( DVD )
Being that the very first Kitano Takeshi film I watched was the bittersweet comedy Kikujiro I had quite a surprise waiting for me when I popped Fireworks into my DVD player almost three years ago . Instead of the loquacious , witty character he played in the former film , the audience is instead presented with the stony , taciturn Nishi who could give a blank piece of slate a run for its money for a deadpan expression . Not knowing quite what to expect and having the whimsical images of Kikujiro still in my head , I was a bit disappointed with the film when I watched it the first time , but after repeated viewings and having viewed most films in which he has directed and / or acted has given me a greater appreciation of the film which many still consider Kitano's masterpiece .
A very quiet and sometimes brutal man , Nishi works alongside his partner Horibe to keep crime , yakuza , down in the streets of Tokyo . If this job was not stressful enough , Nishi has also recently suffered the loss of his daughter and his wife has been diagnosed with leukemia . In order to make ends meet and to pay his wife's increasing hospital bills Nishi is forced to borrow money from the yakuza who he is supposed to be keeping off the street . However , unlike most who are in dept to the yakuza , Nishi is unafraid of those who he is in debt to and even goes as far as to pierce the eye of one yakuza with a pair of chopsticks . With his stoic nature it seems that Nishi is willing to endure his life's situation for as long as it takes . However , one-day Nishi's world is turned upside down .
While on a stakeout with Horibe and two other policemen named Tanaka and Nakamura Horibe suggests that Nishi go to the hospital to check on his wife . Refusing to do so at first , Nishi eventually goes after Horibe has egged him on enough . However , while at the hospital Nishi learns that Horibe has been gunned down by a yakuza . Later , while stalking the yakuza gunman , Tanaka gets killed and Nakamura is injured . With his rage beyond boiling point , Nishi empties his gun into the body of the gunman . Losing his career as a cop , Nishi decides to make amends with his former coworkers and their families , but his methods are far from normal .
Beautifully scored by Hisaishi Joe , Hana-bi is a bifurcated film depicting the life of Nishi , and his wife , and that of Horibe . While healthy in body , Nishi seeks the solace of death because all has either already taken away from him or is soon to be taken away from him . Horibe , on the other hand , while having been abandoned by his wife and child because of his injury that made him into a paraplegic , seeks life through other things such as art and the beauty of nature . Also , some of the most beautiful moments of this film occur between Nishi and his wife Miyuki . While nearly completely silent , the two characters are able to share and experience their feelings for each other just by being in close proximity . Such scenes make the hard as steel Nishi look a bit softer , just don't say anything about his wife's flowers . . .
026 4 No Japanese filmmaker since Ozu has aproached film with such reflective power , lightness and originality . Outstanding from every point of view .
027 4 Hana-bi is a good example of an image-based movie , you can understand what is going on in the story by just watching the images , I think more than 75 percent of the film is silent ( no dialogue ) . This is the first cop movie that actually made me feel so lonely and alienated ( maybe hana-bi should not be classified as a cop movie ) , at the same time , learn to appreciate small moments in life a lot more .
029 4 How can one express true beauty ? The answer to this question is one of the most precious and sought after in the minds of all beings in this world . I , myself , have not the answer to this question . I cannot truly express how this film ( not movie ) effects me as the work of art that it is , but i will do my best . The Japanese believe that what is not said is just as important , if not more , than what is expressed in words . This concept is the keystone of the work's power . Kitano's acting and directing are astounding . Nishi , the man of few words and both violent and mindful compassion twiches as the two sides are in eternal conflict . He is most definately a character that can be put into the same category as memorable characters such as Hamlet , Raskolnikov and Camus ' Mersault . I am overwhelmed by the paintings created by the crippled detective and the raw power and energy that are manifest in scenes of both complete serenity and extreme violence . If film and art are your passion , please do not miss out on this beautiful work .
030 4 This has got to be one of the most simultaneously beautiful and depressing films of recent memory . We've all heard a great deal about the economic doldrums that Japan has been facing for the last decade or so , but economic statistics mean little to us when the country and its people lie a half world away . It takes a film like this one , and a director like Takesi , to put a human face on these numbers , to paint a terrible portrait of despair as it grips an entire people and a nation . We view this dark world through the eyes of a Tokyo policeman who , pushed over the edge by his seemingly impossible economic circumstances and the senseless brutality of Yakuza gangsterism , concludes that in the end , the only thing that matters to him is to provide a few last days of joy and warmth for his dying , leucemic wife . Her fragile beauty and innocent purity stands in stark and terrible contrast the the ugliness that surrounds her , and there is an almost nihilistic , but nonetheless incontrovertible logic to his decision . It is a dark , violent , seemingly hopeless , but ultimately beautiful film .
031 4 Hana Bi ( Fireworks ) is the single greatest film of all time . . so far . . within my experience ( which is not too shabby ) Better even than Citizen Kane , Smoke , Character and Out Of The Past .
032 4 Hana-bi ( Takeshi Kitano , 1997 )
Get a group of Kitano otaku in one place and debate will rage for hours on the subject of which of his films is the best . Eventually , everyone will settle down into three camps - - Kikujiro ( which is where you'll find me ) , Sonatine , and Hana-Bi . All three factions can make strong , valid arguments for their movies , and really it all comes down to personal taste in the end . This is not to say that a person from faction A won't like faction B's favorite movie ; all of Kitano's films that I've seen are fantastic ( with the exception of Brother , but that's enough brainless fun that it gets a pass ) , and Hana-bi is no exception .
Nishi ( Kitano ) is a cop who's life is really hitting the bricks . His wife Miyuki ( Kayoko Kishimoto , in the first of her pairings with Takeshi ) is dying of leukemia . His partner Horibe ( Ren Osugi , who it sometimes seems is in every Japanese film ever made ; he made five film and two recurring TV appearances in 2006 alone ) has been paralyzed in a bust gone bad . Nishi feels the need to help them both , but to do so would require him to give up his job ; what they most need is time . Which brings us to the question : is it possible to do evil things to insure good outcomes ?
The one thing everyone seems to say about this movie is that it's gorgeous , and that's certainly the case ; Kitano is capable of finding the beauty in just about any location in which he chooses to film . It's almost a trademark . As you should also expect from a Kitano film , the characters are exquisitely drawn , and the action is fast and furious , lending the film's quieter moments just that much more emotion ( how do you get the audience to tear up over a man opening a box of painting supplies ? Ask Takeshi Kitano . He did it here ) . At least one critic ( Piero Scruffi ) has selected Hana-bi as one of the top 1000 films of all time , and it also shows up in the collected and weighted list of the thousand best found at They Shoot Pictures , Don't They ? . I believe these accolades are not without merit , though I do think Kitano has done better work ( as I mentioned above ) . Still , a Takeshi Kitano film is better than 99% of the muck you're going to see on DVD or in the theater this year , and Hana-bi is near the top of his output . Strongly recommended . * * * * ½
033 4 An eccentric , wildly unpredictable gem from writer-director-star Takeshi Beat Kitano , this hard-boiled cop story veers from quiet , tender sentimentalism to explosive , in-your-face violence . Hiding behind mirrored shades for much of the film , Kitano plays Nishi - - a devoted husband and friend , and a super-deadly foe - - with ice-cool , nearly wordless reserve . Aside from an involuntary facial tic , Nishi's mask-like face rarely changes , even when he's blasting away at bad guys . Fireworks is a poetic crime-thriller from one of Japan's preeminent icons .
034 4 After loosing a son , detective Nishi ( Takeshi Kitano ) faces more grave pain by learning that his wife is terminally ill and his best friend has just been wheel chair bound by a bullet . He is also running out of money , which he needs in order to help a widow of a partner who got shot in an arrest . Meanwhile , his friend is suicidal and he knows that he has talked about being a painter , but cannot afford starting a new hobby . Therefore , he borrows some money from the Yakuza who want their money back eventually . Many problems begin to accumulate and Nishi becomes more desperate for a solution . Fireworks is a stunningly beautiful film full of pain and sorrows of a poor policeman that will entangle the audience .
035 4 Winner of the Golden Lion of the 1997 Venice Film Festival , HANA-BI aka FIREWORKS is the movie that revealed japanese director Takeshi Beat Kitano to the international movie audience . Only a few curious movie lovers knew then Takeshi Kitano through SONATINE , A SCENE AT THE SEA or BOILING POINT .
Firstly , I would like to point out the superb quality of this DVD presentation of New Yorker Films . Theatrical trailers ( american and japanese ) , filmographies of the main actors , an excellent featurette presenting Kitano at work during FIREWORKS shooting , a gallery of Kitano's paintings and , last but not least , interviews of the director discreetly hidden in the scene access department of the DVD . Thank you for these bonus features that allow us to know a little better this very interesting director .
Like in Kitano's precedent movies , FIREWORKS describes the consequences of a crucial decision taken by the main character of the movie . Takeshi Nishi Kitano has had a bad year : his wife is slowly dying at the local hospital and his best friend is confined in a wheelchair , shot while Nishi was visiting his wife . Nishi robs a bank and decides to offer to his wife a trip into the japanese countryside before facing the consequences of his act .
A good introduction into the imaginary world of this first-class director .
036 4 This is Kitano's best movie ! Now we are all waiting for the others masterpieces he directed such as A scene at the sea or Kids return , his most personal movie . Hey , video editors , wake up !
037 4 An absolutely beautiful movie about a hopeless ex cop and his surroundings . Beautifully shot , written and played by the Kitano , the Clint Eastwood of Japan . This film is full of Yakuza style speeches , killings and ultra violence which are mixed with inner conflicts and struggles of a dirty harry type man whose actions on helplessness , comradeship and pride is unfashinably touching . An ordinary real cinema lover will fall in love with this film just after the opening shots and surely won't easily forget it . sensitivity and bloodshed never fit together that harmonically before . Movies like these makes me to think that there is still hope for the future of cinema as an art which is for all .
038 4 Nothing pisses me off more than when a movie forces emotion on its viewer ( Titanic is an excellent example of this ) . When I saw Fireworks , I was awe-struck . It conveys a strong sense of emotion , and uses hardly any dialogue to make its point . Its no wonder that the film is based after Takeshi Kitano's own brush with mortality , that he is able to convey such an incredible story . This movie is an incredible juxtaposition of beauty and violence . One of the smaller intricacies that almost no one acknowledges is that all the art in the movie was created by Kitano . Although Takeshi Kitano has made some incredible movies in his career , I believe Fireworks to be the best ( yes , even better than Violent Cop ) . There are very few films that move me emotionally , but this is one of those films .
039 4 They used to promote movies as being a every-genre combination , filled with action , romance , laughs and drama , but it never really meant anything beyond poor story telling . If a movie tried this advertising approach now , everyone would think it ridiculous and refuse to see it . The amazing thing about Hana-bi ( Fireworks ) is , the combination really works . To even begin supplying plot details would waste your time and degrade the movie . It is a work of art in its entirety , including the original movie poster , which I'm afraid , is not on the box cover .
040 4 This is the mature one among all Takeshi Kitano works .
I do not agree that somebody sat this is a dark and sad movie .
The leading role relutantly accept the arrangement of destiny .
He try to conquer something in the dark side .
we even can find this attitude in many tiny places .
Also , some funny segments expose the humor talent of Takeshi Kitano .
041 4 After an accident where a detective and his partner get in a shoot-out with a criminal resulting in the partner's being shot and crippled , the detective quits the force and decides to spend the last remaining days with his lukemiatic wife . Constrasting extreme violence with light and contemplative humor , Takeshi Kitano's Fireworks is a loving story about the importance of living life and aspiring to enjoy it .
I'm not quite sure what all the graphic violence is about , but it's certainly interesting watching the mostly blank-faced Beat Kitano kick butt on a bunch of greedy money sharks that follow him around . Also , the parallel story of the crippled partner and his expressions of suicide through painting are very mesmerizing and beautiful . Indeed this movie seems to take a real joy out of experiencing life as one wants to experience it .
It's shot and edited a lot like Kikujiro , so if you liked that one you'll definitely like this . It's a very distinctive style , though I don't know what it's all about . I can't say that his films are my favorite or even the best example of stuff to search for in the video store , but they are fun and frinedly , and pretty much accessible to anyone who wants some sweetness with their cinema .
- - PolarisDiB
042 4 The film has various aspects in terms of comedy vs . violence , life vs . death , etc . The paintings of Kitano also take crucial role in the film . Very limited plots and humor intensifies the violence . Fireworks ( Hana-Bi ) and his earlier work , Sonatine , certainly stands out as one of the best films of the 90 ' s .
043 4 Another masterpiece from Kitano , and not far away from the fantastic Sonatine , but this is my opinion and there are many people who rate this one higher . Anyway , Fireworks ( or Hana-Bi as it is called in Germany ) is a must-see for anybody who likes movies and worth its price !
044 4 I'm glad to see that this is film is available ( and on DVD , too , best of all ) . I saw it and really liked it . It's a dark kind of poignant , this movie .
045 4 Fireworks is the greatest movie I've ever been lucky enough to watch - - not only because its the most uniquely beautiful , intense , horrifying and sad movie , but also because it lead me to Director / star Takeshi Beat Kitano's other works . The only video I've ever bought at list price !
047 4 In case you have never seen a Takeshi Kitano film , this would be the perfect one to start with . Although it's not his first film ( that honor belongs to the equally excellent VIOLENT COP ) , it contains all of the trademarks that would make him an international star : The quiet scenes which suddenly erupt into shocking violence , his apparent lack of emotions , an abundance of drama , etc . Kitano ( who always acts under the name Beat Takeshi ) , stars as the seemingly mild-mannered Detective Nishi . However , the anger inside of him is brought out when his partner on the force is paralyzed from the waste down and is confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life . As if that's not enough , he then finds out his wife is dying of a disease . His true self comes into light when members of the yakuza track him down , demanding the money he borrowed from them for his wife's operation .
This has some of the most surprising scenes of violence I have ever witnessed in a film . In what other film is the main star sitting calmly at a table one minute , and shoving chopsticks in a man's eye the next ?
048 4 Beat Takeshi Kitano's bleak masterpiece . Takeshi plays a policeman who simply wants to stick around long enough to take care of his dying wife , but his terrible propensity for violence may undo that . Mostly played in silence and stillness except for when the ( anti ? ) hero's rage unspools . Film is also relatively unique in that it does not attempt to ascribe a specific psychology to the man's behavior but simply stands back and observes him in toto . One of the few nihilistic films that is actually ABOUT nihilism instead of simply an indulgence in it , and one of the few movies that uses violence to underscore its story intelligently instead of see it as a kind of mindless contact sport .
050 4 That's how I'd describe this film . Truly one of the most brilliant , haunting films I have ever seen . Particularly impressive was the way the picture conveyed the love between Takeshi's character and his wife without resorting to melodrama , cliche , or endless I love yous . I know people who loved this picture but are scared to watch it again , as it is just too harrowing . James Cameron can only wish that Titanic had this kind of emotinal impact .
051 4 Disturbingly violent , poetic and touching . The very essence of Kitanos work .
052 4 This review is from :
Fireworks ( DVD )
I bought this movie for my husband for Valentine's day . Based on the previous reviews I thought the movie was more of a gangster type movie , but it wasn't . Despite the confusion , the movie is excellent . I don't want to say too much b / c I don't want to give it away . The background story and the special features were really interesting .
054 4 There isn't much that can be said about this movie that hasn't already been said . Suffice it to say that Fireworks is definitely worth all five stars .
Fireworks is overall the perfect movie , a must if you're a Kitano fan , and absolutely worth purchasing just to see what makes Kitano so good .
The stories of quite a few men are drawn together by their occupation , the shared pain , opportunities of love , family , etc .
The ending of this film is what really stuck with me , and wondering what life would be like for the paralyzed cop after he found out what his partner had done . Ahhh . . . such a great movie . A Kitano masterpiece .
055 4 Hana-bi ( Fireworks ) feels like an art film . The artwork that appears throughout the film is Takeshi Kitano's ( director and main star ) . In order to look at the film I'll have to use my insight of having seen it . Otherwise it would be too confusing .
Kitano's character , Nishi , is a cop whose wife's terminally ill . The general tension of the film is due to Nishi not talking for 98% of the time . It would seem that this because he's so depressed by life that he's shut it out .
Perhaps the most shocking aspect of Hana-bi is how the violent scenes are conducted . They're quiet and to the point with no build up to the events . The violence is almost natural . Of course , some scenes are childish , inspired by stuff like Dirty Harry . This is what gives Hana-bi its entertainment . It's cool . So cool I felt like wearing shades whilst watching .
Flashbacks are used to explain some of the events . Music also plays and important part . It's usually used in landscape scenes when the music can touch the spectator in a melancholy way .
Although Kitano's directing is amazing in its intensity , use of colour and observation , his films are helped by comedy ( Kitano was a comedian before he became a director ) , like , for example , playing games with his wife . Hana-bi ( Fireworks ) shows me life's emptiness , a dull echo , prevailed only by a sense of humour and acceptance . I recommend it to art-buffs as well as anybody who can take the dramatic tension .
056 4 This movie is what film generally ought to be like , art . Low on dialoge ( very low in fact - for those that do not enjoy reading subtitles ) , and big on vision . This film is not what is expected . See it for yourself you wont be disappointed . ( WARNING : others seeing this film claim it to be dark , and sad . I do not agree with that , but the viewer should be warned . )
057 4 It is imperative that you avoid this disastrous release . Takeshi Kitano's masterpiece is completely ruined by an appaling transfer . The sound and extras are good but the transfer wrecks what would otherwise be a fine DVD release . Again , I urge you to avoid this disgusting release .
058 4 Technically , the film is kinetic ( what any film should be ) , psychologically it is cartoon , intellectually it is deplorable . It is as if Kurosawa had recovered from a terrible head injury and began making films from his spleen . Flashy and uncompelling , Kitano's work is more sophisticated than Woo's , which should get him a lucrative Hollywood contract . What it gets me is a headache . To any of the people who praised this film to the skies , I ask Are you acquainted with the name Ozu ? Mizoguchi ? Naruse ? Teshigahara ? Kobayashi , even ? If the answer is yes , then you cannot condone the continued irritation of someone like Kitano . And one more question , the one perennially asked of so-called modern art : can the term ' beauty ' be redefined by its opposite ?
062 4 I had high hopes for this film , thinking that it would be in the vein of Pulp Fiction , the Unforgiven , or Resevoir Dogs . Unfortunately it is excruciatingly S-L-O-W & boring , with no apparent moral or justification . Time-shifting is employed in a non-intuative and distracting manner .
Beat Kitano doesn't say more than 100 words in the entire movie . As mentioned in other reviews , he TICS more than he TALKS employing an annoying ( was it supposed to be symbolic ? ? ) facial tic . Beat is no Clint Eastwood , or even Charles Bronson . Wooden facial expressions do not an actor make ; tics are not technique . When you think that it just can't get any worse , childish artwork is displayed onscreen over and over - must be that inscrutable symbolism again .
Obviously an economical production , it is hard to understand why this film is appreciated , even in Japan . It makes me wonder if all the rave reviews for this stinker were written by friends & family ( or stock holders ) Note that none of the reviewers are Big Names .
If you're still really curious , save your money & RENT this turkey before you buy ! There are many better Asian films than this . Look for anything by John Woo , Anh Hung Tran or Jet Li . For true subtle acting see Shower , The King of Masks , or Scent of Green Papaya
049 4 How many people have I told to watch this film ? Not many , because you need to have a true appreciation for fine film , to enjoy this one . Beautiful , thoughtful , and jolting . And all at a rather teasingly slow pace . Gosh I wish there was more . I have never left a theater more satisfied . WOW ! If you have seen Sonatine and havent seen this , you are in for a splendid surprise ! If you have seen this and not Sonatine , wait no longer , Sonatine is just as beautiful as Fireworks . Have fun , both of these videos are a must have in any video library .
017 4 This is a complex movie about complex ideas . If you are a fan of Faces of Death , don't bother . Under 80 IQ need not watch .
046 4 Amazon's description is quite accurate . This movie is rather artsy and there is hidden meaning and depth , thus you will garner more meaning from subsequent viewings . This is always nice when purchasing , rather than renting a movie .
I hope that THIS review has helped you !
053 4 I bought this movie for my husband for Valentine's day . Based on the previous reviews I thought the movie was more of a gangster type movie , but it wasn't . Despite the confusion , the movie is excellent . I don't want to say too much b / c I don't want to give it away . The background story and the special features were really interesting .
059 4 I love stylized movies with stylized violence . This movie is just too slow ( you have to have a lot of patience ) .
063 4 Dull , boring , and pointless . These are the three words which describe Fireworks . This film had no plot , it dragged on for over an hour and I would recommend it toany one suffering from insomnia .
060 4 This film is absurd in all the worst ways ; it reminded me of Norman Mailer's TOUGH GUYS DON'T DANCE - - almost bad enough to make you wonder if it's supposed to be some sort of sophisticated put-on . It isn't , though , and that makes all the praises being poured upon it all the more confusing . Kitano has a wonderfully expressive face , some talent as an actor , and a reasonably good eye , particularly when directing scenes of violence . His first film as director , VIOLENT COP , made before he also began to also write and edit his output himself , was a pretty good Japanized take on films like DIRTY HARRY and DEATH WISH - - formulaic , but competently done . FIREWORKS features trademarks from that time , such as a strong , silent , glamorous protagonist , played by Takeshi himself , who is more likely to solve a problem by pulling a gun than by saying anything ; and violence that comes in short , sharp shocks that become predictable in their unpredictability and sometimes seem amazingly sadistic . But these elements are landed in one of the syrupiest , most insincerely sentimental tales I've ever come across , of the tough guy cop nurturing his dying wife and crippled partner . Time and again we're treated to close-ups of Takeshi in sunglasses , staring off into the distance as strings saw away on the ( trite , trite ) soundtrack , and invited to empathize with his pain and marvel at his depths and compassion ; I just sat stunned by the hugeness of the man's ego and his apparent utter lack of shame or taste . Abunai ! Oh , yeah - - Kitano's paintings are pretty darn bad , too . It's amazing what people will swallow if you're willing to spoon-feed them , ne ?
009 4 Definitely one of the decade's ten best films . The most amazing clash of quiet , thoughtful beauty and overt , cold brutality I've ever seen . Each time I show it to a friend or group of friends we stay up nearly all night talking about the amazing reach and depth of this film . VIOLENT COP : Great . SONATINE : Excellent . FIREWORKS : Eternal Masterpiece . KITANO : One bold and brave genius .
019 4 I really think that this movie contains a lot of philosophies that cannot leave you indifferent . . . . . . If it has any impact , I would like to make a very strong suggestion : this movie should be released on DVD in United States and Canada ( or a major low-priced VHS release ) ! ! ! ! ! ! I've heard that it is in Europe , but I doubt it will ever be here , because probably it's less popular here , but only because the publicity is approximately inexistant around this film : I can assure you that its interest is doubled by the difference of culture that we find in this movie ! So BUY IT IF YOU FIND IT ( PERHAPS NOT AT 80 $ ! ! ! ! ) . . . . . . .
