Review of Hana Bi

Introduction

The first film by ‘Beat’ Takeshi Kitano to make much of an impact outside of his native Japan, largely thanks to winning the Golden Lion at the 1997 Venice Film Festival. Kitano is a popular comedian and television personality in Japan and his films, starting with the brutal thriller ‘Violent Cop’ have led to Kitano being renowned as one of the world’s most gifted undiscovered filmmakers. More violent thrillers ensued, including ‘Sonatine’ and the slightly lighter ‘Boiling Point’. However, Kitano proved his diversity by making lightweight comedies also: the touching romance ‘Scene By Sea’ and the silly farce ‘Getting Any?’ ‘Hana-Bi’ (aka ‘Fireworks’) is his seventh film, or, Vol.7 in Kitano-speak, and it blends the violent realities of the world of ‘Sonatine’ and ‘Violent Cop’ with the empathic spirit of his lighter films, and to stunning and unforgettable effect. ‘Hana-Bi’ is an extraordinarily violent, soulful, poetic and heartfelt film about the true cost of death, love and guilt.

Video

Anamorphically enhanced, and if the definition is a little fuzzy at times, this appears more likely to be a film stock issue than anything to do with the DVD transfer itself, which is exceptional given this rather low-key release. Admittedly, the light/shadow quality is variable but there is good colour (if a little pale) and no compression artifacts to be seen.

Audio

A lively soundtrack here. The beautiful score, the eclectic (not to mention realistic) palette of sound-effects and a neat line in dead silences – which, funnily enough, are served up nicely.

Features

English subtitles, of course, as well as the theatrical trailer. A fairly strange documentary that begins with trailers for all of Kitano’s films before offering us an intriguing look into Kitano’s filmmaking process, with behind the scenes footage and interviews with the director. However, this proves to be something of a tease, as its over rather too soon. Pity. But better than nothing.

Conclusion

Retired detective Nishi (Kitano) leaves his partner Horibe (Ren Osugi) alone on a stake-out, when he goes to visit his terminally ill wife in hospital. As fate would have it, Horibe is shot and left wheel-chair bound by a deranged gangster and Nishi vows revenge. However, in doing so, the newly retired Nishi strikes up an antipathy with the local Yakuza and finds himself and his wife (Kayoto Kishimoto) fleeing to the countryside for some rest and relaxation, where the final confrontation is destined to take place.

The fragmented narrative takes a little patience, but by the time ‘Beat’ is sweeping in with his graceful bank hold-up (probably the most subdued ever), everything has already fallen beautifully into place. And the rest of the movie insists on not putting a foot wrong: the inventive use of setting, the lyrical power of the romantic/artistic vignettes. As Nishi, Kitano barely breaks a sweat, but his performance is precise and moving, his physical presence undeniable: Nishi dispatches the troublesome (and unfortunate) Yakuza with a relaxed efficiency and with little more than a lightning fast flick of his wrist and the accompanying crimson spray. Nice. Yet at the same time, the narrative inserts layers of tenderness, humor and poignancy between the shocking suddenness of the violent outbursts that explode out of the world that the characters inhabit, where one move can change the future forever.

With a sublime score by Joe Hisaishi, and Kitano’s scalpel sharp editing, ‘Hana-Bi’ makes the false machismo of the British and American crime films we are inundated with look like what it is: deluded firearm-fetishism from a bunch of infantile wet-lips who would soil themselves if they were ever even in the same postcode as a gun. Its often grimly harrowing realist honesty is matched perfectly by the compassionate naturalism of the performances and photography. And as the subtly heart breaking ending demonstrates, the film possesses a generosity of spirit a million miles more satisfying than the over-enunciated, maudlin emotional pornography of much mainstream film. With its own patented brand of effortless insouciance, ‘Hana-Bi’ is a film you can label ‘Modern Classic’ with absolute confidence.