Review of Brother

Introduction

Takeshi Kitano, also known as `Beat` Takeshi is one of Japan`s premier entertainers – comedian, acclaimed director and actor.

Kitano directs the gangster movie Brother and plays the part of a disgraced Yakuza called Yamamoto who flees Japan to Los Angeles to seek out his brother and start a new life. He discovers that his brother is a drug dealer and the two team up to take on their rivals. Yamamoto`s efficient dispatch of rivals soon makes him top-dog, but before long he comes up against a rival who isn`t so easy to push aside.

Video

The video is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen and as is good quality throughout, with no evidence of film grain or dirt. The image is sharp and detailed, with sufficient contract and remains stable.

This is a very stylish film, shot in a unique style - quite different to the ultra polished look we see in Hollywood productions – and as a result the film has a much harder feel, which really adds to the enjoyment.

Audio

The disc carries a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, which sounds very good, but makes variable use of the rear channels through the film. For the most part, the soundfield is centred on the front speakers and centre channel, with the rear speakers remaining relatively silent, however, during the numerous shootouts the rears spark into life and the gunshots and ricochets are very impressive indeed.

The dialogue is clear and understandable throughout the movie.

Features

Extras include behind the scenes footage, a documentary on the life and work of Beat Takeshi

The documentary runs for just under 50 minutes and is one of the most interesting DVD extras that I have watched for a long time. The program looks at Takeshi`s early career as a comedian through to his current position as one of the most popular and prolific people in Japanese entertainment through interviews with the man himself, other filmmakers and stars.

The behind the scenes footage isn`t particularly interesting.

Conclusion

Brother is superb film. The stylish filmography, excellent acting and strong story blend together in a powerful and brutal gangster film, which will more than satisfy fans of the genre.

The film doesn`t pull any punches and is very violent at times with brutal gangland killings and shootouts graphically presented on the screen. Kitano is superb, with unbelievable presence and character. The supporting cast is also very good and film has a very solid feel and good storyline.

The picture and sound quality are good and the accompanying documentary is one of the best I`ve seen for a long time.

Overall, Brother is a very good gangster film, shot in a very different and refreshing way from the Hollywood norm - and comes highly recommended.