Jin Roh Bandai 105 minutes English/Japanese English Subtitles 03/05/2002

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If you want to see a reasonably excellent movie go see About Schmidt. The lighting, superb. Use of score, excellent. Theme? For lack of a better term, "off the hook". The futility of the main character's situation was presented in such a way that I wanted to scream at the entire audience about how much they were ruining the experience just by their exasperating laughter at the things that weren't meant to be a joke. The funny part is that the guy wasn't special, he was baseline average in every respect. Therefore, the joke isn't that the award says "Graduation from two week electric course". The joke is that the award was given to him for 'perfect attendance'. I'd imagine that'd be somewhat obvious from all the "honorable mention" and "participant" ribbons on the wall. People just don't fucking get it sometimes, and I wonder why they're going to see this instead of Kangaroo Jack. I swear to god I wanted to stand up and punch that woman in the face, and it wasn't because she was kicking the back of the chair of the girl I was with. Otherwise I had a rather happy Valentine's day, despite the fact that my popular streak was broken. So after Jack Nicholson's excellent performance and an extraneous amorous liason on the couch of the common room... one other such movie of it's type was first to my mind.

I realized something while watching About Schmidt. I don't watch movies for pleasure anymore, everything I watch I review in my head as it goes along as if I were preparing myself to dictate my thoughts on it to whomever would listen to me. And let me tell you, Center City bums aren't much interested in your thoughts on the main character's eventual discovery of purpose unless you give them money, or barring that... crack cocaine. So too, when I was watching Jin Roh did I analyze and pick apart the movie as if I were an aspiring film critic. In a way, I think I am. But nobody really cares about some shitty anime review site with (in my opinion) a more than excellent layout and exquisite sense of sarcastic humor. Anyway, Jin Roh is deeper than I thought when I first saw it. Oh, I understood it was an excellent movie, but I wasn't fully prepared to sit there and analyze all the themes and deeper ideas behind this seemingly innocuous political drama. Yeah, you heard me. The only thing I really remembered about this was the political back plot, and the fact that the ending, like that in About Schmidt, was one of the best cuts I've ever seen in my entire life, as short as that may be.

I'm hesitant to say too much about this movie because the power of Jin Roh lies somewhat with a few twists. Unlike other cheesy films who use such things as an escape from actual work, Jin Roh works these otherwise hackneyed things into the story in a way that feels smoother than the way I eased myself into my older paramour's panties last night. I'm cursing myself now for not realizing how truly powerful and artistic this movie is the first time I watched it. Give me a second to ramble on and fill up this paragraph so I can start talking about things on a fresh one. Don't complain, you know you love me. And before I do that I'll work on the story as much as I can without spoiling. In an alternate history, post WW II Japan suffers from multiple antigovernment groups rallying against it while they're powerless to stop it. According to the new constitution Japan isn't allowed to organize a national police force and therefore has its hands tie. Until, that is, the Capital Police Organization (CAPO) is formed. In reply, many of the counter establishment groups rally together to form "The Sect". The movie's opening scene involves the main character, Fuse, watching in horror as a young girl blows herself up with a satchel charged when faced down by the elite soldiers of the CAPO.

 

The directing in this scene, and all following, is without a doubt one thing. Brilliant, and segues easily into the main theme of the movie, duality. As the riot is in progress the film switches flawlessly from the chaos of the police barricade to the silence of the city's back alleys. The motif is most evident as two primary characters recite passages from "Little Red Riding Hood" during slow moving montages. On that note, it's one of the better dubs I've seen in some time. Michael Dobson is suitably monotone as the PTSD suffering Fuse, and Moneca Stori's emotional scene is far and above crying I've seen in many Hollywood movies to date. As far as Ocean dubs go, this one is more than suitable. My only real problem is the artistic style. Mamoru Oshii certainly knows how to make his cool looking armor and guns, but when it comes to people I really don't think the man has a clue. They're so stark and obviously not real that you're never allowed to forget that you're watching an animated film. I don't think it entirely detracts from the film, but it's a constant reminder. I'm running out of space so I'll make this quick. If you think this is some Akira or even Ghost In The Shell joint (both excellent movies in their own right, though not without their "hatas") you're wrong. The ending of this movie nearly brought me to tears, not because it was sad, but because it was so sudden, so real and so appropriate. I had a cigarette after this movie and just... though I'm sorry I went on so long, and honestly I could go further. If anyone wants to talk about this movie in more depth about it's symbolism hook me up.** There's so much more I wanted to say about suitable pauses and beautiful cuts and excellent direction and there's no space to say it. Even freaking smoking means something in this movie. My heart literally stopped when I watched the climax, I was riveted to my seat. I'm sorry this review left out most of the funny. I'll watch something shitty next time to make up for it. Happy Valentine's Day from fan-service.com. Buy Jin Roh, watch it, and remember it's okay to cry.***

**Maybe when the forums get up. BWAHAHAHAHA.

***If you're a girl.