K-20 - THE FIEND WITH 20 FACES (2008)

[indianasmith]

I've taken to watching a good many Japanese films lately.  Some are naughty, some are silly, and some are just plain bad (TOKYO ZOMBIE, hello!).  But this afternoon (man, I love being a teacher in the summertime!) I took one in that was pretty awesome - K-20 is set in a past that never happened, where World War II did not occur and Japanese society was still being run along feudal lines.  The entrenched aristocracy enjoyed the resources and wealth, while the poor wallow in squalor and live the best lives they can.

At the beginning of the movie, the notorious thief K-20, a master of disguise and escape, steals the small prototype for a device originally designed by Nikolai Tesla, that can send any amount of energy to any coordinates.  Then the focus shifts to a poor circus acrobat named Heikichi Endo who is set up by K-20 to be publicly arrested and accused of being the master thief himself.  However, he manages to escape, and with the aid of a merry band of thieves who live in the poor quarter, he begins training himself in acrobatics, concealment, and disguise so that he can catch K-20 himself.  Along the way he meets and falls in love with Duchess Yoko Hashiba, a feisty aristocrat who is engaged to Police Detective Akechi Kogoro, who is the expert on K-20's crimes and is living to bring down the master criminal.

Lots of bumps and twists along the way, with good acting, strong characters, and excellent special effects.  Also, this movie is quite clean and family-appropriate.  My daughter is watching it right now, in fact!  I highly recommend this Japanes sci-fi romp. It's almost like an Oriental version of "Batman Begins," only set in 1949.  I imagine it should spawn some sequels at some point.
Anyone else seen this one?

[indianasmith]

I sat and watched this again with my wife and kids last night.  My daughter Rebecca, who is into anime, was totally hooked from the opening credits on.  I must say, it was even better the second time around.  I hope they don't do a stupid American remake with Tom Cruise in the lead role.  That being said, if they do, I will probably watch it.



God help me.