I've known about this movie for a while now, but (even with Oguri Shun in the lead role) I didn't think I would like it. I didn't even read the summary, just an assumption. I gave it a chance, which makes sense now that I'm getting into male idols and I adore yankees ever since MG. Well, let me just say that was some good old yankee hotness that just exploded. And yes it was very yummy. First off Oguri Shun is the lead. Second, it is directed by Takashi Miike. The Bad Boys from AKBingo! make a hilarious appearance. All in all, it is one hell of a ride. The plot has a premise you'd expect, but it is based off a manga so the characters should be decent. However, the plot line shows the events that take place before the plot of the manga. A prequel if you will.
It follows the heir of a Yakuza family, Genji, as he transfers into Suzuran High School. Genji (Shun Oguri) sets out to do what his father couldn't, conquer the school. He has stiff competition because there is someone already on his way to doing the same: Tamao (Takayuki Yamada). If my interject for a moment, while viewing the film I became torn between my usual, pretty boy favorite (Shun) for his rival (Takayuki). Is it getting hot in here or is it just me? Anyway, Genji is new to school so he gets advice to start a rival gang from a long ranking yakuza who once attended Suzuran. The two major events besides Genji's ascent is that his girlfriend gets kidnapped and the final showdown between the two gangs.
I absolutely love this movie and highly recommend this. Miike does a wonderful job with the fight scenes. I wonder if this film has increased the number of yankees out there. The movie glorifies being a yankee, but at least they show the good values behind all the violence. What do you think? Is it better not to glorify fighting and have just not made the film. Or is it better to couple it with values like friendship, honor, and leadership? However, does hiding violence behind reasons only make it worse. Like, it is okay to kick the crap out of each other or spend your school days fighting if you at least have some reason. At least it looks down on kidnapping and rape. You don't see much vandalism, besides the school, or stealing. I did a high school project about the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and one of the problems with it, and now American culture in general, is that violence has become okay. Now I like me some violence, but I prefer their to be some thought to it (ex. Battle Royale). I'm not a fan of Mission Impossible, horror films like Saw, or Die Hard. I dislike violence for violence sake. I don't care if they are saving the planet, it seems to simplistic to be relevant. At least in Battle Royale it makes you think. Is Crows Zero like that? Or is the plot just an excuse for the violence? I want to say no because, not only are the leads sexy (sorry couldn't help myself), but I feel like there is more meaning when there is no bad guy. When it isn't just a war between good and evil in the movies I think it is more thought provoking, it makes routing for someone slightly more difficult.
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