Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)
Samurais can be gangsta too.
Presentation:
When I learned that Jim Jarmusch made a hitman movie inspired by one of my favorite Jean Pierre Melville movies Le Samourai, I had to check it out. It was pretty big expectations to fill, but I can say this is still a solid movie. Like all of his films, the pacing is very chill with things only start rolling after 30 minutes. Forrest Whitaker is okay as a philosophical assassin, but the humor is a lot more subdued. It references a lot of movies, Le Samourai with the French immigrant and code of honor, and the seemingly irrelevant nod to Rashomon. One thing is for certain, damn does everything Jim Jarmusch touch cool as a cat.
Conclusion:
This is probably the 3rd or 4th movie you should watch from Jim Jarmusch. There’s more good than bad in this film with pretty unique stylized action. It’s not exactly John Wick, but I can see this DNA influenced in those movies. The best part of this experience was the element of surprise. Similar to Paterson, Jarmusch adds a feint air of poetry to his films, which subtle elevates this into a very special picture. For that reason, this cult film has potential to be someone’s favorite movie. Just make sure this isn’t the first film you watch from him.
Recommendations
Samurais can be gangsta too.