Miike's action film gets booed at Cannes

British critic Geoff Andrew took to Twitter to deride “risibly overacted, overemphatic nonsense that constantly states the obvious cliche.”

This just about sums up any drama on Japanese TV.

No one is forcing the European population to see this Japanese movie so if them folk in Europe don't like it?? Big deal!! Why waste time and money in Europe anyway!! Shrinking population and crappy economies so now I really want to see this Japanese movie!!

But reviewers said the film went off the rails during a bullet train scene in which the cops deliver long speeches about their personal motivations and reflections on the moral quandary they face over risking their lives to guard a remorseless killer, only pausing to brutally dispatch blood-thirsty bounty-hunters.

Fairly typical for Japanese "action" movies I'd say, ruin a perfectly good movie with a bunch or moralizing dialogue to fill in scenes because they don't have the budget to stick with the action!

All it needs is some more blood,subtitles, and some scantily clad girls and you have a hit in America! Ship it over. Even though the plot kind of reminds me of this movie I didn't watch where a criminal going to prison and when the news interviews him he offers millions to whoever breaks him out.

If JTV is anything to go buy they were kind.

numbies,

I think you mean the movie "S.W.A.T.". Had Colin Farrell, Samuel L. Jackson and LL Cool J in it if I remember correctly.

I was recently told by a friend to watch Miike movies coz he thought they were really good. Don't think I will follow through on that advice now.

Miike movies can be very good, and very memorable. I thought "The Katakuri Family" (I forget the complete title) was fabulous - hilarious and just hugely imaginative and innovative.

"Audition" is memorable for different reasons, but once you watch it you'll never forget it.

That said, I haven't watched one of his films in an age, and some bastud stole my box-set of his DVDs, but I wouldn't let these poor reviews get in the way of watching this one.

Different horses for different courses, after all.

If you see the movie and did not like it, ok, tough cookies! If you have NOT seen the movie and think your OWN brain can not say "Maybe this movie is good, maybe it is crap" and have to rely on some wankers back in Europe to "think" for you, then I feel real sorry for many folk here on JT!

The audience has every right to boo if a movie stinks - and by the sounds of things, this does. Miike is probably lucky he didn't have rotten tomatoes thrown at him!

"states the obvious cliche" all japan TV, Movies, Games, Anime, and Manga.

btw I am actually a big fan of Miike. One of the few Japense creators of media that seems to have some if not sometimes a lot of originality. Its seems even he is not immune to the Japanese curse of falling into the ""states the obvious cliche""

IMO, Japanese movie industry and action film do NOT match. While they can create amazing films based on love stories and etc, they can't create action films AT ALL.

Yes, lots of J movies verblown and too pompous. But then so are plenty of Western action flicks - look at Seagal if you want self importnat and moralising nonsense.

Miike pumps out films at an unbelievable rate and over the years has produced the occasional 'very good film".

Unfortunately, the majority of his films range from average to pretty terrible. Yes I know a lot are "cult" releases, but this does not necessarily make them good.

Whilst I respect the man as a film maker, one needs to put a lit of his releases into perspective. i.e.: Cannes is NOT the place for most of his releases.

I suppose there's no point in a remake of "In the Realm of the Senses" ....?

Damn. Now I want to see how horrible it is.

I've noticed since coming to live in Japan how much talking gets done in situations I wouldn't have expected any, such as classical music concerts. So bad once, I walked out in disgust. Why do the Japanese feel the need to do this?

“It’s not the viewers who don’t want to see these films, it’s the professionals, the people who make films,”

What a bizarre statement from a man that makes films. Unfortunately for him, it's no one that wants to see his films except people curious about how bad they can be. This man's movies are horrid.

wow, so much exaggerated stereotype of Japanese shows here, seriously I can't even...

@John Master: I disagree, I think some of the Japanese action movies I have seen are much better than some of the ones from Hollywood I've seen. But to each their own I suppose.

Anyway, as for this movie...I don't know if I'd watch it...I mean, I do like some of Miike's previous movies, like 'Sukiyaki Western Django', the 'Crows Zero' movies, 'Futoh; the next Generation', and his 2012 movie 'Aku no Kyoten' starring Ito Hideaki. But his movies I do not like far outweights those I do like...so I don't know, I guess I'll need some time to decide. Miike have always had a reputation for pushing the boundries when it comes to his filmmaking, and his movies are not for everyone. I'll need to read more reviews about this movie before I decide. I do like Matsushima Nanako though, so I MIGHT end up watching it for her.

I've only seen Crows Zero which I thought was pretty amusing.

If it were such a bad movie, why did Cannes even invite the movie for the main competition in the first place?

The critics sound like old-school critics. This kind of movie is what appeals to the 'social media' generation. This movie is what they would call "bad".

@Robert Dykes: "states the obvious cliche" all japan TV, Movies, Games, Anime, and Manga.

I am not sure you have seen "all" Japanese media, but if you have that is a pretty big call to say the least.

"Shield of Straw" looks pretty bad from the previews and I was a little surprised that it was in competition at Cannes, but it is Miike and the French do seem to have a soft spot for him. It must be said that being booed at Cannes is not necessarily a bad thing. L'Avventura was booed at Cannes and is now recognized as a masterpiece, so maybe Miike's film will be the same; I doubt it, but you never know.

hey im looking forward to seeing it...can't be helped if Europeans don't appreciate good violence

is it as good as BATTLE ROYALE ????

@beowolf - lol I doubt that guy has watched "all" Japanese media, actually, I doubt ANYONE has watched "all" Japanese shows. Like Newgalontheblock said, it's exaggeration, people just love to exaggerate. And the extent of the exaggeration here is amusing to be quite frank lol.

I think people here have failed to realize or forgot that Japan is not the "only" country that spams cliches, Hollywood makes some of the most cliched & unoriginal stuff imaginable out there, heck, sometimes they even have to borrow ideas from the Japanese or some other Asian country. I have also seen many cliched Korean & Chinese movies. In fact, Koreans take many of their ideas from Japanese sources. Cliches are like the norm in the world of filmmaking nowadays, it doesn't matter what country, and Japan is certainly NOT the only country that spams cliches.

I have actually seen the movie, and it's just simply not a good movie. We went on the opening day during Golden Week and though the theatre was packed, the reception was quite lukewarm. I overheard some comments from Japanese audience members at the end, and they weren't positive at all. In my opinion the problem is that it wants to be more than just a mere action movie, it aspires to look at the moral aspect as well. But in order to achieve that it needed a much better script and interesting characters for the audience to identify with. It's just one of Miike's bad movies, has nothing to do with grumpy Europeans. I am actually relieved that the EU review's are bad, usually European film critics fawn over everything Japanese.

don't mind!

lol I'm starting to believe that JT is like the english version of 2ch, seriously, so much hate here & people who are in denial, there's virtually no room for objectiveness. Most comments here are just full of exaggeration and biasness.

Please post something pertinent to the story.

No one is forcing the European population to see this Japanese movie so if them folk in Europe don't like it?? Big deal!! Why waste time and money in Europe anyway!! Shrinking population and crappy economies so now I really want to see this Japanese movie!!

So you think US audiences will think it's a work of art and love it? I like SOME Miike films, but he does have a tendency to go over the top and also introduce drivel into them. Europeans generally appreciate Japanese films... it's the Americans who keep remaking them. I have a large collection of Japanese films and TV dramas on DVD.

(Just remember... your ancestors probably came from Europe... Spain possibly, going by your username, lol)

@ Moderator - I am, I was referring to the comments on this particular article. Most of the comments here regarding this article & about the Japanese film & media industry are just full of exaggerated generalization, with no objectiveness at all. And even with the several objective or positive comments, tend to get negative votes. My comment getting negative votes is just proof that some people here are just in denial, that's typically what happens when people get negative votes just for stating the facts, or don't agree with other people's exaggerated biasness.

Takashi Miike is hit-or-miss with me. He's made some good ones, but a lot of mediocre ones. I like the Kishiwada Shonen Monogatari ones he did (I think those were his...) They were very funny. (A series of three or four, he did the first one or two, I believe).

If they say this one is a bore, I can very well imagine it being so. But I'd have to see for myself.

On the surface of it, the story sounds like a neat concept. Police defend a child-killer against the howling mob. Would make for an excellent suspense/chase movie with dark moral undertones.

As usual though when you go the action route, violence and gore are likely to mar the film, undermining its potential and blurring the message. Hollywood - and those overseas who mimic its Tarantino-esque conventions - need to get away from over the top shock factors and return to solid storylines. This film sounds like another missed opportunity.

My wife tells me this film got a standing ovation at Cannes. Can any other readers lend any evidence to her claim? I suspect she might be having another one of her turns.

My wife tells me this film got a standing ovation at Cannes. Can any other readers lend any evidence to her claim?

"...“Shield of Straw” is such a frustrating film to watch -- and why it has been the only film so far to inspire the famous Cannes chorus of boos. To the crowd's credit, there were also cheers and applause at the end."

full article here: < http://www.thewrap.com/movies/column-post/cannes-review-without-blood-lust-takashi-miike-s-shield-straw-draws-boos-92801>

Linda Shi: "I am, I was referring to the comments on this particular article. Most of the comments here regarding this article & about the Japanese film & media industry are just full of exaggerated generalization, with no objectiveness at all."

Ah, so like your comments, then? Calling everyone haters and preaching bias because we call a bad movie a bad movie?

yeah. of course I have not seen all Japanese media. It was meant half way as a joke. Half serious. Many people think Japanese media is pretty terrible overall. I do have SOME expertise in this field. I do hold a degree in Mass Communication. so basically all I did for college was watch TV, movie, listen to music (make movies, write scripts, and be a radio DJ) and write essays about all that stuff and have then class discussions about. I used to be an avid anime fan, until the more I watched the same cliches and stereotypes and styles kept popping up over and over and over agian. Nothing was new anymore. So yeah in regards to anime, for the most part. I think my original post is applicable. As for movies. I have seen TONS of Japanese films, most of the what I have enjoyed has been the older stuff like Kurasawa films and actully Miike's stuff. Most of the stuff I coudlnt really stand because, yeah it was cliched, too many terrible stereotypes, over dramatic, WAY OVER dramatic, and bad bad acting. OF course the USA makes terrible movies too. but just look at the number of times a Japanese film has even gone up for the Oscrer. Hardly ever in the last two decades ( for best foreign film). Countries like Spain and french with an economy FAR less than Japanese put out TONS and TONS of excellent high quality foreign films.

People have talked about and written about Japans gentle nativity. In no way do mean that in a negative sense. It is part of their culture and its okay. But it comes out in much of their media I think, and think this is more than obvious when you hold that meida up the world spectrum of what out there. South Korea has made more interesting, more succucell films in the last 10 years than Japan has. Old Boy, The Host, etc.

I am not saying Japan cant make a good movie. Its just REALLY rare.

Lest we forget, Miike is the same hack that made Battle Royale -- a movie that was solely made for gratuitous violence -- and claimed it was about 'brotherhood' and 'how we love each other'. Yeah, nothing says that like tossing a cut off head stuffed with dynamite into a room with highschool students.

His next movie should star Toru "Big Boy" Hashimoto, seeing how many comfort women he can get thru in one night. Could win best short?

I really like Japanese movies, but sometimes the dialogues can be a bit "preachy"....

Proper critics hate recent Japanese movies

with the exception for the one starring Masaharu Fukuyama

So I wasn't necessarily gay for Fukuyama after all, thank you Cannes!

My wife tells me this film got a standing ovation at Cannes. Can any other readers lend any evidence to her claim? I suspect she might be having another one of her turns.

The one that got 10 minutes standing ovation at Cannes was "Like Father, Like Son", directed by Koreeda, the one with Fukuyama Masaharu in it.

Miike is hit-or-miss for me, too. I really liked "The Great Yokai War", "Sukiyaki Western Django", "One Missed Call", and "Audition". Others I couldn't watch.

So out of all the people in this thread who are commenting, how many have ACTUALLY seen the movie and are therefore ACTUALLY qualified to comment on whether it is good or not? Hands?

look at Seagal if you want self importnat and moralising nonsense.

ever seen seagal at cannes?

Fadamor...I have never taken part in a war, but am prepared to believe from the opinions of those who have that it isn't enjoyable. Similarly, I have no desire to sit through two hours of something which a panrl of international experts agree is overacted juvenile pap before I form an opinion on it. I haven't seen tonight's "variety" shows yet, but I expect they might involve eating, shouting and gurning. Some things can be predicted.

Maria, thank you for the information.

Lest we forget, Miike is the same hack that made Battle Royale -- a movie that was solely made for gratuitous violence

I don't usually disagree with you Smith, but you're wrong on 3 counts here. Miike is not a hack, he has made some very highly regarded and extremely diverse films. Battle Royale was not one of them however, not because it was not a good film, but because Miike didn't make it.

You can't trust French film reviewers anyway...

Try IMBD, you might learn something.

John Master May. 21, 2013 - 10:02AM JST IMO, Japanese movie industry and action film do NOT match. While they can create amazing films based on love stories and etc, they can't create action films AT ALL.

Oh yeah?

Akira Kurosawa practically invented the genre. Ever heard of him?

Kids these days, totally clueless and disrespectful.