IMDb > Sonatine (1993)
Sonatine
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Overview

User Rating:
7.3/10   5,940 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 6% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writer:
Takeshi Kitano (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Sonatine on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
10 April 1998 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
He's Japan's best kept secret - unleashed on America for the first time. more
Plot:
Several yakuza from Tokyo are sent to Okinawa to help end a gang war. The war escalates and the Tokyo drifters decide to lay low at the beach. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
3 wins more
NewsDesk:
(4 articles)
Legend Of Drunken Master, Iron Monkey, Hero and Zatoichi Blu-ray Reviews
 (From Collider.com. 19 September 2009, 5:29 PM, PDT)

TAD2008: Let the Right One In
 (From Twitch. 17 October 2008, 9:00 PM, PDT)

User Comments:
National peculiarities of Japanese gangsterism more (72 total)

Cast

  (Credited cast)

Takeshi Kitano ... Aniki Murakawa
Aya Kokumai ... Miyuki
Tetsu Watanabe ... Uechi
Masanobu Katsumura ... Ryoji
Susumu Terajima ... Ken
Ren Ôsugi ... Katagiri
Tonbo Zushi ... Kitajima
Ken'ichi Yajima ... Takahashi
Eiji Minakata ... The Hit Man
rest of cast listed alphabetically:

Rome Kanda ... Gangster
Houka Kinoshita ... A member of kitajima-gumi
Kôta Mizumori
Yuuki Natsusaka ... Murakawa-gumi kumiin
Kanji Tsuda
Kanta Yamazaki ... Waiter
more
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Sonachine
more
MPAA:
Rated R for bloody shootings, language and some sexuality.
Runtime:
94 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Filming Locations:

Fun Stuff

Quotes:
Aniki Murakawa: Indecent exposure is fun. more
Movie Connections:

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
28 out of 36 people found the following comment useful.
National peculiarities of Japanese gangsterism, 10 June 2000
10/10
Author: hmsgroop from Samara, Russia

I have always wondered why Americans always label everything they can lay their hands on; that's how Sonatine became "an action movie", Arizona Dream became "a comedy", etc. Maybe their viewers need to be told what is what because it's hard for them to think for themselves. Sonatine is NOT a typical action movie. Though the characters are gangsters and they DO kill people occasionally it's not the killings that are important. The director and the cast show that those gangsters are also human, with their likes and dislikes, their games and pranks, their love and loyalty.It's a very Japanese film showing the beauty of the fleeting moments of life, fragility of life, beauty of nature and of human soul which is capable of self-sacrifice and devotion. I particularly loved the game of cardboard wrestlers they palyed on the beach and the fireworks. It's fresh, genuine and filmed in a non-American way (thanks god!)mostly as far as its framing and editing are concerned. Calm and life-like sequences of frames make it look NORMAL, not "movie-like". Thanks god there's nothing like Unreal Tournament gun-happiness and no heroes walking away in a most manly way against the background of flames and nuclear explosions, which are omnipresent in American productions. Takeshi, go, go! We are on your side!

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Top 10 of 1993 the_beer_hunter
WHAT DID TARANTINO HAVE TO DO WITH THIS! Beefmaster25
did anyone else find it weird that... It_Is_Minus_9
Goof! moneenerd
Sonatine... Meaning? jonmack1487
Plot Question haji495
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