Filter: Hide Spoilers:
Page 1 of 5:[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [Next]
Index 45 reviews in total 

15 out of 17 people found the following review useful:
Fails to realise the potential of Parkour, 23 January 2006
5/10
Author: Simon Booth from UK

The YAMAKASI are a bunch of kids who practise what is variously known as Parkour and Free Running, a sort of sport/art/philosophy involving the development of skills for the traversal of urban environments in interesting ways (http://www.parkour.com/).

YAMAKASI the film is a Luc Besson production that basically provides a vehicle for 7 of these kids to show their stuff, in the pretence of helping a young kid who needs a heart transplant. It actually feels rather like a kids film, with larger than life characters (a bit of a keystone cops thing going on) and a message about being a bit rebellious but in a good way, or something.

The group are real life practitioners of Parkour, not professional actors - which kind of shows, though not in a particularly bad way - they're not wooden, but don't exactly express deep or complicated emotions.

Given that the film is basically a vehicle for Parkour, it's somewhat disappointing that not all that much of it is shown. There's some building scaling which is impressive but not particularly cinematic, then a bunch of antics where very little "free running" is shown - there are just a couple of scenes which show the potential the film could have had, towards the end. That potential has recently been realised much more dramatically in the film BANLIEUE 13, where one of the founders of Parkour is teamed up with martial artist Cyril Raffaelli for some truly original and sometimes incredible action sequences which show how Parkour could really be the foundation of a whole new action style. It's a shame that YAMAKASI, for whatever reason, didn't seem to know what to do with it. I'm hoping that the semi-sequel LES FILS DU VENT will put the group's talents to better use.

Was the above comment useful to you?

13 out of 18 people found the following review useful:
Refreshing change from Hollywood style films, 6 August 2001
7/10
Author: sander-22 from Hengelo, The Netherlands

Yamakasi is a refreshing change from Hollywood style films. It's not Besson's masterpiece, the story is not THAT original, but the music, the cool "action" and the fresh style makes it a worthwhile experience.

The story itself is about 7 modern samurai, "yamakasi", that try to help a dying boy by stealing money from rich people in order to buy a donor-heart.

The action, although there isn't as much in it as the trailer would led you to believe, mostly consists of the yamakasi running away, climbing buildings, doing crazy jumps, and other stunts involving pedestrians.

Rating: 7/10

Was the above comment useful to you?

12 out of 17 people found the following review useful:
what are you people complaining about ?!, 20 June 2002
Author: meneer from Groningen, The Netherlands

I honestly don't understand why so many people complain about this movie. It doesn't take itself that seriously, so why should you?

A few examples you ask? To the people who have been b*tching in earlier comments, and to those who agree, here goes:

- Wrong message/example? What the f*ck about Robin Hood? That story is regarded classic and rightly so, modern times - modern solutions...

- Weak story/plot? True, true, but that is not what this movie is about. It's lighthearted and humorous. Look at it that way.

- Threatening people with guns? Please, have you even watched the movie? They use a gun, which they obtained from someone who was shooting them, once and they're not aiming at a person.

I don't even wanna elaborate on everything else. Why not? I enjoyed the movie because of the fast pace, good soundtrack and the seemingly (try it yourself and find out!) easy stunts. Add the fact that only one of the seven main characters (Yann Hnautre) has ever played in more than one movie, they're not doing a bad job.

If you're looking for a fun way to spend 90 minutes, go see it, if you only expect to pay for good movies (hint: read some of the other comments for this movie), go and see it anyway. If you wanna nitpick about everything that does or doesn't occur in a movie, see it and go b*tch about it.

Was the above comment useful to you?

4 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
stunts are amazing!, 31 January 2005
7/10
Author: meetjopeblack from Philippines

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

There's nothing noteworthy about the story. Very thin plot--I even felt the story was forced just to have a film on the yamakasis. Plot/conflict is based on an incredible story of a boy needing a transplant because of an accident? Why? There could have been a better plot for the yamakasis since they are not really misfits and/or outlaws. They're just extreme sports lovers who are in it for the adrenalin rush.

Enough said about the plot. Yamakasi is basically about amazing stunts and maneuvers. They are breath taking! Yamakasi stunts defy gravity and inertia. True to it's subtitle, "Modern Samurais/Ninja" Who thought flying can be for men too!? For the stunts and (literal) flying... this film gets my thumbs up.

Was the above comment useful to you?

4 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
Simply boring, 19 March 2007
2/10
Author: Roman Bruckner from Göttingen, Germany

Well, the movie is about some "Parkour" gang. So when i watched i didn't expect a great story, i just wanted to watch an entertaining action movie. At least - as i expected - the story wasn't great, sadly the action wasn't either. There are much cooler Parkour scene with more spectacular stunts on the internet for free. And if you want to see some cool parkour action within a real movie you should try Banlieue 13, it's nearly the same style but with more impressive and most notably more action scenes. So it's only 2/10 Stars, i didn't really enjoy it and it's got this one additional star, because there are quite worse movies :)

Was the above comment useful to you?

4 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
Great adrenalin rush, but not a great plot., 11 January 2002
Author: Juliana Ong from Singapore

I managed to catch this in Singapore during the screening of films during the French film festival for $7. And I'm glad I got it for cheaper then as compared to the horrible $8.50 if you catch it on weekends, though the next time I watched it for free...that was the closest I thought it was worth watching for.

This movie had the basic elements of any plot, but it seemed weak as in, there was no bang to any part of the plot. No twist, nothing. And though in the end, all they managed to auction the stolen goods for was, $38,500. Somehow they managed to claim it as, $60,000. Geez. You're like "Where'd that come from?"

I liked the opening shots but there was one shot that completely irritated me. The discontinuity car shot with the Inspector talking to his cousin, Sitting Bull. It started to rain, but only the windows on Sitting Bull's side were wet with rain droplets and the Inspector's side of the window was completely dry. I mean, hello? This is Luc Besson's work? I'm appalled.

Well, you can't win them all. But just because you made a couple of great movies for the consumer, you can afford to slack on the rest. We do pay money to watch a good movie, not for a great name.

I'd recommend this for an adrenalin rush, but don't expect too much from the story.

Was the above comment useful to you?

8 out of 14 people found the following review useful:
Entertaining movie, 22 November 2003
Author: xepaapex from British Columbia, Canada

Although I am not an arrogant french man, who "poo-poos" all movies except for "masterpieces" I do know entertaining cinema when I see it. Yamakasi is a very entertaining movie, written by Luc Besson (Fifth Element, Leon, The Transporter) The action sequences, stunts, and storyline are more than enough to keep the average movie buff happy. I enjoyed this movie quite a bit as I kept the mindset of an action movie. Don't go to action/adventure movies and expect "Lawrence of Arabia" or something as equally epic.

Very enjoyable

Was the above comment useful to you?

13 out of 24 people found the following review useful:
Yamakasi a taint to parkour, 15 October 2004
Author: tseepra from Finland

In the bright lighted side, we could see the yamakasis, these stuntmen of cities in the luc Besson movie. In the shadowed side, there is parkour, that is also called the art of movement, and that most of the public doesn't know about, and it is understandable: these spider-men's reputation grew, and other young people wanted to practice. David and Sébastien share their passion with anybody who wants to know. The news is spreading: from neighbour cities of noisy and sarcelles, young people move to evry to learn the parkour. The rumour works well, and the show 'notre dame de Paris' offers them to go on a tour, but David and sébastien refuse: a two years tour across France would cut them from their base, and above all they don't want to abandon the other young people who need their help. Then luc besson comes up with a script for yamakasi. They refuse that too. The scenario presents them as revolted boys from housing estates who trick the police and use their skills to steal. Seb explains: 'us, that we don't want, it's to prostitute our art' chilling incorruptible ones. For how long? Seven of the newcomers - including David's cousin give in the temptation and play in the movie. They separate from the group of evry, and rename themselves the yamakasis (strong man, strong spirit). Once famous, they claim to have invented the Parkour, betraying the true parkourists. David, Seb and the others (Stéphane Vigroux, Yoann Vigroux, Jérome ben Aoues, Rudy Duong, Kazuma and Michael Ramdami) rename themselves the 'traceurs'. Irritated by this story, they tell me that: 'to anyone who want to learn the art of parkour, it's welcome, but for the media events, we reserve us the right to choose: now we know who come to train when there's a TV near, and who's really got the passion'. We understand them.

Was the above comment useful to you?

1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
A boy needs a vital organ to live and can't afford it. A group of sportsmen decides to do whatever it takes to steal enough money for him., 15 August 2006
3/10
Author: from France

The movie had a good plot : what can we do to save a life without being an outlaw? In the movie, basically it's said that either you are rich and live or you are poor and you have to steal to survive. 2h of pursuit between the group of self-called "yamakasi" (the good ones who act illegally sometimes) and the police (the bad ones who act legally most of the time). The dichotomy is unfortunately not more subtle. The battle between the robbers and the police. Nothing new. I found that the major problem of that movie, or rather the main reason why I feel I've just wasted 2hours of my time, is that it raises more questions (not difficult ones...) than it gives answers - not in a philosophical attempt to make people think. When a hero saves a child, I like the hero to be likable, and the characters in the movie are complete jerks (the yamakasi and the police alike). The thing is although I have nothing against a movie which expose how our whole system is badly made and how stupid the police is, I find irritating when a group behaves violently and think they're cool (the movie is made so that the youth in France think well of the yamakasi characters although they act violently). More importantly maybe, they had the chance to offer a new look on Paris ghettos (the movie takes place in Paris, I'm from Paris myself and the characters are from the well-known little ghettos here) and it was just a lot of "clichés", so there again nothing new.

The movie could have been much more than what it simply is : an okay action movie. Don't expect anything else. Oh, as far as the movie as an art, there are a few enjoyable and well-filmed scenes, especially since the main actors are very good sportsmen and practice "parkour".

Was the above comment useful to you?

1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
Not so Bad Action Showcase, 12 July 2006
6/10
Author: P.S. Paaskynen from Tornio, Finland

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Many of my fellow commentators who were overly critical of Yamakasi miss the point of the film (and in some cases some important details of the plot). The motivation behind this film was to showcase free running/parkour as a new action style Besson had already used similar stunts in Taxi 2 and later developed the idea into the quite palatable action flick Banlieue 13 (District 13B). The story of the film is merely a framework around which the stunt sequences could be moulded. However, it is important to understand some plot points: - The French Police do, unfortunately, have a reputation for being racist. - Parkour is a sub-culture born in the poor suburbs, so the runners are likely to have negative feelings towards the authorities. If they had been depicted as goodie-two-shoes, the story would be unrealistic and the rebellious free runners most likely would not have participated. - French society is elitist and arrogance of the ones on top towards those at the bottom is not unheard of. - The little boy had a heart condition and the exertion of climbing the tree caused a cardiac crisis that made a transplantation the only option to save him. - Trade in human organs is highly illegal in Europe, the doctor is suspect for suggesting it (using these channels could cost him his job, so probably he will get a fat commission out of the deal, or he wouldn't risk it). His callous behaviour brands him as one of the bad guys. - The people robbed by the yamakasi run the illegal organ trade behind the facade of a charity, so basically the yamakasi are stealing from the criminals, so that they can pay them for the illegal donor heart. Thus, in their view, nobody loses except they themselves for risking arrest. - Non Hollywood films often do not explain the blatantly obvious.

Was the above comment useful to you?
Page 1 of 5:[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [Next]

Add another review

Related Links

Plot summary Ratings External reviews
Plot keywords Main details Your user reviews
Your vote history