nanancay A great Yakuza film, has some teaching points about how the Yakuza functions. The heirarchy and loyalty is a huge deal in the Yakuza, which is clear here. Overall a gore fest (when it's revenge time) with good acting, an easy storyline and great cinematography.

karmaswimswami "Outrage" doesn't aspire to Olympian numinal storytelling but in fact is a great yarn of retribution, counter-retribution, double- and triple- crossing, and criminal intrigue lending itself to considerable contemplation. On display here is a really profound emotional range, from poised Japanese restraint to some of the most boorish, angry, testosterone-fueled behavior even lensed, with violence in spades though mostly befalling characters that have been developed such that the spatter is never gratuitous nor comic-book. "Outrage" is meticulously cinematographed, and lensmen that use the screen and light the scene as well as is on view here will never be common. What especially appeals here is a perception that while many western films tantamount to "Outrage" have very powerful men doing very rotten things set in motion by a gesture or a muttering, "Outrage" has lions that roar, get enraged and curse and beat their chests, and it is actually refreshing to see tyrants behaving badly in plain view instead of their badness being inferred. Kitano has the makings of a franchise here, and this is a fine effort.

keyos27 What are some words out there to describe the evil Japanese clan "Yakuza?" It comes down to brutality, unforgiving, relentless, and an absolute pledge. Fortunately, The Outrage, directed by Takeshi Kitano who is famous for Battle Royal, manages to tell the cruel side of Yakuza world where a verbal conflict leads to spattering blood until the strongest wins. To summarize the plot, the two different crime organizations owned by an affluent Sanmo-kai chairman get into a vicious quarrel as each subordinate gets killed one by one from back-to-back retaliation. As they are inclined to execute everything they are told by their higher-ups under any occasion, the story gets deeper and intense.We also get to see all types of violence for the punishment and vengeance. One of the traditional ways of making it up for one's miscue is to slice one of their fingers. There is zero mercy and sympathy.To talk about some downsides, As the justice being the symbol of the police, a lieutenant forms an alliance with the Yakuza chairman by getting a bribe. There is no need to reprimand the director portraying an unlawful decorum of police here. But, the real disappointment lies on the incompetent power of a legislative body that faces against Yakuza being one-sided as they easily makes a mockery of the police.For example, there is a scene where a luxury car with a corpse in the trunk tries to pass through an inspection gate which is heavily guarded by more than three officers. And, one of the subordinates, Ishihara who is fluent in English pretends be a foreigner who does not understand a word of Japanese so the officer just meekly lets them pass despite discovering blood dripping from the trunk. That is not all. The officer getting rejected for frisking the trunk because they state that it belongs to an embassy! It neglects the duty and proprietary of the police whose jobs are to identify any suspects.Not only that, while a number of Yakuza members getting killed in public, the police does not even try to arrest a single member because of inadequate evidence! All I see is the same lieutenant taking a bribe and yelling at the alleged Yakuza "You did it right?" "Don't lie to me!" whilst the rest of his comrades being dormant. Can't the director bother to make an even one scene where forensics examining fingerprints?Even it is an intention of director to show corrupted side of Japanese police, I still think they should implement detailed investigation scenes where police and Yakuza congregate.Other than that, the story itself delivers well. The lesson in this movie would be human beings have the effrontery to betray anyone in order to fulfill their own goal, at least in Yakuza world. Sadly, the world we are living in may not be as hopeful as we think yet.

empty-bin It played out like a floating showcase of stereotypical organized criminal violence. There was no depth to either the characters or the story.The only characters I halfway cared about were Kitano's and Shiina's characters but even then, Shiina's character wasn't very likable and Kitano's character didn't make any sense. There's no honor among thieves: an adage well illustrated by his elder leadership and all his associates - yet Kitano's the lone, old school honorable thief? How'd he get to be the only honorable underboss in an organization full of dishonorable back-stabbers? Also, I think the story's twists bore a few too many cultural dependencies and so they didn't quite hit with the intended force.I like Kitano - but this movie was too shallow.