KineticSeoul
Who knew ping pong players took that sport seriously, and this is what the movie is about ping pong players that take the game too seriously. The main point is though is that the movie is very entertaining and engaging, I even caught myself taking the game a bit seriously while watching this. The direction is comic book like but it's a good thing for this movie, plus it's a manga adaptation. Every one of the cast did a good job, Yôsuke Kubozuka being one of them. Mainly because he sort of reminds me of a Japanese version of Joseph Gordon-Levitt sort of. I seen this movie a few years ago and just had to see it again, since it was probably the most entertaining Japanese movie when I first saw it a few years ago. I liked how every character had their own background and agenda, so most of the characters aren't put to waste. The story revolves around the competition of ping pong of course, but is overcoming struggles and having heroes and friendship like some reviewers are claiming. For a movie based on a manga this is a very well crafted film that will make you want to watch it again someday after it's finished.8.4/10
dwpollar
1st watched 3/20/2009 6 out of 10(Dir-Sori): Karate kid-type ping pong movie sort of
entertains because it focuses on the characters near the end of the movie instead of just the results of the competition. Some of the movie is irritatibly similar to the previous-mentioned movie in the main storyline. Basically, the movie is about two friends, who are opposites as far as their characters, but both enjoy playing ping pong but for different reasons. Peco, is the more carefree hero wannabe character who just enjoys the game. Smiles(called this because he doesn't do this often) is much more serious but initially plays just to pass the time(supposedly). Peco loses a big match and decides to retire from the game and during this time Smiles gets much better and becomes the dominant player(despite the fact that he used to look to Peco as his hero). Peco then tries to make a comeback under the tutelage of a woman instructor in the vain of movies like "Rocky" and "Karate Kid." Near the end, the movie returns to looking into these two characters more closely and turns what could have been a formulaic movie into something a little better. Again it takes another country to show us Americans how to make this type of movie better. Good for them!! and good for us to be able to view the movie!!
gnaydo
From the first seen with Peco jumping off the bridge, the engaging soundtrack reels you into to a story about two friends.While we may have see this type of friendship before, the subject matter is....well another matter. After all, to most of us in the US, ping pong is more of a recreational sport. The action is maybe a little too fast, but Ping Pong the movie slows it down and uses CG to create a surreal, manga-like atmosphere.The movie succeeds in combining CG, quick editing and cinematography colors to create a whole new world. But that is just the look of the movie. The two main characters Peco and Smile are opposites, but a friendship emerges when each wants what the other has.Peco wants Simile's god-given ability to play ping pong, and Smile wants the care-free personality of Peco. Along with the drama is some light hearted comedy. Like Peco singing what sounds like "bong, bong, bong" but it is actually "born, born, born". Simile replies 'in the USA'.I personally like movies that develop the characters. In this case, the focus is on the players. You will not see the players parents or where they live. Everything takes place at the gym or "ping pong dojo".I'm surprised, like other have stated, that this movie didn't make it to wide release in the US. Just how "Shall We Dance" peaked our interest in ballroom dancing, "Ping Pong" might have made thousands of us dust off the ping pong table sitting in the corner of the patio.
Upi Dipi
I watched this movie the first time last summer and I really liked it. Now after seeing it the second time I absolutely adore it. The ending almost got me into tears and that's really something.Ping Pong is about friendship and well, table tennis. I really don't think you can call this a normal sport film because that's kind of a lame term. And this isn't a lame film.The directing is good and acting too and the whole mood of this flick is stunning, especially in the end. I got the shivers.Too bad that this is, at least for most people, really hard to find. I'm glad my friend went to Japan and by mistake got this film and then gave this to me. A weird coincidence.
AD
