Weekend Watching: Fist of the North Star

**Permalost** · Posted On: 9/05/2012 1:44pm

Originally Posted by Smackjack

Did you know the guy named his son after his character in this movie? What a loser dad.

What growing boy wouldn't want to be named after a head-exploding anime character?

**Mr. Machette** · Posted On: 9/05/2012 2:08pm

Man, this movie was terrible. It took me three sessions to finish it. There were, however, little details that I trully enjoyed.

First, commitment to the source material. The sets and clothing are straight out of the original concepts. This is EXPECIALLY amussing in terms of wardrobe! OH lord, the lulz!

Also, they really do try to stay as faithful as possible to the CARTOON VIOLENCE of the manga and anime durring some scenes. While this is predictably over the top and terrible in a live action format, it brougt us special gems like this:

Unfortunately, (and I'm guessing dude to budget) they do not have any great prothetics and wild blood sprays after the first act. I think they just ran out of money. Which is sad, because if the whole movie had been as faithful as the scene above it would have achieved real cult classic status. However, they peter out progressively to the point that the last fight is just two guys playing TKD badass in a throneroom. IIRC, the anime ended with an epic battle of arching lights spraying blood hoses and the entire cosmos spining and warping behind the ULTIMATE POWER of the two fists fighting. They should have stuck with that. A green screen and cheap CGI would have pulled off anything they needed for that scene. The throne room set was propbably more expensive than the effects they would have needed to sell the original concept with live actors.

Anyways...

The other thing I loved about this film is the casting. Good lord, the horrible, horrible casting. I can sum it all up with this concept right here;

"Chris Pen is the dangerouly powerful, rogue martial arts master, Jagi."

Chris Pen? That dude holds the record for quickest submission of Sizler's "all you can eat taco bar". Jagi was a 6'4" steroid freak. Chris Pen was like a 5'8" hoagie freak. It's a choice so off that it actually fills the gap in this film left by a lack of intentional comic relief.

This strange trend continues with almost all the leading characters. Malcome McDowell is the old Fist of the North Star? Ok...

The casting of Kenshiro and Raoh was absolutely terrible though IMO. THey picked two reject Lorenzo Lamas clones to play Asian guys. Kenshiro? Raoh? What are these two white boys doing here? That could be forgiven, but neither actor is even built like the characters they are meant to portray. Kenshiro was 6'+ and olympic swimmer ripped. Raoh was one of those 7'+ freaks and built like a mack truck that od'd on Diabonol. As least their acting is as wooden and stupid as the cartoon. That somehow made the movie more entertaining...

Instead we get an average sized white dude, and a slightly shorter than average white dude. Both are in decent shape, but neither are the pituitary freaks they are supposed to play.

If racial background was already thrown out the window when casting for these guys I probably would have gone with "muscled up" Adrien Brody for Kenshiro (Tall, ectomorph body, but impressive mass when he puts in the work) and Michael Clark Duncan for Raoh (Big, BIG man with good development that would actually look imposing when standing over muscly Adrien Brody).

But that's just one fanboy's hindsite. If you've got the stamina, see the movie. It's free on youtube:
http://youtu.be/bXcmG2uvgRY

If you don't, just enjoy the first clip I linked. That represents the best this film has to offer. JMHO.

**DARPAChief** · Posted On: 9/08/2012 11:30am

If you folks are into this stuff and live in North America, thanks to Discotek Media you can get not only the HD remaster of the 1986 Fist of the North Star film, but even the concurrent TV series on DVD. Plus, the latter is also available legitimately and for freesies on at crunchyroll.com (http://www.crunchyroll.com/fist-of-the-north-star).

Mad Max Steroid Jesus Bruce Lee

Obviously someone wasn't paying attention, because the Fist of the Christmas Star is Toki.

**Smackjack** · Posted On: 9/08/2012 2:10pm

Originally Posted by Bneterasedmynam

I didn't hate the tekken movie, it was at least as good as the game. But mortal kombat?? You're fucking kidding right??

The only movie I could stand Daniels in was the perfect weapon, but just barily.

I actually have a personal thing against tekken, I tried out to be an extra in the stadium through the actor's guild society, but fell ill due to developing allergies, that but i didnt care after i found out the story line was compete and utter bullshit with no ending. I could have played a better Jin then that guy. Competition winners dont make good actors. Hollywood keeps forgetting this, and fucks up those who's childhood was invested in the tekken play station series. I somewhat remember the animation movie, they could at least have an adaptation off of that.

Mortal kombat was good for its time, it stuck to the storyline, and had decent acting if I was old enough I would have tried out for that most definitely for any part.