Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Christopher Lambert is The Hunted, August 24, 2000
One of Mr. Lambert's best films, The Hunted finds Paul Racine (Lambert), a New Yorker on business in Japan, who meets the lovely Kirina (Joan Chen) in a bar late one evening and goes back to her place for a night of passion. But when Paul wants to continue seeing her, Kirina sadly tells him that he can never see her again. Unknown to Paul, Kirina is marked for death by the boss, Nemura (James Saito) who hires the cunning and ruthless ninja, Kinjo (John Lone), to carry out his deeds. But a mistake in door keys causes Paul to return to her apartment only to witness her demise at the hands of Kinjo, who fatally wounds Paul, who sees him without his mask (he took it off at the request of Kirina to show her the face of her assassin). Rushed to a hospital, Paul recovers while having reacurring dreams about Kirina (in lovely black and white w/Kirina in color). He is later approached by Takeda (Yoshio Harada), a master Samurai and his wife, Mieko (Yoko Shimada (James Clavell's Shogun)), who both urge him to move as quickly as possible, as Kinjo will surely come back to finish him off. Several hours (and dead cops) later, Paul leaves the hospital and attempts to meet up with Tekeda and Mieko at the train station to escape Kinjo. After evading the ninjas (in a fairly believable way), Paul makes it to the train while still being persued by the ninjas sent by Kinjo to kill him. Many dead and bloodied ninjas later (at the hands of Takeda), Paul is taken to a school, owned by Takeda, to hide out until the threat is over. With a satisfying climax, this film not only has plenty of action to satisfy all, but the added bonus of fine acting by the cast (Lambert, Lone, Chen, Harada, Shimada) which makes it a most enjoyable film to watch again and again. Plus you can't beat the music, which adds another layar all by itself. I really loved this film, seeing it in the movie theater, buying the video, laserdisc and finally the DVD, which includes Cast and Crew Bios for Christopher Lambert, John Lone, Joan Chen, Director J.F. Lawton, Production Notes, Universal Web Links, and the Original Theatrical Trailer. Enhanced in the Widescreen Format (1:85.1), The Hunted is the perfect East meets West action movie.
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21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"There Are No Ninjas In Japan" ~ The Price of Misguided Honor , July 11, 2005
Two ancient traditions collide in the heart of a modern day Japanese city when an unwary American businessman witnesses the execution of a beautiful Japanese woman by a infamous ninja cult.
Paul Racine (Christopher Lambert) alone and lonely in a foreign land meets Kirina (Joan Chen) in the bar of his hotel. Hoping for a little company for the evening he strikes up a conversation with her which evenutally leads to a night on the town and ends in Kirina hotel room for a fleeting moment of passion.
Just as unexpectedly as the evening began it abruptly ends when Kirina turns somber and introspective just before asking Paul to leave. Somewhat bewildered he reluctantly grants her request all the while wondering what went wrong. What Paul didn't know was Kirina had a good reason for asking him to leave. She is slated to be executed that very night. It was time to prepare herself for the arrival of the ninja assassins.
As the assassination is being carried out Paul unexpectedly walks back into Kirina's room and witnesses her murder. Miraculously he survives his wounds and the posionous substance administered to the tips of the ninjas weapons, awakening days later in a hospital bed with a fantastic story that nobody seems to believe. According to the authorities ninjas were a part of Japan's past. They no longer exist in modern day Japan.
There is one doctor however who believes him. He knows the truth about the secretive ninja cult and knows that the ninjas will return to kill the only witness to the crime. He contacts Takeda (Yoshio Harada) the last great samurai and the only one who may be able to help Paul survive the ordeal to come.
At first Takeda's offer to help seems to be an altrustic act of kindness and courage, however as the story unfolds you discover the samurai warrior has an agenda of his own. He is using Paul as a decoy to lure his old enemy Kinjo out into the open for a battle to the death.
There are alot of things going on in this film with genre overlapping genre. Action/Adventure, Comedy and Romance are all intertwined with a subtle touch or Horror as the spirit of the dead woman returns to haunt both Kinjo and Paul. There are some wonderful fighting sequences coupled with surprisingly graphic violence and nudity. This is cleverly counterbalanced by some lighthearted comedic moments between Christopher Lambert and Takeda's perpetually inebriated swordsmith.
While the romantic elements are quite subdued they are touching nonetheless. The enchanting Yoko Shimada (Shogun) plays the part of Mieko, Takeda's devoted wife. Despite her love for her husband she can only watch him slip away as he becomes increasingly obsessed with his mission to kill Kinjo and destroy the ninja clan. While she sees strength and bravery in the old ways as embodied in her warrior husband she inwardly longs for a more gentle and forgiving way of life that she sees lived out in Paul. There are no romantic feelings expressed between Paul and Mieko but I think the ending implicitly indicates something more may exist.
The cast is excellent. Looking like he just stepped out of an old Akira Kurosawa film, Yoshio Harada is perfect as the brooding, unyielding samurai Takeda. Just as impressive is John Lone (The Last Emperor) in the role of the intense and haunted Kinjo, leader of the ninja clan. Christopher Lambert does an excellent job as the sometimes confused, sometimes brave American trying to stay alive while remaining true to his own beliefs in a culture he doesn't understand and Yoko Shimada is as always the epitomy of beauty, strength and compassion.
More than anything else this is a tale of two dedicated warriors forever trapped in their own personal histories and traditions. Unable to see beyond the confines of the past they have forgotten the true meaning of honor, striving to fulfill the letter of the law while forgetting the spirit behind it.
Looking at some of the reviews already on Amazon there appears to be quite a difference of opinion concerning this film. I guess this is one of those movies you either love or hate. In my case, I love it!
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Highlander it isn't. (But that can be a good thing.), June 7, 1999
By A Customer
First off if your looking for another Highlander movie this isn't it. This movie came out shortly after Highlander III and I believe that the producers of the movie got Christopher Lambert so people who like Highlander would also go see this movie. But if your looking for a good martial arts movie with excellent swordplay then this is the movie for you. Christopher Lambert stars as a New York Businessman who is in Japan to close a major deal. While in Japan he witnesses a murder by Modern day Ninjas. Since the leader of the ninjas is foolish enough to remove his mask, Christopher see's his face and now to preserve his identity The assassin must kill him. Christophers only hope lies with a Kendo teacher who's ancestors were almost wiped out By the Assassin's clan 300 years ago. All in all an entertaining movie which I highly recommend. And there is even a bit of a suprise ending. Well worth owning. (which I am trying to do if the studio ever releases it again)
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