Review of Dororo (2007) by Torkel S — 21 Oct 2007

The new film Dororo from director Akihiko Shiota has some good moments. For one, its themes of abandonment in multiple forms come with a real emotional connection. The acting is more than passable. Kou Shibasaki (one of the cuter girls to grace the screen in Battle Royale, Memories of Matsuko) is entertaining as the obnoxious thief following Hyakkimaru (Satoshi Tsumabuki, Josee, the Tiger and the Fish). Yet the film is all over the place. It starts of with a decent action scene with mediocre yet enjoyable CGI, but soon you'll be wondering if it was for a limited time only. When the film returns to action, itâ??s more like a corny Kaiju monster battle in Tokyo. It feels like the Power Rangers are about to run around the corner. It's like going to McDonalds and ordering the new burger on the menu, but it's gone by the time you come back the following week. But I don't like McDonalds, and there isn't much else to come back for in this film.

That was probably too harsh, but I found myself thinking how long this movie felt. Not only is it over two hours, but it feels like itâ??s almost three. A long running time isnâ??t a problem for me, but without a good sense of pace and making everything work as a whole I could only find myself thinking how some trimming could help.

The film will focus on what can be conveyed in a small amount of time but chooses to stick around longer than welcome. Clearly everyone involved wanted to pack in as much as possible, but donâ??t give a taste of fantasy and action and only deliver in cartoonish ways later on. I will admit that the story about the Shaman (Yoshio Harada, the assassins master in Azumi) growing body parts for the limbless and eyeless body of the baby Hyakkimaru was really cool. The creative imagery in this part of the film has some of the best CGI, although itâ??s not going for anything big like later in the film.

Dororo is also surprisingly predictable. I don't think it is so much about cliche as being able to be a step ahead of the plot. I found myself thinking about what everything might mean, or how things will change as the story developed. I even predicted a line, which was kind of weird. This part of the movie removes any feeling of surprise, but at least as a viewer you can be involved with what is happening.

I donâ??t really care to say much else, but maybe it just isnâ??t my thing. For people who do like it, itâ??s a combination of cheesy fun and above average drama. Thereâ??s more story here than the recent Korean fantasy film The Restless. That film has much better imagery, and a better sense of the kind of world it takes place in, but the emotional depth is stronger in Dororo.

Iâ??d say it is worth the watch, but I think most people will just find it to be a little silly.