So much average

Let's be realistic.

Boring

A Masterpiece!

If truth be told (ooh I sound Welsh!) I didn't really want Aragami. Now I don't want to offend the film, it's just that I'd never heard of it and it came with the film that I was interested in called 2LDK (which was knock-out by the way!) It turns out that Aragami was part of something called the Duel Project where two Japanese directors decided to have a battle, making a film using only two main characters, in one set, shot over one week. It's an extremely interesting premise and one that us Westerner's are used to, seeing that Hollywood often shoves exotic locations and several big-billed names into a film! After reading some hype for Aragami I was genuinely interested in seeing it and seeing which one would win the duel for me.Well, as you can gather from my score, Aragami was not a patch on 2LDK; however that isn't to say that it's a bad film. Aragami is an interesting one, but one that I feel is bloated. Aragami's characters weren't as great as 2LDK's. What made 2LDK so compelling was that the characters were interested and you care about the fight, despite that fact that neither of them are particularly likable. Even with a character to root for in Aragami I still didn't feel as interested in the characters or the fight. Perhaps this was due to the lengthy and slow dialogue scenes which held the film down, especially as we're expecting a fight to the death like the DVD promises. Now, 2LDK did also have a lot of dialogue for the first half hour, but it was brewing with tension and suspense, building up anticipation for the ultimate cat fight.Aragami's dialogue scenes seemed long for the sake of trying to fill up a feature length film. The characters were also pretty stereotypical and aside for a few good moments (notably the reveal of Aragami and the picking of the weapons) you ultimately just want to jump straight into the duel! Now the duel itself is very enjoyable. The action is shot incredibly fast and is almost Tarantino-esque in Kill Bill. It also felt even more thrilling, as it juxtaposed the placid camera movement and few shots that were in the dialogue scenes. However, I did feel that the fight in 2LDK was even better, being that the weapons were innovative, and the characters more interesting.Aragami is basically a sword fight. Although the fantasy element does make the battle more interesting, offering us something a little more unique. I also thought that the pitch-black sword fight with only the lightening outside and the clashes of the sword creating light was very creative and visually exciting. The ending was also quite interesting, but I did have the feeling of too little, too late when the duel did finally commence and I think that it should've made more creative use of its environment like 2LDK did. Additionally, I really did not like the music which sounded like the incidental music on TV's 'Gay Rabbit' which I have never looked at (shifty eyes).2LDK wins for me, but I suppose it's just a matter of taste. If you're into your martial arts then Aragami will be a masterpiece for you. However, I think that the film would've made a much pacier short film, rather than being stretched to feature length and feeling belated. There simply isn't enough narrative drive or interesting characters to fill 1hr 15mins. However, I can think of worse ways to spend your evenings and it really is a master-class in directing and editing. It doesn't have the re-play value of 2LDK, but that's not to say that I won't be watching again over the course of my life.

Aragami the demon god of battle, is one of the most awe inspiring samurai films ever created. Directed by Ryuhei Kitamura Aragami is an action packed adventure and will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole way through.During Japans medieval period many wars were waged many men died; however one samurai is about to engage in a duel that could be the end of his existence or the beginning of a new life. When two samurai seeking refuge from a great battle stumble upon an old temple they had no idea what they were getting themselves into, days later one of the Samurai (Takao Osawa) awakes to find that his friend has died and he learns a dark secret about his host the eccentric Miyamoto Musashi (Masaya Kato).The cinematography for Aragami is unlike anything I have ever seen, the combination of dark lighting and splashes of vibrant color make this film one of the most interesting samurai movies in existence.I enjoyed this film very much and would recommend it to anyone that enjoys samurai movies another fun fact about this film is that it was filmed in 7 days as part of a challenge to create a feature length film with 1 setting in 7 days called the Duel project.

Director Ryuhei Kitamura, now famous thanks to the big success of "Versus" and "Azumi", was challenged to make this experimental film in an odd bet with producer Shinya Kawai and fellow filmmaker Yukihiko Tsutsumi. Named the "Duel" project, Kawai challenged the two filmmakers to each create a feature length movie with only two actors, battling in one setting and filmed entirely in one week. With those restrictions limiting the development of a film, a challenge like that sounds insane; but Kitamura succeeds and delivers a film of almost the same caliber as "Versus".In Kitamura's film, two wounded samurais arrive to a lost temple in the mountains looking for a place to rest. Later, one of them awakes fully healed and is welcomed by the only priest in the temple. He introduces himself as Aragami (Masaya Kato), the God of Battle, and informs the samurai (Takao Osawa) that he healed his wounds, but had to kill his companion to do it. His purpose: to have a duel to death with the samurai.The movie moves around the showdown, not only physical, but also philosophical between these two warriors; with fluid camera-work that mimics the style of Manga comic books, Kitamura keeps the film moving despite being set entirely in the main room of the temple. This stylish use of the camera really is one of the film's strongest points, as it makes the set look different even when they never change of room.The characters are very well defined and thanks to a very good developed script, they never let the movie fall. Just like the visuals, the writing is very similar to those of Manga, and one could say that this is exactly how a Manga would look if it were translated frame by frame to screen. While at times the movie drags, it is understandable that a lot of effort was put to make it entertaining even when it's only about two people talking and fighting.Masaya Kato gives a powerful performance as Aragami, a being beyond man's understanding and with fighting skills perfected through centuries of practice. He really becomes his character and truly makes one belief that he has seen a lot in his life. At the same time, Osawa is very good as the samurai, confused by all what is happening and whose only desire is to get out of the temple alive. Both actors excel in their performances, specially considering the limited freedom they had to work with. In fact, it is thanks to their performances that the script makes the the movie work.The visual beauty of the duel between the warriors is another one of the movie's strong points. Kitamura knows very well how to put action on films as fans of "Versus" will acknowledge. In "Aragami", he mixes the old with the modern in a stylish surrealist duel that mimics the fight between the two samurais. However, if a flaw is to be found, is that the use of modern music at times contrasts with the intentions of the film, nevertheless, it never becomes a real problem.While "Aragami" is nowhere near what Kitamura accomplished with the outstanding "Azumi", it still is a very good and different movie that shows the creativity of this director; that he is not afraid of taking risks; and that in fact, like the raging God of Battle, he enjoys a good challenge. 7/10

The greatest scene you can have in any movie is the final showdown. That last moment, when all the events that have happened throughout the entire film (or films) come together in one glorious climatic battle between the hero and the villain. As a great lover of the final showdown I am disappointed that so few films actually get it right. Films like "Yojimbo", "Dark City", and "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" are among those rare exceptions when the level of build-up is more than matched by the moment of confrontation. Then there's Aragami, which is essentially one long final showdown. And what an incredible showdown it is. I loved Kitamura's previous film, Versus, for it's none stop excitement and entertainingly over-the-top violence. But Aragami is simple, two characters in a room who must and will fight to the death. Thisscenario may not seem compelling, but Kitamura somehow manages to keepthe energy buried just beneath the surface of all the character's actions. I felt tense throughout the entire film. I wanted to see the two men fight. But Kitamura kept me waiting for as long as possible, until it was almost to much to take. Then, he delivered on his promise and created one of the most exciting andthoroughly satisfying showdowns I know of. Much like when I saw Versus, I left the theater energized, unlike most American action films, which just leave me feeling exhausted and worn-out.