Kitano's attempt at an Americanization of his unique world view is uneven, but not without merit. His usual composer, Joe Hisaishi, helps preserve the familiar tones, and Kitano plays his signature laconic gangster, but the LA setting and presence of Omar Epps as a low level hood who forms a friendship with the Japanese visitor feels wrong. Combining black culture with Asian culture may have seemed like a good idea on paper, but it comes across as cynical. The violence is graphic, explosive and frequent. For reasons difficult to fathom, the last shot of Epps driving away from a bloody climax is out of focus. Sporadically excellent, but compared to such incendiary works as "Hanna-Bi" and "Violent Cop", it is a poor cousin.
Review of Brother
