Wow that was such a good movie I forgot where I was.

the most artistic and rare of the Kitano films I have seen, he continues with his wooden face, speaking little (until the 17th minute he does not speak) and hitting shots and punc

The original title of the film is Hana-bi.

There's greatness in there, for sure, but 'Fireworks' (or, the better title, 'Hana-bi') drags on for too long.

I was with it for the first 45-55 minutes, but the final portion of the film really dragged for me; aside from a few moments, it kinda just repeats the same sorta scenes over and over. Like, personally, I got it... needed a bit more to it, in my opinion.

There are some very good performances, no doubt. Takeshi Kitano is the obvious star of the show, though I was also impressed by Ren Osugi - who is just as excellent as the aforementioned writer, producer and director of this 1997 flick. The support cast are solid, while everything onscreen looks neat too.

I did like this overall, but I can't say it hit me as much as it evidently has for others. Worth a watch, either way.

To put it simply, "Hana-bi" is pretty much a more mature take on "Sonatine" with cops instead of mobsters. Same contemplative mood, same escapism, same idyllic locations, same existential resignation and awareness that death is imminent.

Nishi is a retired cop who needs money to pay back his debts and spend the last few weeks he got with his wife the best way he can. He rarely talks to anybody, but the love for his wife and former buddies is undisputed. At the same time, we are shown the lonely days of Nishi's ex-colleague Horibe, abandoned by his family after a tragic police operation left him in a wheelchair. He used to be a talkative and happy family man, but now he apathetic and suicidal.

Kitano attempts again to communicate through the unspoken, and this time he succeeds. I could really feel both the tenderness, bitterness, and brutality of his character. The outcome is fairly predictable but one of his most impactful.

My second favorite of all of Kitano's films. The soundtrack is simply superb, and I thoroughly enjoyed the bits of dark comedy placed throughout.