Ašita no Džó

For a movie that was pretty widely anticipated and for the way Yamapi and Yusuke were preparing for it, I wasn't all that impressed. Even though I didn't quite know who to root for towards the end, there were a few moments where I was rooting for the antagonist more than Joe. In the end it turned out the way it did, which was this: the outcome in the ring and the finish was kind of clear from Yusuke’s fall onward, so why on earth did they drag it out so much? Couldn't they have made it shorter? For me, it has an excessive running time with tone deaf spots, unremarkable music, a more grown-up Yamapi, an appealing antagonist, and a weird sauce that more or less adds substance. For fans of sports movies where no one is too philosophical, I might recommend it. For Yamapi fans, too. For fans of the original, probably also – for comparison. And for everyone else? There are better movies. (25.11.2011)