Quick Movie Review: Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)

Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)

Bottomline: Entertaining and, at times, darkly funny movie.

Where Can I See This Movie? It is available for rent on DVD.

QMR Opinion: Forest Whitaker is probably the last actor I would cast as a smoothly efficient assassin. However, he pulls it off here which, I think, is a testament to his abilities. Whitaker plays a killer for hire who gets cross-ways with the mob. This leads to the mob wanting to kill him, which, as you might imagine, is easier said than done. What I liked about this movie is that it didn't take itself totally seriously. All of the mobsters are old Italian fat guys and are absolute cliches. Whitaker's best friend is an ice cream salesman who speaks only French. Whitaker sees himself as a samurai so every now and again during the movie, we are shown a "samurai saying" that is supposed to be uber deep. After two or three of those "samurai sayings," it becomes an extremely old and boring device. There are homages to famous movies so look for those -- especially High Noon (1952). The funniest scene in the whole movie takes place when Louie has to explain to the mob bosses who Ghost Dog is and how he contacts him (passenger pigeon). Pick this up. . .I don't think you will be disappointed.