TMG Scale 6.0
Starring: Gary Oldman and no one else —literally.
Gary Oldman is a gifted actor. That is the best TMG will say about this nearly two hour, obscure and convoluted trip through downtown Tokyo.
No one wears black and white hats in movies anymore to tell the good guys from the bad guys. But, some writers and directors just go way overboard. This movie had folks in teal, fuchsia, taupe, olive, magenta, lavender and poppy seed hats—and TMG is pretty much color blind. None had any real impact or meaning in the film.
A note to Hollywood screenwriters: The pieces have to fit together. No matter how complex, there has to be a discernible and logical plot. This film is more disjointed than Evel Knieval after his 1968 jump over the fountains at Caesars Palace.
All said, the scenes with Oldman playing a hi-tech CIA rogue operative were kind of fun, if you like that sort of thing—and TMG certainly does. Japanese actor Kippei Shiina, as a Jason Bourne style agent was reasonably impressive. [I cannot help but think you pronounce his name “Kippy Shine-a” —it made me laugh!.] Anyway, Kippy, er Kippei is an impressive actor and TMG hopes to see him in more U.S. films.
If you are bored on a rainy Saturday afternoon you might watch this one instead of the Biography Channel expose on the life and times of Al & Tipper Gore. I would head out to my local AMC and see The A-Team instead.