Jim Jarmusch isn't exactly a household name when it comes to Hollywood directors. I don't know about other people, but personally I had heard of his name before, but certainly couldn't name any of his movies. Now that has changed. Since I've seen "Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai" I'll try to see at least a couple of his other movies as well, because I really liked this one.

"Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai" is a quite unique movie. It tells the story of an African-American mafia hit-man in New York who lives by the rules of the Samurai, in simplicity and alone with his pigeons, who calls himself Ghost Dog and who is always faithful to his master, a local mobster who has saved his life several years ago. When the daughter of the local mob boss witnesses one of Ghost Dog's hits, he must die himself. The first victims are his birds and in response, Ghost Dog goes right at his attackers. He is lethal, but does not want to harm his master or the young woman. And while his life is in constant danger, the only people he ever has contact with are a little girl, with whom he discusses books, and a Haitian ice cream man who only speaks French and doesn't understand a word of what Ghost Dog tells him.

I guess the best way to categorize this movie is to call it a mix of the movie "Léon", the Samurai code and hip-hop culture. Normally you would think that such a mix could never work, but this time it does. I admit that it certainly isn't a normal mix, but Jarmusch avoids the traps that would make this original and daring movie a complete waste of time and which would turn it into one unbelievable and unrealistic mess. I know it sounds strange, how can a movie that combines Italian, Japanese and hip-hop culture into one ever become one solid movie? Don't ask me, I don't even know how he came up with the idea, but it works and that's all that matters.

This movie has several strong points. One is the way everything is told and shown, which make this a sober, but powerful movie. Especially with the quotes that are taken from the Way of the Samurai and that are voiced by Forest Whitaker, a solid base is formed. This helps you to understand why the man does what he does, why he lives his life like that and why he will always respect his master. If this hadn't been in the movie, I would probably not have liked it a bit. The other strong point is the acting. The mobsters look a bit stereotypical, but are well portrayed by people like Cliff Gorman, John Tormey, Richard Portnow,... but the best performance definitely comes from Forest Whitaker. Normally Whitaker plays the role of a good guy, like for instance Jody in "The Crying Game" or Captain Ramey in "Phone Boot" and it has to be said, he really has some talent for that kind of roles. But, as he proves with this movie, he is capable of a lot more. He plays the role of the samurai hit man, doesn't look like he's fit for that role at all (at least, I would never think of him when it comes to that role),but does it really very well.

As a conclusion I would like to add that the sound track is also very nice. Normally I'm not too much a fan of hip hop in the movies, although I can appreciate it as a form of music on itself, but this time it really works. Add to this some nice acting, a cool and well-written story, some funny moments (like for instance a rapping mobster) and what you'll get is a movie that is fun and interesting to watch. I give it an 8/10.

My assumption is that this film, though well-made, would not be liked by many people--particularly many women and those who aren't into action or gangster-type films. Plus, if you hate hip-hop music, you might be put off as well. These really are NOT complaints--just stating that the movie isn't for everyone. Plus, due to the language and some of the violence, it certainly isn't for kids--which is no surprise since it is rated R. My own tolerance for these type films is not especially high, though a friend recommended it to me because of its Japanese theme (and I love Japanese films). I found it to be interesting but not so much that I would rush to see it. Plus, although the film was supposed to be about an American guy who emulated the samurai, at times it seemed a bit dull--though the action scenes certainly did deliver.

Once in a while a film comes along that is so profound, that you actually feel a better person for watching it. GHOST DOG is one such film, a totally unique movie experience that carries out a familiar story in a way that has never been filmed before or will ever be filmed again. An art-house movie masquerading as a conventional thriller, this effort from director Jim Jarmusch is outstanding in every department. Of course, as is usually the case with the best films, it seems to have totally slipped by the mainstream audience for a small, unadvertised video release where it can be savoured by those wise enough to pick it out from the trash.

Forest Whitaker is awesome in the leading role of Ghost Dog, a literature-loving hit-man who has been reborn as a samurai and leads his life according to strict rules which must be obeyed at any cost. Ghost Dog's home is on the roof of a building, surrounded by his beloved pigeons. His best friend is an ice cream vendor who can't speak English, just one of the many deeply human and interesting characters in this atypical thriller. Although the plot is simple and straightforward, the characters involved in the story are deep, thoughtful and all too realistic in some cases. Drama and social interaction is blended nicely with the thriller aspects of the story. Here's a film where long talk about books is just as exciting as a violent shoot-out and I don't think many movies can achieve that effect.

Aside from Whitaker's excellent turn in the lead (it really is a once in a lifetime performance),there are a dozen other great performances in the movie. The mafia family who act as the villains of the piece (refreshingly the black community isn't portrayed as a violent, hate-ridden society) are actually fleshed out; instead of being hard men, ruthless killers, they are instead ageing, tired, very human characters who have to act the way they do. Just like Ghost Dog's Samurai, the Mafia for them is a way of life. Henry Silva makes a surprising appearance as the mafia don and his performance is also superb, I loved his impression of an elk. Despite Silva's advanced years he's still capable of giving great performances and it's a shame we don't see him in more mainstream movies these days.

GHOST DOG also fulfils itself as an action thriller with some irregular but fascinating action scenes which are magnificently shot; the pinnacle being the shoot-out at the country mansion. These bloody gun battles remind me of the climax of CARLITO'S WAY, De Palma's similarly excellent crime drama. But such action is only part of the story and the best bits are those which don't have violence or even dialogue; witnessing Ghost Dog's interactions with his best friend (the two characters brought together through common understanding rather than speech) and his almost tutor-like interactions with the young black girl. The ending is surprisingly poignant but also very fitting. A great movie which deserves a wider audience, GHOST DOG is a fascinating and intelligent piece of art which easily transcends the boundaries of film-making itself. I don't think I've seen a film in which every single shot has been beautifully composed before.