Written by Mamoru Oshii (the director of the cult favorite Ghost in the Shell) and directed by Hiroyuki Okiura (a key animator on Akira), Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade offers a violent but compelling vision in animation. The story is set in a fictionalized version of the recent past, when a repressive Japanese government is battling the Sect, a violent revolutionary organization that uses adolescent girls they call “Red Riding Hoods” as couriers. During a raid, Capitol Police Constable Kazuki Fuse (pronounced “foo-seh,” voice by Michael Dobson) balks at killing Nanami Agawa (Maggie Blue O’Hare), one of the Red Riding Hoods. She commits suicide with a powerful bomb. While Fuse undergoes retraining, he meets Nanami’s older sister, Kei (Moneca Stori), and initiates an odd romance. Soon both characters are caught in a web of plots and counterplots that center on the possibility that Fuse may be a “wolf,” a member of a secret cabal within the Capitol Police.
Jin-Roh is drawn in a comic book style that recalls the work of the popular graphic novelist and film designer Jean “Moebius” Giraud; Okiura’s skillful cutting and striking imagery transcend the limited animation. Although anime continues to grow in popularity in America, it’s rare for a Japanese feature to receive even a limited theatrical release, as this one did: a dark, brooding film of exceptional power, Jin-Roh deserves to be seen by a large audience.
Suitable for ages 18 and up: considerable violence, profanity, and tobacco use. –Charles Solomon
Buy “Jin-Roh – The Wolf Brigade” For Only $24.00
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May 10, 2010
#1
This is a terrible waste of some interesting ideas. The writer and director once take on more than they can handle with this film. The whole thing is a muddle. The use of the Red Riding Hood fairy tale is clumsy and unnecessary. Rather than deal directly with their subject the writer/director choose to hide behind metaphor.
All of the characters are thinly drawn and portrayed with little or no emotion. The film keeps the viewer at a distance by neglecting emotional envolvement.
A total waste.
May 10, 2010
#2
I brough this movie because it sounded good but it wasn’t. I didn’t like the art work. The plan was ok but the movie just wouldn’t keep my attention.
May 10, 2010
#3
Right off the bat let me say that this was a great movie. The reason why I’m giving it a one star is because of Amazon’s performance. I ordered this item and amazon kept on pushing back the delivery date. I understand that it may be a difficult movie to find, but come on! They kept on pushing back the delivery date further and further. I was sick of it! I was not going to wait 2 1/2 months to get this movie. I suggest if they pull this routine on you go to ebay. Hey, there are risks more so that at amazon, but if you do your research you might come out fine or even better. I sure did. I got this movie within 5 days of ordering it. Plus it was cheaper. But hey if amazon is doing good delivering on time I say go and get it from them, but if not go to ebay.
May 10, 2010
#4
This movie has zero action in it at all. This was a blind buy for me and it was a very big letdown. Don’t make the same mistake I did. I thought that the “makers of Ghost and a Shell” would be a lock for a good movie. This movie is extremely slow and depressing. Don’t believe the hype. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!
May 10, 2010
#5
Jin-Roh could have been so great. Being the impulse buyer that I am, when I saw the box art and read the back of the DVD case, I said, “Cool! This looks like a good action anime with a story!”
That day, I learned to never judge a DVD by it’s case.
No joke: this anime is BORING! It starts out with a nice action sequence with cops futilly trying to capture a terrorist. After that, the entire anime bogs down to a slow crawl concerning Constable Fuse (the protagonist) and his connection to the Jin-Roh, or something. My friend and I can’t quite remember what happened after that because we started talking about how cool this anime could’ve been.
The biggest gripe with the film is that you just know that it’s leading up to something great and just kinda fizzles out. Take my advice and avoid this movie like the plague