Film Review: "The Outsider" (2018).

From Netflix and the director of Land of Mine (Unter dem Sand) comes The Outsider. This Japanese-American crime drama thriller film directed by Martin Zandvliet and written by Andrew Baldwin. The film follows an American soldier imprisoned in postwar Japan who enters the dark world of the yakuza, adopting their way of life in repayment for his freedom.

The film's plot borrows heavily from Kinji Fukasaku 's The Yakuza Papers. Initially, Michael Fassbender would star and Daniel Espinosa was hired to direct. Then Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike was slated to take over the director's chair from Espinosa, and Tom Hardy would replace Fassbender in the lead role. However, Hardy dropped out shortly thereafter. Miike also departed from the project due to a failed extensive search for a new lead, as well as his own commitments to other projects. In mid November 2016, Netflix entered negotiations with Bloom and AFM to acquire exclusive global rights to the film. In early April, Jared Leto was cast in the lead role. By late September, Kippei Shiina, Shiori Kutsuna, Tadanobu Asano, Nao Ōmori, Min Tanaka, and Emile Hirsch rounded out the films' cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced, and wrapped in December. Filming took place in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan.

The film stars Jared Leto, Kippei Shiina, Shiori Kutsuna, Tadanobu Asano, Nao Ōmori, Min Tanaka, and Emile Hirsch. Despite their best efforts, the performances given by the cast were underwhelming and uninteresting, to say the least. Which isn't what you'd expect from Leto. Then again, we didn't expect Suicide Squad (2016). You would think that matching stoic Leto with a rugged Asano with other Japanese talents would be a piece of badass cinematic heaven. Unfortunately, it is not the case. In addition, you think Leto and Kutsuna would make a fine cinematic couple in a forbidden romance with some chemistry. This is, unfortunately, not the case either. However, seeing the actors, including Leto, playing katana-wielding yakuza gang members is particularly badasss here. Finally, there are not enough double-crosses to satisfy the most jaded fans of the genre.

The Outsider is a beautifully flawed film that nonetheless catches you off guard when you least expect it. The film is old-school in its delivery, the pacing is slow, but stay with it and you will be rewarded with a payoff that is both startling and touching. Zandvliet manifests as much mythic sense as a mill foreman. The film is unnerving as it is ultimately unsatisfying. A confused and diffused film which bites off more than it can artfully chew. A inferior gangster movie, but all the same, it's for audiences to grow accustomed to buckets of blood, and the swift but brutal yakuza style killings. Interesting and well-acted, if clumsy, American take on the Japanese gangster genre. However, the film is not your routine chop-'em-up gangster picture but an intricate weaving of people, conventions, and personal relationships. All one really expects out of a movie like this is a LOT of talking and killing.

Simon says The Outsider receives:

Also, see my review for Land of Mine (Unter dem Sand).