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CRYING
FREEMAN
AKA:
Crying Freeman: Portrait Killer
Year:
1995 Reviewer: Phil
Mills
Dacascos
plays Yo Hinomura, the deadly assassin for a secret
organisation known as the 108 Dragons. His one
weakness is that he sheds a tear of emotion every time he
kills, hence his name. On one particular mission, a
woman by the name of Emu O’Hara (Julie Condra) is a witness
to his bloody kills. Yo introduces himself and Emu is
immediately taken by his charm. As Yo begins to fall for
Emu, he is forced to betray the Yakuza group he belongs to and
attempt to wipe out another. A love story across a sea of
blood ensues and Freeman is forced to fight for the love of
his life as well as his freedom.
'Crying
Freeman' is the live action version of the cult manga hit of
the same name and is, to date, the most faithful big screen
adaptation around. The film utilises the source material
well, concentrating primarily on the action side of the story
with director Gans creating a dark brooding atmosphere that is
complemented by his impressive eye for stylish camera angles.
Character depth is perhaps the films weakest point as numerous
background elements are often overlooked thanks to the films
fast pacing but this doesn't prevent Dacascos from putting in
a strong leading performance. Although he is often remembered
primarily for his physical attributes, this is a refreshing
change for Dacascos who exhibits Freeman's sympathetic side to
great effect and shows that he is capable of carrying a film
with ease.
The
fight scenes are generally skilfully shot, employing good
movement of the camera to capture Dacascos' acrobatic
movements and utilising slow motion to enhance the more
impressive choreography. Editing is perhaps less
impressive as it exhibits the typified American style quick
cuts but thankfully it is not as prominent as it can be in the
more mainstream movies. Gunplay is also a major factor
during the action and this too is of a decent calibre thanks
to more than a few obvious nods to the John Woo school of
bulletry.
Overall,
'Crying Freeman' can be commended on several levels as it
manages to stick faithfully to the source material, provide a
stylish action-packed movie and a good vehicle for fan
favourite Mark Dacascos. If any of these factors appeal
to you then this film certainly warrants a space in your DVD
collection.
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