technically - (sound / camera / scenery / lights) this is not the greatest effort ever but the film has so much going for it! In the not too distant future youngsters play ninja/paintball games in an abandoned power station by night, and during the day they attend their studies which include martial arts lessons with a former member of the military You can watch the film just on those terms and go no deeper;
* or you can look at the theme of the "passing of the flame" from the martial arts teacher to his students; karate starts and ends with courtesy, it is not for killing someone in a fit of temper);
* or you can watch the film for some wonderful martial arts fight sequences. (arguably the VERY BEST KENDO sequence I have EVER seen in any film)
* or watch the film as a historical effort from early in Nicole Kidman's career.
The casting of Vince Martin is nothing short of a stroke of cinematographic genius This movie gets a definite thumbs up!!
* or you can look at the theme of the "passing of the flame" from the martial arts teacher to his students; karate starts and ends with courtesy, it is not for killing someone in a fit of temper);
* or you can watch the film for some wonderful martial arts fight sequences. (arguably the VERY BEST KENDO sequence I have EVER seen in any film)
* or watch the film as a historical effort from early in Nicole Kidman's career.
The casting of Vince Martin is nothing short of a stroke of cinematographic genius This movie gets a definite thumbs up!!