Cast: Takeshi Kitano, Omar Epps, Kuroudo Maki & Masaya Kato
Director: Takeshi Kitano
Rating:
Enetertainment Quotient: 50%
Genre: Crime / Drama/Gangster
Runtime: 114 min
MPAA rating: R for pervasive strong violence, language and brief nudity.

Synopsis:
Aniki Yamamoto (Takeshi Kitano) is a gangster in Japan. He flees to the USA for saving his life and stays with his younger brother Ken (Kuroudo Maki). Ken too is involved in bad things. Aniki joins them and then leads that outfit into one of the most dreaded mafia outfits in the USA. This angers the Italian mafia. And they are after Aniki's gang.

What I liked in the film?
Takeshi Yamamoto is a popular Japanese hero-director. He is excellent as the lead. The way he stares at camera at length with minute expressions and wry smile is pretty good. Cinematography is superb and editing is stylish. Another best thing about this film is the theme of loyalty, friendship and sacrifice.

What I did not like in the film?
Certain parts of the film are abstract. The violence is too acute.

The scenes I liked

1. Aniki is sitting in a remote motel. A series of cars with Italian gang stop in front of the motel. Aniki knows that it is inevitable to escape from them. He goes to the manager and gives him some money by saying, "it is for repairs'. Then he comes out to offer himself to the bullets of Italian mafia.

2. The friendship between Denny and Aniki starts with Aniki stabbing Denny in his eye. And the film ends with Aniki sacrificing everything for Denny.

Tailpiece:
Brother is another mafia flick with some different and new perspective. The Japanese backdrop adds some color to the presentation.