cobra31 Reviews

Ninja Scroll: The Series (2003)

Nicely realised samurai series

[9/10 · 19 October 2010]

I've seen quite a few anime over the years and this ranks as one of my favourites. On the other hand, I can understand why some people may not have liked it because it's really a genre anime that people will either like or not like - in this case, if you enjoy action, and a highly unusual array of monsters, demons, and magical creatures drawn straight from Japanese folk legends, then you've come to the right place.

Anyway, the reason I liked it was the non-stop action, the atmosphere and the music is great at times, perfectly complementing the scenes. Furthermore, I thought the imagination that went into some of the characters and monsters was interesting and quirky; one example is a swordsman infected with a carnivorous worm-like parasite, which attacks when threatened and so he has to find an opponent that can better him in combat so as to induce the parasite to appear so that he can try to kill it and be rid of it - WEIRD! There are many scenes like this which I felt made the series intriguing and worthwhile.

Let's face it, most anime are aimed at young teenagers and so the plots and characters reflect that, whereas I felt this had a bit extra. It should probably be an 8/10, but I gave it a 9 because the average score didn't reflect its quality. Enjoy!

Cyber City Oedo 808 (1990–1991)

Great anime action!

[8/10 · 26 August 2007]

I'll try not to repeat what previous reviewers have already stated but I agree strongly with much of their content. This is absolute classic anime and is not surprising given that it's made by the same guy who did Lensman, Ninja Scroll, Vampire Hunter Bloodlust.

It looks great and there's some great animation even though it perhaps looks slightly dated compared to modern day anime (it was made in 1990!!!). The stories are very sci-fi and you can see a lot of influences from 80s sci-fi cinema in there.

There are some great sci-fi ideas in there as well some very imaginative fight scenes(eat your heart out Jackie Chan).

If someone asked me to cite a definition of a classic Japanese anime, then this would be right up there.

I watched the dubbed English version which, whilst slightly over the top, is probably better than watching the subtitled version by all accounts.

It's a shame that there isn't more anime like this as I feel there is a lot of anime that isn't worth a second look.

If you're vaguely into this sort of thing, then it's definitely worth a look. Have fun!

Kiss of Death (1995)

Underrated film!

[10/10 · 17 August 2007]

I saw the scoring for this film and thought 5.9/10 was just plain wrong and felt the need to give my opinion.

Personally, I'm quite a fan of those film noirs/crime dramas from the 40/50s, mainly because of their tense atmosphere and gritty realism and so with this being a remake of a classic original, this was right up my street.

All I'm going to say about the movie is that the plot is fast paced, exciting, with several twists and keeps you involved right through to the end.

David Caruso got panned by critics for his role in this and I felt that was unjust as I thought his performance and demeanour were just right for the character he was playing.

The rest of the cast is great and with some great performances by Ving Rhames, Nic Cage, Stanley Tucci, and in particular Anthony Heald as the scumbag lawyer.

As a previous reviewer said, perhaps some people were put off this film by the sheer nastiness of some of the characters, but try to put that to one side and enjoy the ride.

I'd probably give this movie a solid 8/10, but because of the overall rating I'm going to give it a 10.

Sorcerer (1977)

Solid and entertaining film

[7/10 · 6 July 2007]

Sorcerer is one of those films that I'd kind of heard about but never quite got round to seeing mostly because I don't recall it ever being on TV in the UK and it not being available at the local DVD store.

It is a real slice of gritty realism looking at the seamier side of life and the realities that a lot of people face. Most of the characters in the film are very negative and it a slightly depressing film for this reason but don't let that put you off.

I enjoyed it mostly because it's so different to films being made now, where so much of the agenda is more concerned with not offending people rather than telling a story.

The film does look slightly dated, which is not surprising given that it's over 30 years old, but it is still an interesting look at what life is like in a South American country that is totally corrupt.

The title of the film is wholly inappropriate but, like one other poster said earlier, it was an obvious trade in on the director's success with the Exorcist.

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (2000)

Excellent example of the genre!

[8/10 · 25 October 2005]

Excellent manga which would be all the more enhanced with a good widescreen TV and speaker system. I don't imagine I've got much to add over and above what the other anime buffs have most probably already stated but this is definitely one of the better anime I've seen. It also has a cohesive plot that doesn't ramble on endlessly like many mangas seem to do (Akira, Spirited Away, Ghost in the Shell 2) There are nicely drawn characters. Good action. Lots of beast monster type things and supernatural stuff. Would probably give it an 8.5 out of 10 if the option was there.

I would hope that with the development of computer effects for anime there will be more entertaining mangas to come in the future. It's a genre that I always feel has a lot of potential but for some reason it doesn't quite get fulfilled. Perhaps, Hollywood might wake up to the potential for animated features that aren't necessarily focused towards kids only. Anyway, time will tell.