ModernChivalry.org
Main => The Library => Topic started by: Thorsteinn on 2011-06-23, 00:35:15
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For another film on chivalric behavior I would like to submit, for your consideration, 'Redbelt'.
Specifically the character of Mike Terry
"You think it was noble? The code of the warrior. You think it's noble?" "No, I think it's correct."
Redbelt Trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFrHNaq-6qE#ws)
Your thoughts?
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That was an excellent movie...he stayed true to the warrior's code, even when he had to suffer for it. Finding a way to pay for the broken glass, his student's suicide over shame (modern equiv of hara kiri, no?) his wife's apparent lack of understanding (she deals with it out of love, but she does not understand)...and when that big budget shine boy mocked the ceremony of his art, he challenged him. And won. Look for Dan Inosanto (long-time friend and training partner to Bruce Lee) to make a cameo near the end. :)
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I haven't seen it. Adding it to netflix now.
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I picked up the DVD on eBay last year sometime...Ivan's right, it is an excellent example of not necessarily chivalry, but adherence to a higher code, in this case, the warrior (or samurai, as there are references to bushido)...no matter the cost. For Mike, it is less about thinking and referencing an ideal and more about living it.
I've become a Chiwetel Ejiofor fan as a result of this and other movies, like Children of Men. The man is gifted.
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Never seen it, but it does look interesting. I'm usually in for martial arts movies. Don't know how I missed this one, but I'll post up after watching it. :)
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yeah that looks good
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This isn't a HK high-wire act like you find in most eastern MA movies...the focus is on Ju-jitsu. While there's nothing flashy or high flying about Ju-jitsu, it is most effective- as is showcased in some of the training and fight scenes in the movie. Just about every mixed martial arts fighter has learned or is still learning this art as part of their repertoire...those who do not, never last long.
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Excellent pick Sir William! I will have to find it and watch it. Thanks for sharing Rauttskegg!
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The last 5 or so minutes are awesome. It has an Akira Kurosawa feel to me.
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I saw it this past weekend. Without the risk of posting any spoilers, I did not understand the ending at all.
Mike Terry was a very honorable character. It was a good movie, but not quite what I expected. I also saw Sucker Punch this weekend (right before this), and that made me a very sad camper too, I might have missed a few things, but the ending still seemed confusing.
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Sucker Punch...hot chics, swords and explosions right? What was there to disappoint you?
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Sucker Punch...hot chics, swords and explosions right? What was there to disappoint you?
I saw 15 foot tall samurai on the commercials. They were in roughly 2 1/2 minutes of the entire movie. And the movie was nothing like I expected. Have you seen it?
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I saw it this past weekend. Without the risk of posting any spoilers, I did not understand the ending at all.
It was pretty clear to me, so much so that I couldn't imagine a better ending to it. What about the ending is giving you issue? (PM me if you like and tell me where the train broke down for ya.)
-Ivan
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I haven't seen Sucker Punch yet but plan on it...something about girls kicking butts does it for me. I'm interested to know what part of the ending was lost on you, Sir James...mind you, it wasn't meant to tie up loose ends, the film maker had a message he wanted to impart.
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I saw it this past weekend. Without the risk of posting any spoilers, I did not understand the ending at all.
It was pretty clear to me, so much so that I couldn't imagine a better ending to it. What about the ending is giving you issue? (PM me if you like and tell me where the train broke down for ya.)
-Ivan
it wasn't meant to tie up loose ends
That's what it was. The ending seemed very abrupt, and it felt like I just saw "part 1 of 2". Don't get me wrong, it was a very good movie and I enjoyed watching it, I hoped for some closure on the other character's stories and it left me hanging.
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The key, however, is the 'red belt' - look that up; once you know what it is, the ending will make sense to you.
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I just watched this last night.
Warning, mild spoilers...
The ending struck me as a little odd, in terms of the editing choices, but I think I understand why they did it that way. You see Terry motioning for him to (presumably) be handed the microphone as he steps up to the ring, but you never see him give a speech. Instead he's rewarded as though all of the truth had come out... everything behind his actions. So I think they made an editing choice to keep it unspoken for the sake of impact, but it can make it seem confusing since you would think everyone had only seen him beat up the other guy without knowing the context. :)
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I just watched this last night.
Warning, mild spoilers...
The ending struck me as a little odd, in terms of the editing choices, but I think I understand why they did it that way. You see Terry motioning for him to (presumably) be handed the microphone as he steps up to the ring, but you never see him give a speech. Instead he's rewarded as though all of the truth had come out... everything behind his actions. So I think they made an editing choice to keep it unspoken for the sake of impact, but it can make it seem confusing since you would think everyone had only seen him beat up the other guy without knowing the context. :)
But the guy who meets him is family. Terry is related to the guy via Terry's wife. Guy's either her(the wife's) father or grandfather, and he would have known the back story cause of the wife.
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Ah, that's true. But they also said that his wife betrayed him. The plot points move so rapidly at that point, I probably missed some details.
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Terry's wife has two brothers...Bruno was the promotor, Ricardo was the champion; I'm guessing the old guy trained both Ricardo and Terry- and gave Terry the redbelt, signifying him as the one worthy pupil.
Remember Terry's stance that fighting for money was not honorable, that it weakened the fighter. The old teacher...didn't he look ashamed, embarrassed by the spectacle? I got the impression that he didn't even want to be there.
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It was also clear that the others didn't respect the older master. His photo was stashed away in a cabinet somewhere.
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How many instances in history do we know of where youth has always tried to get rid of the inherent wisdom in the personages of their fathers? Nature vs nurture, no?
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Necrothread!
Found a vid of the end sequence:
Redbelt movie end fights - MMA - Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKdiVVLj48g#)
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Interesting end scene, looks a bit like 'Fearless' only with no one dying.
Terry's wife has two brothers...Bruno was the promotor, Ricardo was the champion; I'm guessing the old guy trained both Ricardo and Terry- and gave Terry the redbelt, signifying him as the one worthy pupil.
Remember Terry's stance that fighting for money was not honorable, that it weakened the fighter. The old teacher...didn't he look ashamed, embarrassed by the spectacle? I got the impression that he didn't even want to be there.
That would explain it, yes I agree with the philosophy that using a fighting skill for money doesn't help in the long run, fighting for money weaken the sense of Mortality and turns the individual into a egotistical killer who doesn't care for anything except for money, fame and power.
The real, true warrior (or Knight in this case) would never condone fighting for money, he would fight to save lives and to help those suffering from the evils of others. I may sound like I am getting this from the Chivalric Romances but it is still relevant. It is better to fight for a transcendent cause than for something that doesn't last forever. Mentoring people to do the right thing has more value than fighting for thrill of being famous (like the celebrity's of today), fighting to help people shows your character than how well can you fight. Anyone can fight. but not everyone can fight for the right reasons. Only the proven few can.