I love the subtle anti violence message on this scene. Every moment is masterful but to me the most important image is that of the young guy who was willing to avenge the Yakuza's whom he shared his exile, even though he didn't really knew them and ignoring the fact that they were violent people who met violent deaths, he would've been killed just like them in the future feeding the nonsensical cicle of violence; but then something unexpected happens when he witness TRUE VIOLENCE and end up running scared instead, breaking the cicle. Kitano's poetry at his best.
Sonatine is the best movies ever... by far. The editing is so unconventional and mesmerising. Creates unique feelings and cold estrangement. The final car sequence with the suicide is sublime. I just love the long close-up and that unreal moments of suspension until Takeshi takes the gun.
I'll be honest, I only recently watched this movie for the first time a few months ago after I got curious seeing Kitano in Ghost in the Shell, I let it stew for a bit, and I can honestly say, I think it's a top-10 film for me, and it made me a diehard Takeshi Kitano fan. He really is one of the most influential directors of all-time. Some of his movies always make me feel melancholic, Hana-bi, Kikujiro... So many relatable stories... This scene when I saw it for the first time, it really struck a chord; It's so beautifully sad when you understand the emotional baggage and psychological mindstate of Kitano's character. I hope everyone reading this finds meaning and happiness, don't waste your lives to crippling apathy. Life is too precious. 🙏
The small sequence of shots at 1:48 is brilliant. Starting off on Murawaka's blank expression but gradually pulling back and fading away until all we can see is the explosive muffle flash of his assault rifle . As though he has literally become physically subsumed by his own vengeance.
@@cookiemasta1658 No. Because as he says earlier in the movie when you live always in fear you end wishing death. So he changed his mind, he wanted to go back to the girl but he suddenly decided he preferred to die.
My insight: Similar to the "even if I claim my revenge, will I be able to go on living?" theme in Oldboy, the scene is captured from the outside, away from the violence and bloodshed, as a way of saying that, though he's getting his revenge, it's not reviving the ones lost. Infact, not only this, but it does absolutely nothing. Now, in his final moments, after being hell bent on revenge and rightfully taking it, he sits alone thinking, "What now?" In one, spontaneous and depressing moment, he concludes that he's fulfilled his only wants ; vengeance. So there's no point in living anymore. And so he kills himself.
I think that he died in the gunfight, with this final scene deciding whether he wants to be with the girl or to throw his life away. Shooting himself is proof of his choice. Whether or not he survived the fight didn’t matter.
Have anybody else noticed that the music in the movie is slightly better that in OST? It has something more to it. Still, great music from Joe Hisaishi.
Anybody else feeling as if this only took place in the character's head ? I know Kitano loves stark contrasts between tranquility and violence, but the shooting seems so out of place in comparison to the rest of the movie.
