Should have been better.

Another Ron Perlman movie comes to mind when I think of Bunraku and that's Mutant Chronicles. Both movies are obviously lower budget, but with a strong cast and built on a look. But in the end that look just ends of being cheap and gimmicky. Bunraku definately was vivid (sound effects better then visual IMO), but in the end it all falls flat. Aside from Gackt (sorry fans, he's no actor) the cast was solid, but they didn't have a good script to work with. Perlman and Harrelson, especially, could have been given much better dialogue. Moore should have had more screen time or been eliminated all together. Lacking in character development, the two hours could have been used more wisely, instead, the fight sequences seemed monotonous. The only one who deserves to come out unscathed from this film is Hartnett, because he carried the film well, was suited for this kind of role and his performance didn't leave me cringing in embarrassment like Gackt's or desiring more like I did from the seasoned pros. A+ for effort, C- rating for final result. 2.5 out of 5 stars.