Yakuza Order of the Dragon, the film adaptation of the saga of Sega by Takashi Miike
Sukiaki Western Django As early as 2005, Takeshi Miyasaka has been printing on film a medium-length film that is little or even unknown in the West. Ryū ga Gotoku - Jissha-Ban serves as an introduction to the Yakuza game released that same year. Two years later, another Japanese director brought the Sega franchise to the big screen. Takashi Miike directed in 2007 Yakuza: The Order of the Dragon (or Ryū ga Gotoku: Gekijō-ban from its original title), a free adaptation of the first game. And if the name of Takashi Miike brings to the surface certain memories, c 'is normal. Cinéphages and manga fans owe him many adaptations including Crows Zero, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is unbreakable - Chapter 1, Terra Formars, Yakuza Apocalypse…, but also several cinematographic gems. I think of the Dead or Alive trilogy and the controversial Ichi the Killer… not to mention the motley Sukiyaki Western Django with cameos by Quentin Tarantino himself.
Yakuza: The Order of the Dragon Let's stop beating around the bush and get to the point, namely the 2007 film. Yakuza: The Order of the Dragon is for fans and fans only of the series, or at least to players who have completed either Yakuza or its Yakuza Kiwami remake. This adaptation puts the key events of the game end to end, transforming them to gain clarity, but without really creating links between them. The story condenses the plot over a single night in the heart of the Kamurocho district (fictional version of the Kabukicho district located in Tokyo), and goes from one character to another without taking the time to clearly set the context for lack of time. . It must be said that summarizing a 30-hour adventure including 4 to 5 hours of cutscenes / dialogues in 2 hours of film is not easy, not to say an impossible task.
Yakuza: The Order of the Dragon Ryū ga Gotoku: Gekijō-ban rushe its subject, only touches it, and remains confused for the majority of spectators who - neophytes in the eyes of the Yakuza saga - will too rarely manage to pick up the scraps of the scenario to make a whole coherent. Worse yet, the few changes made to the original story could confuse insiders at times. For the rest, Yakuza: The Order of the Dragon seeks to appeal to fans of the license by integrating into its narrative the emblematic characters of the Sega title, starting with Kazuma Kiryu and his white suit, Majima Goro and his baseball bat. , Akira Nishikiyama as well as Haruka, the young protégé of the Dragon of Dojima.
Yakuza: The Order of the Dragon On the other hand, the writers do not introduce the characters at any time, provide no or almost no answer. to their origins, their motivations, and never dwell on what binds them. Much of the footage then focuses on the clash between Kiryu and Goro to the detriment of the plot and its development. It was not necessarily the best thing to do ... unless the goal was to seduce connoisseurs even if it means losing the individual along the way. The easter eggs and nods to the show should still put a smile on the face of fans, be it the Staminan Spark energy drink, the Millennium Tower and the Poppo convenience stores. The atmosphere of Kamurocho is to be welcomed in passing, even if it makes sense. Yakuza the game being an identical recreation of Tokyo's red light district, finding it as it is in the film is not surprising, but still has its effect.
Yakuza: The Order of the Dragon is an opportunity to reconnect with Takashi Miike's filmography or to discover it without directly tackling his most extreme works. This adaptation of Yakuza mixes ultra graphic violence and comedy during a nocturnal journey. The film is simply a reflection of the Sega saga, wandering between tones and situations, sometimes serious and sometimes over the top.
Yakuza Kiwami: The Story Trailer
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