Sonatine
Seen it?1993 | 94 min | Action, Crime, Thriller
Sunday Safe BetWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
Critics loved it (93% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had soft box office. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for crime fans, anyone who likes to be kept guessing and action fans. If you loved Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Tense, gritty.
- The pace
- Fast-moving, at 1 hr 34 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: expect violence.
- It's in Japanese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
Murakawa, an aging Tokyo yakuza tiring of gangster life, is sent by his boss to Okinawa along with a few of his henchmen to help end a gang war, supposedly as mediators between two warring clans. He finds that the dispute between the clans is insignificant and whilst wondering why he was sent to Okinawa at all, his group is attacked in an ambush. The survivors flee and make a decision to lay low at the beach while they await further instructions.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
93% on Rotten Tomatoes, 73 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.5 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$59K worldwide; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 58K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair
Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed action film.
Ninja: Shadow of a Tear Sunday Safe BetAnother crime thriller, and a safe bet for a quiet night.
Showdown in Little Tokyo
Weeknight WatchAnother action film, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
Undisputed II: Last Man Standing Sunday Safe BetAnother crime thriller, and a safe bet for a quiet night.
Crying Freeman Weeknight WatchAnother action film, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks
Cast & crew
Directed by Takeshi Kitano
- Takeshi KitanoAniki Murakawa
- Aya KokumaiMiyuki
- Tetsu WatanabeUechi
- Masanobu KatsumuraRyoji
- Susumu TerajimaKen
- Ren OsugiKatagiri
- Tonbo ZushiKitajima
- Kenichi YajimaTakahashi
- Eiji MinakataThe Hit Man
- Houka KinoshitaKitajima Gang Member