Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai

Name: Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Crime
Released: March 3, 2000
Duration: 116 min
Rating: 67
Cast: Forest Whitaker, Henry Silva

2000

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 31 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 68 Ratings

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7.7

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7.7	Your Score
7.7	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 68 Ratings

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Ghost Dog: The Way Of The Samurai

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Movie Details & Credits

Artisan Entertainment | Release Date: March 3, 2000 | R

Starring: Forest Whitaker, Henry Silva

Summary: Jarmusch's spiritual gangster film tells the story of an inner-city hit man (Whitaker) who lives on a rooftop, training himself as a samurai in the strictest sense. He communicates primarily by carrier pigeon, while remaining loyal to a gangster (Tormey) who once saved his life.

Director: Jim Jarmusch

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 116 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Ann Hornaday

A thoroughly absorbing, even transfixing, journey to a future that may already be upon us.

Ernest Hardy

Laced with brilliantly knotted ideas on race, masculinity and cults of violence. Read full review

Marjorie Baumgarten

It's the kind of movie you wish you had more time to absorb and could see more than once before reviewing. Read full review

Michael Wilmington

It's fun, but not obvious fun.

Stephanie Zacharek

Every minute he's on screen, Whitaker makes Ghost Dog worth watching. Read full review

Jay Carr

Best when it's playful, toying with the fact that the Mafia has in a single generation been transmogrified from myth to joke. Read full review

Wesley Morris

It's too cryptic and unfulfilled to serve as a tool for anything beyond its own obfuscation. Read full review

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User Reviews

HankChinaski

Sep 26, 2011

Magnificent movie, one of Jarmush's best. And if you happen to be into Zen philosophy, hiphop music, and gangster flicks like me, you'll give it a 10 as well.

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

MarkK.

Apr 27, 2001

Go see it. Enough said.

1 of 4 users found this helpful

StevenS.

Apr 16, 2007

Great philosophical dialogue, honorable characters, intriguing plot line among Samurai-Warriors, and was I believe Forest Whittaker's finest acting performance prior to his recent Award win. His breathtaking performance had me convinced that someday he would win an Oscar for best Great philosophical dialogue, honorable characters, intriguing plot line among Samurai-Warriors, and was I believe Forest Whittaker's finest acting performance prior to his recent Award win. His breathtaking performance had me convinced that someday he would win an Oscar for best actor, and it all starts in the beginning. Also, props to Rza for being in this film and for producing such a killer soundtrack. One of the better underrated indy films I have seen, and is better than most over-produced studio films.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful

Spangle

Jul 10, 2014

Overall, this film is pretty good. It features some brilliantly filmed action sequences, great direction from Jim Jarmusch, and a good performance from Forest Whitaker, all of which help this film mightily. It is also incredibly original, as it not everyday that you see a film that blendsOverall, this film is pretty good. It features some brilliantly filmed action sequences, great direction from Jim Jarmusch, and a good performance from Forest Whitaker, all of which help this film mightily. It is also incredibly original, as it not everyday that you see a film that blends samurais and gangsters. This film is undeniably a fun and easy film to watch, in spite of the times when it does slow down. The only real "negative" I can think of here is that the film is pretty safe for the most part. Yes, the idea it is based around is original, but for the most part, it feels like your regular old action crime film. Now, while I call that a "negative", it is not really a bad thing since the film is still good, but it would have been nice to see them use the original idea to rise above the genre. Ultimately, however, it is a solid film that really sucks you in thanks to its original premise and solid directing/action/acting. Highly watchable without question.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

grandpajoe6191

Oct 10, 2011

Despite its B-flick movie poster, Jim Jarmusch's mash-up movie "Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai" is a surprisingly well structured samurai-gangster movie you would definitely watch when having extra time to spend.

3 of 6 users found this helpful33

ryancarroll88

Sep 27, 2010

"Ghost Dog," the story of an inner city dweller who lives by the way of the samurai soaks up its premise not in blood splatter but in level-headed absurdity and complexity, a focus that takes much more time to absorb. Still, the movie is fun in ways that you wouldn't expect - the antagonists"Ghost Dog," the story of an inner city dweller who lives by the way of the samurai soaks up its premise not in blood splatter but in level-headed absurdity and complexity, a focus that takes much more time to absorb. Still, the movie is fun in ways that you wouldn't expect - the antagonists are comprised of the worst ...mob probably ever caught on film: they are regularly shown whacking the wrong people, watching cartoons (the movies sly way of equating mob violence to cartoon violence) or falling behind on their rent. Ghost Dog, played by Forest Whitaker, is quite a character himself, trying to make sense of the world through Zen judgment and ancient ways by frequently quoting relevant passages from Hagakure, the book of the Samurai. Furthermore his 'best friend' is an ice cream truck man who can only speak French. This combined with the fact that the movie isn't afraid to address questions of morality and racism make the movie even more of a head-scratcher but nevertheless entertaining. To top it all off, RZA's soundtrack is one of the highlights of the film, layering it with great old-style Wu-Tang hip-hop that is enough to make the movie worth watching itself.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

Broyax

Feb 1, 2023

Un film aberrant et volontiers pontifiant du début à la fin… une sorte de donneur de leçon à la petite semaine, sauf qu’il ne sait pas ce qu’il fait ou est en train de faire, à part citer le bushido n’importe comment et suivre son agenda progressiste pro-diversité des minorités afin de lesUn film aberrant et volontiers pontifiant du début à la fin… une sorte de donneur de leçon à la petite semaine, sauf qu’il ne sait pas ce qu’il fait ou est en train de faire, à part citer le bushido n’importe comment et suivre son agenda progressiste pro-diversité des minorités afin de les rendre majoritaires…

On observe d’ailleurs une diabolisation patente des Blancs (les mafieux sont méchants et cons) face aux Noirs (les gentils gangs de Noirs et bien entendu le gentil tueur à gages noir incarné par l’abruti (et idiot) du village, Forest Whitaker (Gump). Sans compter le gentil Noir, vendeur de glaces qui baragouine son dialecte des îles… et la gamine noire très intelligente qui lit des livres compliqués.

On a donc ici l’assassin noir trop stylé à la démarche pourtant étrange de clochard boîteux handicapé au regard torve qui vole des voitures de luxe (uniquement) pour écouter son rap de merde (pléonasme) afin de se rendre sur les lieux de son prochain crime. Cependant, il pourrait prendre un taxi parce qu’en Classe S ou en XJS, il risque de se faire arrêter par les flics à mon à avis…

En tout cas, il manie aussi le sabre quand il ne relit pas régulièrement ‘Rashomon’… et ce simple fait suffit à hisser directement le film au rang de chef-d’oeuvre chez les bobos de tous horizons, bien entendu ! même la fin est grotesque (comme le reste de cette caricature navrante) et se révèle un quasi non-sens englué dans sa prétention de film intello-bobo gauchiste !… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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66	#66 Most Discussed Movie of 2000
56	#56 Most Shared Movie of 2000