Versus (2000)

I have to tell you, the user comments are far more entertaining than this movie itself!

Plus: Just because it's a foreign movie, it doesn't automatically qualify for 7 points, what are you people thinking!

Oh, and the best Japanese movie ever? Don't ever tell a Japanese person that, or you'd be barred for ever from entering that country.

There are great Japanese movies, but this one definitely does not belong. While Night of the living Dead, and Day of the Dead have achieved cult status, this movie does not (it's at best an attempt to copy, with a worse plot, worse actors, worse special effects, and worse make-up).

Well maybe I should continue watching the movie (it's running right now, but couldn't keep my attention). After so many good Japanese movies, I've been caught a little off guard. If they only had spend a little more on special effects, it would have rivalled the old Godzilla movies (now these are some real funny movies)!!

Fmovies: Versus was a disappointment. The core of every good movie is a solid story. It does not have to be elaborate or tight but it has to extend further than an idea for a computer game. And Versus doesn't.

The movie isn't original, it is overdone (doing MORE of something doesn't make it better), and each scene has very little direction - just flaps around like an unfinished dream.

Granted, the editing is decent and the choreography good at times, but nothing we haven't seen before. It's an amateur movie, comprised of action sequences that are loosely tied together by incomprehensible plot decisions. Not unlike most Hong Kong actions movies and a fair number of Hollywood flicks.

To begin with please don't take this film as serious, as you will be let down. It is in fact a very fun film, which you should really just hop on for the ride as it has some great moments that made me laugh out loud. I'm a big fan of eastern movies, and feel that it stands out on its own due to the combination of styles going on, from the zombie attacks to the samuri / yazuka influence. It travels along at a great pace, the only bad thing about this is the sour taste left in the poor ending, but take that away and its great, and i would say to anyone that they should give it a go, but please watch it with a smile on your face. The sound track is also very good and if anyone knows if it has been released i would love to find out.

Versus fmovies. It took me three sessions to finish this movie because it kept putting me to sleep. The word that seems to best fit this movie is "droning." The action is most unimpressive, the gore is not half as plentiful as I was lead to believe, and none of the performers make much of an impression. Somehow, despite all the zombie-shooting, it all feels flat somehow, and the expository scenes move at the molasses pace typical of Japanese films. And there is actually a lot of exposition; this film is hardly the nonstop whirlwind of blood and bullets that people make it out to be. I'm not one of those who complained that "Black Hawk Down was all action and had no characterization!" I'm not somebody who insists that every movie needs an original story and a deep message. But if a movie is going to consist of nothing but crazy, violent action, it had better be more interesting than this, which doesn't really have a single pulse-quickening moment in it. I tried to watch this movie again with friends, but they gave up on it in less than 15 minutes.

I came across versus by chance, and thought that the premise described on the back of the DVD sounded interesting. I enjoy watching all kinds of film genres, so I thought "why not?! If it's bad I'll just stop watching". I popped it in my DVD player and was thoroughly entertained for the next two hours or so.

The gist of the story is: Two convicts who manage to escape their police escorts, run into a forest to meet up with some shady looking Yakuzas, who they believe will take them to a safe place. The lead character who is only known as Prisoner KSC2-303 (please note none of the characters have names) doesn't quite trust them, especially when he finds out that they have brought a kidnapped girl along for the ride. There is a stand off. Insults are exchanged (I especially enjoyed Prisoner KSC2-303's comments).Guns are fired, and one of the yakuzas as well as the other convict are shot, and consequently come back to life as zombies. We later find out that the head yakuza that shows up a little later in the film, is a five hundred year old demon/vampire/sorcerer who wants to open the gates of hell and thus gain incredible power. In order to do so, he needs the girl's blood (isn't that always the way?). It seems that the forest they are in, is the 444th portal to hell.It is also known as the forest of resurrection where the dead come back to life. It's also a popular burial ground for people the yakuzas have bumped off over the years. So as one might guess, there are a whole bunch of zombies walking around (with loaded guns I might add). What follows are a lot of fights; knife fights, gun fights, hand to hand combat, fights with big samurai swords. Everybody in this film fights. Even the girl who is supposed to be completely helpless manages to hit a few people. There are many more details that I have left out, as that would give away all the plot twists. IMHO, the less you known about the film the more likely it is that you will enjoy it.

As well as action and gore (there is plenty of gore) the film has a lot of humorous moments that I think work really well (they had me giggling). The action is great. The fight choreography is well executed, particularly the final fight between prisoner ksc2-303 and the main "bad" guy. The acting was also quite good. I liked the performances from the two male leads. However, there was one performance that to begin with was rather amusing, but went slightly over the top towards the end (if you watch this film, then you will know who I'm talking about).

Overall, this is a really fun, funny and enjoyable film, which manages to blend a whole range of genres rather competently.It may not be everyone's cup of tea,but I think if you're an open-minded film viewer, who enjoys watching films that are a little quirky and unconventional,you may like it. I've watched this film many times and still enjoy it as much as I did the first time I watched it. I look forward to Versus 2.

This movie actually turned out to be cooler than I expected. I really didn't know what to expect when I was first about to watch this. I only knew it had some zombies,and had something to do with a portal and reincarnation. Its also totally campy, very bloody and gory, and one of the more memorable characters in it. The guy who runs around and screams all the time is hilarious. The dialog is cheesy. It has a decent story to it. Its just a fun movie. The visuals will keep you glued by themselves. This is a very low budget movie, but just remember , if you go to watch it, have no expectations. This movie will make you say " What the F" more than make you think. There is also a nice shot at Matrix movies too. Pretty cool movie and I in no way expected the movie to end the way it did. I wonder if there is more to come?