Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai

A mafia hitman (Forest Whitaker) who models his life after the samurai of medieval Japan sees his world start to crumble after his employers mark him for death.

Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai is frustrating. Like all of writer-director Jim Jarmusch’s film’s, Ghost Dog is challenging; layering metaphors, references, and illusions to create a complex tapestry, but this particular effort never seems to come together.

Forest Whitaker is good in the lead role written specifically for him. His introspective gaze and sad eyes fit the part well, but there’s a lack of edge that keeps him from feeling genuine. Compared to say, Jean Reno in Léon, Whitaker just doesn’t feel like a killer. Fortunately, the supporting cast is a better fit. Henry Silva is near perfect as a mafia overlord, as is Tricia Vessey as his disaffected daughter. John Tormey is also spot-on as Whitaker’s employer.

The problem may be that Ghost Dog is just too ambitious. The excerpts from “Hagakure: The Way of the Samurai” that serve as introductions to the film’s sequences, point to Jarmusch’s desire to give the film greater depth, but in doing so he breaks the cardinal rule of telling the audience things when he should be showing them. It’s a real shame because Jarmusch has the makings of something really special, but seems unsure just how to assemble them.