First off, "Arahan" comes to us from the same director/star of "City of Violence". You can expect the same well-choreographed and stylish action, all captured with a slick visual style. Engaging characters are another trademark you'll run across in this film. Only here, the mood is lighter than COV and there are quite a few genuine laugh-out-loud moments. I was really surprised how many times I heard myself cracking up.

Anyways, the story is similar to that of "The Matrix", except for the fact that these people are funny and don't take themselves so seriously as opposed to chewing up the dialogue with psych 101 teachings. Plus, this entire cast has some serious martial arts chops, none of them learned everything in the few months preceding principal photography (a side note: I love "The Matrix", just trying to make distinctions. "Matrix" is a 5-star in my book). Also, the story takes place in modern day Korea, not the Internet. But it's about a boy finding his untapped potential with the help of a hot chick and some "masters" that must fight their own Mr. Smith. You get the point.

The story, although not anything complicated, is fun and quite entertaining. The true gem of this film is the character interaction. The comedy is genuinely funny. The love/hate relationship between the male and female leads is brilliantly done. The interplay between all the characters it really a treat.

And that more than makes up for the fact that the first half is light on action. This director tends to backload his films with action because he wants to draw you in and get you invested in the characters during hour one...and it works. Understand though, once he turns it on, it doesn't stop. The second hour is one great sequence after another. It's mostly all live, with some wire-fu and CGI spots. All three elements are exceptionally well-balanced. He doesn't over-rely on CG or Wire to make up for any deficiencies in skill or creativity. It's fast, graceful, creative...these are phenomenal fight scenes.

Lastly, the contemporary setting adds a nice element. Watching people hop from skyscraper to skyscraper while the regular folk go about their business below is very creative. While the story is normal, the outstanding action and great three-dimensional characters (and their funny and caring interplay), along with some new perspectives on things, really make this a stand-out in the martial arts film genre. Like my business partner always says, "I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel. I'm just trying to put a new rim on it."

The story is about a young man named Mike Terry who owns a self defense studio, he teaches a class following the samurai code. The studio is seeing financial problems though the young man does not seem to care. Mike Terry knows that his life is tough, but his codes make it easier for him to survive until a tragic night which triggers events which turn his world upside down.

The film amazes me because in the beginning the environment is so peaceful and throughout the movie it opens up so much from the simplicity of it to the chaotic world we live in. Nobody has ever said the road to nobility was an easy path.

David Mamet has written an intelligent film . He has opened up a new world in the modernized samurai picture and it will leave any viewer with amazement. It also has brilliant dialogue which adds so much volume to the story's twists and turns. Mr. Mamet’s alumni cast are perfect for the film. “Redbelt” is a movie that survives multiple viewings, it's one of those films that is rare in cinema today.