Every so often, I stumble across something so strange that I can’t help but ask other people if they’ve seen it. The Butcher, the Chef and the Swordsman falls into that category. It’s weird – not bad, just… weird. I can’t keep this one to myself. I think you should watch this. It’s like The Ring –  I need to inflict it on someone else. Five reasons to watch it this weekend:

When I have to ask the person next to me if I’m drunk – and they remind me that I haven’t had a drop to drink all night (and go so far as to remind you that it’s not possible as you don’t drink) – you know that you’re watching something beyond wacky. Really, wacky is the most accurate term for this film’s sense of humor. Between the music (including a rap number), camera cuts, strange conversations/pantomimes, diagrams, video game fights, and slapstick comedy, it’s hysterical in how delightfully strange it is. It does seem like a bit much at first, but if you relax and steer into the skid, you’ll have a good time.

I have a soft spot for this actor. He can turn on terrifying when the role calls for it, and he can also switch to wounded just as easily. His performance as a mute character relies heavily on facial expressions and attempts at body language to convey his points. It works. He’s easily the best performance of the film. Considering some of the other things he’s been in – Battle Royale, Big Bang Love: Juevenile A – it’s nice to see him in something that is more light-hearted by comparison that allows for him to be something other than completely psychotic. Considering that he’s the only Japanese actor in an all-Chinese production, that’s pretty amazing as well.

Fair warning: this film is a little ADHD in the beginning. Okay, it’s a lot ADHD at the beginning. We start
with a mish-mash of stories all thrown together, which then morphs into a frame story of Chopper the butcher, who wants to win the heart of prostitute Madame Mei. In order to do this, he has to defeat the swordsman Big Beard. To accomplish this, he pursues the cleaver used by the Mute. It does move in a logical progression after a while, and you get to see how all stories are interrelated. There’s backstory within backstory. Like Inception, with good food (minus the insane wife).

There’s weaponry and fighting in this film – however, that’s not the only purpose the cutlery serves. There’s a nice point that’s made about the origins of the cleaver, and what its purpose should be in the world. It’s sweet and optimistic, which, given current events, might serve as a nice escape.

Films often function under the assumption that the only kind of love out there worth filming is romantic love, and that’s simply not true. In this film, we get many different versions of it: unrequited romantic love, enduring romantic devotion, love of your vocation, brotherly protection, mentor/student bond, the desire to see one’s friends happy. It’s nice to see that the different facets of the love experience get equal representation as well.

There you have it. Good luck – it’s a strange one, but worth the ride.