It's very clear that Pollack and Schrader have taken the material very seriously -- too seriously.

"The Yakuza" is unusual and confusing fare.

Serpentine strands... cause a great deal of confusion and hobble the movie just when it should be moving briskly along.

Though violent and near-obsessively bloody, "The Yakuza" is a surprisingly well-made and intelligent film that rises far above its martial arts subject matter.