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Plot

Ghost Dog lives in a hut on top of the roof of an abandoned building, with only the company of his carrier pigeons.
His day is spent carrying out his duties as a murderer in the service of Louie, a mafia boss who years previously intervened to protect him from being killed by a bunch of white fanatics. These tasks are punctuated by reading and adhering to the standards of honor of an ancient samurai code. Ghost Dog arrives, accomplishes the task, and then sends Louie a pigeon to tell him it's done. Due to a string of mistakes, a task fails to be completed, and as a result, boss Varga orders a manhunt on him, with the possibility that Louie himself may be the ultimate target. Ghost Dog's first responsibility is to save Louie in accordance with the code. He thus starts a personal conflict with the "family," well aware that he will eventually perish.

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Why should you watch it?

One of those movies with multiple layers is Ghost Dog: The Samurai's Code. Ghost Dog's choice to live alone in a room on top of a building with only the pigeons he cares for or his closest buddy, a Haitian who does not speak a word of English, is not a coincidence. We would be gravely mistaken if we thought that these peculiarities were the result of a filmmaker recognized for defying convention with each of his productions.

Take the movie's consistent lack of chronological and geographical grounding. Even though the entire movie was shot in New Jersey, there isn't a single clue as to where the action is taking place. Jim Jarmusch even went so far as to change the writing on license plates. As well as Ghost Dog himself, Italian mafia members could live wherever.

He actually might be anywhere, including New York, New Jersey, Atlanta, or Los Angeles. The character relationships matter more than the setting, which is irrelevant. In this way, the connection between Ghost Dog and Louie, who are subject to strict life regulations, might occur in any nation, at any time, and in any city. It doesn't matter that it occurs in a location where English is spoken. What counts most is how the main character's unshakable ideals are shown in connection to their interpersonal relationships. above all, loyalty, self-preservation, and care.

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The folkloristic and parodic image of the Italian-American mafia clan, which is designed to play the part of the terrifying antagonist, contrasts with the image of Ghost Dog, a man of one piece who has fused two cultures. Although it will remain an opponent to the very end, the voices and body language employed to convey it often make fun of the criminal organization. Despite the constant criticism of their incompetence and obtuseness, these gangsters can't help but make us smile. Strongly ironic and humorous scenarios are expressly designed to undermine the 'family' and the Boss' legendary reputation by inverting their fate and objectives.

Forest Whitaker brilliantly portrays the morally upright assassin who is willing to give his life to save his boss. The fact that the character at one point befriends a young girl is interesting and maybe a nod to Jean Reno in Luc Besson's Léon, which was released five years earlier. He stands out because he only gets along with his trained pigeons and his closest friend.
It's not simple to create a character like Ghost Dog, but Jarmusch has done a fantastic job! Despite the fact that he kills men for a living on commission, Ghost Dog develops into a tragic and sympathetic figure.

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Even the gangsters who binge-watch cartoons all day and are nearly bankrupt (all the residences where they reside are up for sale, and they appear to struggle to make a decent living) are impressive. They spend their days plotting pointless cross-sectional vendettas and repeatedly demonstrate that they lack skill with weaponry, which ought to be their bread and butter. They are all related to one another.

The last remark on the soundtrack, created by the Wu-Tang Clan member, RZA, and one of the most beautiful hip-hop soundtracks ever for the film.
It combines elements common to black music, and hip-hop, and frequently evokes sounds from the Far East, blending seamlessly and never feeling forced into the movie. It is a perfectly apt choice that completes the picture of influences and brings the film even more up-to-date if that were still needed.

Conclusion

Ghost Dog is a genuine gem. It is one of the best examples of Jarmusch's genius and one of Forest Whitaker's best performances, with a character that seems to be sewn right onto his skin. It is also one of the most distinctive and unrepeatable in its style and the way it draws on very disparate subjects and genres.
Absolutely recommended!!!

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Rating

My personal vote is:

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8.5/10

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