The Fable

Fun and easy to digest. The Fable offers a balanced mix of crime, action and comedy, honoring each genre in equal parts while making sure that entertainment value remains top priority at all times. It's not a future classic of Japanese cinema, but it's a hell of a good time and perfect filler for people craving a light but punchy film.

The Fable is a legendary hitman who is forced to retire for an entire year. His new assignment is to blend in with the rest of the population, not killing a single person. That's easier said than done, as he ends up in the middle of a gang war where he has to protect his new girlfriend.

The action is pretty slick, Okada is perfect in the lead and the comedy is delightfully silly. Mind you, the film can get pretty dark, with quite a few innocent people dying along the way, but that's just part of the fun. The best thing about The Fable though is that there's also a sequel, I'm already looking forward to that one.