Written and directed by Jim Jarmusch, guided by the words of an ancient samurai text, Ghost Dog is a professional killer able to dissolve into the night and move through the city unnoticed. When Ghost Dog’s code is dangerously betrayed by the dysfunctional mafia family that occasionally employs him, he reacts strictly in accordance with the Way of the Samurai. Starring: Forest Whitaker, Isaach De Bankolé, Camille Winbush, John Tormey, Richard Portnow, Tricia Vessey and Henry Silva.

From the title, the genres, the characters, there’s a lot of assumptions you could make about Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai but without considering that it’s a Jim Jarmusch film, they’d probably be mostly wrong. This is not a film that fits into any stereotype or expectation of gangster, action or assassin cinema. It takes pieces of all of those elements but makes something completely original. Mixing the classic violence and eye for an eye revenge with an air of respect, honour and wisdom, creating an engrossing and gripping atmosphere with depth and an unusual serenity.

There’s an immediately strong presence to the way Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai introduces itself, it invites you in and you’re so easily immersed into its world. Jarmusch’s direction almost gives the feel of classic French cinema, it flows smoothly with style, grace and intention. It holds a calmness yet there’s plenty of violence, but it’s all done in a way that reflects the character of Ghost Dog, it’s precise, clever and efficient. Nothing is gratuitous or gory, it’s also not sentimental or overly wistful, it holds a delicate balance of drama and crime.

A big part of that is its undeniable charm which is in no small part thanks to the superb characters at work all throughout the film. Of course starting with the man himself, Ghost Dog who is portrayed to perfection by Forest Whitaker. Whitaker never really gets enough credit for the strength of his presence, the effortless way he holds the screen. He doesn’t need dialogue or even much physicality to communicate the qualities of his characters and Ghost Dog is an exceptional example but when paired with his wisely toned narration, the performance is even better.

The film is then filled with excellent supporting performances, beginning with Isaach De Bankolé who brings such a lively personality. Watching their friendship grow in spite of their language barrier is surprisingly sweet, which is something that you find in many different aspects of Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai. The next being the connection Ghost Dog forms with Camille Winbush’s Pearline, the encouragement to read and broaden her mind is a lovely thing to watch. Winbush’s performance is also wonderful, bringing such a logical, sensible but curious spirit to a very young character.

You can’t talk about the cast without mentioning John Tormey, he’s a vital part of the story and the strange relationship that he has with Ghost Dog is a lot of fun to watch. There’s a fantastic sense of humour between the two of them, the banter that Tormey and Whitaker create is really enjoyable and keeps an edge of levity going throughout the film. It’s another unexpected addition that there is a vein of comedy at work, it’s a film of many talents.

Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai is arguably the best film Jim Jarmusch has made so far, although it has some fierce competition. It has all of the presence and connection of his other films but is blended with layers of classic crime cinema, creating something unique and charismatic. It’s filled with brilliant performances, has a great soundtrack and you can’t help but be drawn in by its gracious yet sharp personality.

Verdict: ✯✯✯✯✯ | 10/10

GHOST DOG: THE WAY OF THE SAMURAI is available to buy on 4K UHD, Limited Edition UHD Steelbook, Blu-ray, DVD & Digital from 23rd October