Sonatine is a great illustration of the contrast between American and Japanese films. Though the onscreen violence is graphic and sudden, it is rare and always purposed. The film is often quiet and still, with very subtle humor. Beat Takeshi has created an anti-action flick, free of a huge soundtrack and consistent one-liners, whose grace is muddled only by awkwardly translated subtitling. Sonatine is the not the movie the re-release advertising makes it out to be. Not what you'd expect.