2014 South African film
Kite
(also called
A Kite
) is a 2014 South African
action film
directed by Ralph Ziman, based on the 1998
anime
of the same name
by
Yasuomi Umetsu
. The film stars
India Eisley
,
Callan McAuliffe
and
Samuel L. Jackson
.
Synopsis
[
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]
Society has degenerated into a slum where people have taken to kidnapping children and selling them to flesh cartels. A young woman named Sawa (India Eisley) has been pretending to be a prostitute in order to kill some of the cartel leaders, ultimately trying to reach the main leader, Emir, who had killed her parents. After a kill, she finds she needs to relax by taking a drug called "Amp", which also
wipes her memories
.
Cast
[
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]
Production
[
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]
Pre-production
[
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]
A live action adaptation of
Kite
was reported to be in various stages of
pre-production
for a number of years, with American film director
Rob Cohen
attached as either director or producer.
[3]
The film, which takes place in a post-financial collapse corrupt society, follows a girl who tries to track down her father's killer with help from his ex-partner. The content of the live action film is expected to be toned down from the original OVA. On 2 September 2011,
David R. Ellis
was hired to direct the remake.
[4]
On 17 December 2012,
Samuel L. Jackson
announced that he was the first actor to join the cast of Ellis's
Kite
, with filming taking place in Johannesburg.
[5]
Ellis died on 7 January 2013, before shooting started.
[6]
[7]
On 3 February 2013, Ralph Ziman took over as director of the film; actors
India Eisley
and
Callan McAuliffe
subsequently joined the cast.
[8]
Filming
[
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]
Filming wrapped in February 2013 in
Johannesburg
, South Africa.
[
citation needed
]
Marketing
[
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]
The 10-minute trailer for the film was released on 6 January 2014,
[9]
[10]
followed by another trailer on 16 July.
[11]
Release
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]
On 10 May 2013,
The Weinstein Company
acquired worldwide distribution rights for
Kite
outside of the US, South Africa, and India.
[12]
On 17 April 2014,
Anchor Bay Entertainment
acquired the US and Canada distribution rights to the film.
[13]
The film was released in 2014.
[14]
It is the first film based on the anime film licensed in the US by Anime Works as well as the first to be adapted from a hentai.
[
citation needed
]
Critical reception
[
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]
Rotten Tomatoes
reported that 0% of critics have given the film a positive review based on 15 reviews, with an average rating of 2.66/10.
[15]
It also has a
Metacritic
score of 19 out of 100 based on 7 reviews, indicating "overwhelming dislike".
[16]
John DeFore of
The Hollywood Reporter
wrote on his review that "Ralph Ziman's
Kite
repackages an assortment of genre tropes into an instantly forgettable
Luc Besson
-aping slog that would be unneeded even if Besson hadn't just returned to big action flicks himself."
[17]
Peter Debruge of
Variety
commented: "The super-controversial, often-censored story of an orphaned schoolgirl turned
sex slave
and
assassin
isn't for everyone (and you can't entirely blame those countries whose strict
anti-child pornography laws
deemed it wasn't for anyone), although a slicker, less overtly kinky remake should have been catnip to
Sin City
and
Sucker Punch
fans. But judging by the disappointing results, this uninspired Anchor Bay release awaits homevid obscurity."
[18]
Peter Howell of the
Toronto Star
gave the film two out of four stars, commenting that "Ziman creates a visually interesting, graffiti-festooned landscape, there's a plenitude of action ? including some truly goring death scenes ? and Eisley and Callan McAuliffe as Oburi are both nicely appealing. But the tedium soon sets in, thanks mostly to a story that feels cliched beyond bearing, including a final twist that is so 'never mind.'"
[19]
References
[
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]
- ^
"Mamoru Oshii to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at Montreal's Fantasia Fest"
.
Animenewsnetwork.com
. Retrieved
22 June
2014
.
- ^
"Kite: Sponsored by SuperClub Videotron / Anchor Bay Entertainment"
.
Fantasiafestival.com
. Archived from
the original
on 23 June 2015
. Retrieved
11 July
2014
.
- ^
Press Release.
Distant Horizon and Rob Cohen partner on live action remake Of anime hit “Kite”
. Retrieved 21 May 2009
- ^
"David R. Ellis Takes Kite"
.
ComingSoon.net
. 2 September 2011
. Retrieved
2 September
2011
.
- ^
"Samuel L. Jackson Joins 'Kite' Remake, Says He Loves 'Oldboy' and Is Dying to Do More 'Star Wars' - Movie News - Movies.com"
.
Movies.com
. Retrieved
9 September
2017
.
- ^
"David R. Ellis, Director of 'Snakes on a Plane,' Dies at 60"
.
Hollywoodreporter.com
. 7 January 2013
. Retrieved
9 September
2017
.
- ^
Team, The Deadline (7 January 2013).
"R.I.P David R. Ellis"
.
Deadline.com
. Retrieved
9 September
2017
.
- ^
Tartaglione, Nancy (3 February 2013).
"Samuel L. Jackson, India Eisley, Callan McAuliffe Fly With 'Kite' Remake"
.
Deadline.com
. Retrieved
9 September
2017
.
- ^
Anderton, Ethan (6 January 2014).
"Watch: Samuel L. Jackson Introduces First Trailer for Live-Action 'Kite'
"
.
Firstshowing.net
. Retrieved
17 July
2014
.
- ^
"Live-Action Kite Film's 1st Trailer Posted"
.
Anime News Network
. 6 January 2014
. Retrieved
9 January
2020
.
- ^
Anderton, Ethan (16 July 2014).
"Samuel L. Jackson Hunts a Murderer in the Second Trailer for 'Kite'
"
.
Firstshowing.net
. Retrieved
17 July
2014
.
- ^
"Cannes: Weinstein Co. Flies With 'Kite'
"
.
Deadline.com
. 10 May 2013
. Retrieved
25 July
2013
.
- ^
Yamato, Jen (17 April 2014).
"Live-Action Anime Adaptation 'Kite' Starring Samuel L. Jackson Acquired By Anchor Bay"
.
Deadline.com
. Retrieved
17 April
2014
.
- ^
"First-Look at Samuel L. Jackson in Live-Action Adaptation of Japanese Anime 'Kite'
"
.
Indiewire.com
. 10 May 2013
. Retrieved
25 July
2013
.
- ^
"Kite (2014)"
.
Rotten Tomatoes
.
Flixster
. Retrieved
16 July
2020
.
- ^
"Kite (2014) Reviews"
.
Metacritic
.
CBS Interactive
. Retrieved
16 July
2020
.
- ^
DeFore, John (20 August 2014).
"
Kite
: Fantasia Review"
.
The Hollywood Reporter
. Retrieved
7 October
2014
.
- ^
Debruge, Peter (20 July 2014).
"Film Review:
Kite
"
.
Variety
. Retrieved
7 October
2014
.
- ^
Howell, Peter (2 October 2014).
"
Tusk
,
Kite
and
Left Behind
: movie reviews"
.
Toronto Star
. Retrieved
7 October
2014
.
External links
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