If you've bought this movie expecting a movie of 'wire style' kung fu and sword fights then you'd made a bit of an error.

Instead this is a slow burning psychological thriller set in the world of hitmen and the mafia. But while the main character is indeed a hitman and does kill people in the movie, that's just a secondary part of the movie.

Instead it's a tale about Ghost Dogs spiritual and mental journey using his strong belief in the words of a journal full of sayings from a philosopher. In fact, Ghost Dog has used this way of teaching to create a life of honor yet one of death also.

To portray such a multi layered character, you need an actor with a vast amount of skill. In casting Forest Whitaker, you have that and more. In fact I honestly believe this is the greatest performance of his career.

The direction and writing by Jim Jarmusch is slow and methodical but that works beautifully with this movie and really gives the characters personalities time to shine and grow. By the end of the movie, the writing, direction and Whitaker's performance have all combined together to create a beautiful and heart breaking movie.

The only part of this release that is disappointing are the distinct lack of extras. Ok there are some out takes but if you were to ignore them, it wouldn't really matter. They just seem to have been put there for the hell of it.

I would highly recommend this movie to pretty much anyone that enjoys good movies. It's honestly one of the best movies I have seen in a very long time. Buy it just for Whitaker's performance and you won't be disappointed.