bousozoku I appreciate the thoughts behind this film. It makes points, if you can find them, that need to be seen and said and realized and remembered.Following the story takes strong dedication as the numerous flashbacks injure the story and misdirect the message.Diana Lee Inosanto and Michael O'Laskey II are good but not exactly convincing and they should be. Their fighting is more convincing than their acting.Sab Shimono and Emily Kuroda delivered realistic performances but they were mostly in the background.McClain's female friend needs acting lessons.I admire the take on hate, ignorance, and discrimination.This is definitely the opposite of a Hollywood movie, but that shouldn't kill it. Regardless of the flaws, it's worth watching two or three times to see what's happening. The ideas were worth making into a movie.

austieboy_4 I was a extra in the movie as one of the young martial arts kids in the movie. I was with the crew a lot of the movie and i saw a lot of the things that happened. It was also a lot of work. One day i was there we had to retake on scene like 6 times. It was a lot of fun to meet all the characters in real life and to be with people that are in other films such as Michael O'Laskey who has been in 3 other movies and has been a character in Power Rangers, Star Trek, Otward Bound, and The Mr.Show. All in all he was a very interesting guy. If you have any question on the movie or anything you would like to know that you have not found on this website give me a call or text at 970-520-9107.

carazeb I had expectations for this film, as I went to see it with members of my dojo, including my Sensei. It explored and broke boundaries in film and in the martial arts. Dealing with AIDS not in a metropolitan area but in a small town, racial barriers, genders in the martial arts (an issue that is still very prevalent), and sexuality are all here. Though the film takes place in the 80's, it has a timeliness to what is happening in the US today. Problems aren't completely solved here. But The Sensei gives us an idea of where we can start to go without turning into a Lifetime movie. And it does look great. Made by people who give a damn about what they're doing, instead of worrying about the paycheck.

heatheremurphy I highly recommend The Sensei. I was afraid at first that it would be a cheesy Karate Kid with a gay kid as the lead, but it was so much more than that. The movie dealt with many levels of prejudice, including sexual orientation, race, gender, religion, and HIV. It was touching while sending a powerful message. The depiction of the victimization endured by the lead character was realistic and horrific. Some parts of the film weren't quite as polished and smooth as a major production movie, but it is an independent film. For anyone who has dealt with any sort of prejudice or hatred, this is a movie that will make you feel strong and hopeful. For anyone who doesn't understand what GLBT youth have endured, be it 20 years ago or today, this is a movie that will open your eyes.