Eyes of the Roshi, Fate, Good Ole Boys, and an Assasin

When cultures collide blood and carnage rule the day.  For the pure of heart, however, perhaps enrichment and edification are the byproducts.  Fortunately Eric Roberts is in this with a couple of real life grand masters, thus the blood and carnage will dominate. Unfortunately for the pure of heart, past indiscretions can simmer to nuclear apocalypse.  For some very sweet good ole boys, a semi-virtuous babe, and a holy man, horrific consequences are converging on them.  2016's "Eyes of the Roshi" (produced by Ethan Marten and directed by John Mark Nail) chronicles this potential human train wreck.  In a roller-coaster ride manner, sure to please fans of Coen brothers films, we have an explosive film on this blog today.

Decades ago a blood curdling murder happens in Vietnam.  Fast forward to modern day Virginia Beach.  A mysterious Vietnamese holy man, Adam (Grand Master Adam Nguyen), arrives in town.  He immediately befriends some very benign, good ole boy farmers.  They are attracted to his intense work ethic and his ability to dispose of the evil town heavies.  Uh oh!  Guess who else arrives.  Adam is righteous and the people he touches are blessed by knowing him.  Well, not so for a mysterious hit-man who has just been sprung from an Asian prison for the sole purpose of murdering Adam.  This assassin (Marten) is pure evil and death and humiliation follow him everywhere. The epitome of evil will have his work cut out for him.

Local schmucks pick right up on Mr. Evil's arrival.  Local schmuck bounty hunter, Booker (Eric Roberts), sees the new arrival as an easy target.  Booker and his idiot cohorts plot to rip him off.  Oh yes, town godfather, Hogan Dodd (Chris Van Cleave), also has motives to come into contact with this devil.  The hit-man is focused, and is willing to murder anyone who gets in his way to finding Adam. Oh yes, Blanche (Amanda Dunn)!  Stunning and vulnerable.  With seemingly no hope and an abusive guy in her life, Adam gives her spiritual hope.  However flawed Blanche is, we plead with the silver screen that the hit-man never meets her.  Unfortunately, all of the above, and lots more will converge in a wild ending.   Blood, brains, and lots of bullets will fly.

Will the virtue of Adam prevail over evil?  What in Adam's past links him to our determined assassin? Will Virginia Beach survive this Vietnamese invasion? However good and pristine we are, "Eyes of the Roshi" is a fantastic reminder that prurient elements of our past are only dormant, not gone.  The acting is fantastic and in this violent and gritty fable, the morals taught are timeless.  For more on "Eyes of the Roshi," click on the following links. Roshi Website Trailer Roshi on Facebook