FULL METAL YAKUZA (DVD) DVD

Full Metal Yakuza
Japanese horror auteur Takashi Miike directed this bizarre, ultra-violent variation on Robocop. Kensuke Hagane (Tsuyoshi Ujiki) works as a janitor for Tousa, the head of a powerful Yakuza family; Kensuke looks up to Tousa, and wants to join the organization some day. While Tousa is serving seven years in prison, Kensuke is given his chance, but he lacks the courage to do much more than the most menial tasks. Things change, however, when Kensuke is driving Tousa home after his stay in prison is over; the pair are ambushed by enemy gangsters, leading to a vicious gun battle in which Kensuke is mutilated and Tousa is killed. They're rescued by Hiraga Genpaku, a crazed medical genius who rebuilds Kensuke using parts of Tousa's body as well as the latest in bionic technology. Now possessing super-human powers as well as Tousa's impressive physical strength, Kensuke is transformed into a super-Yakuza who sets out to take down the men who killed Tousa and nearly cost him his life. Full Metal Gokudo was originally released direct to video in Japan but won a theatrical release and a cult following elsewhere. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Cast n/a

Crew Takashi Miike - Director Itaru Era - Screenwriter

Full Metal Yakuza
Any viewer with even a slight knowledge of Paul Verhoeven's 1987 film Robocop will be able to see where Takashi Miike's Full Metal Gokudo is headed. Both films are cyborg-themed revenge stories sprinkled with hardcore violence and inspired silliness. Miike's and Verhoeven's films could easily be shown as a double feature, as they utilize shots framed the same way and identical sound effects. Where Miike's film sets itself apart is with several unexpected twists as the film's surprising tender love story and over-the-top humor slowly take the film over. Along the way, Miike's trademark ultra-violence and gore begins to show up with spray blood shooting out of limbs and flying dismembered heads. While not at the levels seen in other Miike films, such as Ichi the Killer or Audition, Full Metal Gokudo features scenes, especially ones featuring violence to women, that may become very un-cartoon-like and may be difficult for the squeamish. Made as a love letter to the Japanese superhero films of Miike's youth, Full Metal Gokudo comes close to working on both intellectual and visual levels, but as the film winds down to its conclusion, it falls flat. This is a film that almost reaches the high note for which it strives, but can never quite match the thought-provoking brutality achieved in Miike's later work. ~ Jason Gibner, All Movie Guide
 

(no awards)

General Specifications: Language Options: Japanese Subtitle Options: English Sound Processing: DD: Generic Dolby Digital (unspecified format) Additional Features: Digitally enhanced 16 x 9 anamorphic presentation Interview with director Takashi Miike Interview with editor Yasushi Shimamura Interview with main lead Tsuyoshi Ujiki Commentary with Tom Mes Scene selection Filmographies Biographies Previews ArtsmagicDVD artwork Website Removable subtitles MPAA Rating: NR DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 103 min   DVD Chapters: Side #1 -- 1. A Female Threat [6:25] 2. Bad News [4:12] 3. Blood and Bullets [9:34] 4. Overload [7:10] 5. Full Metal [5:50] 6. Final Result [7:55] 7. Hagane Returns [6:45] 8. Revenge [6:30] 9. A Peaceful Place [7:23] 10. Mutual Attraction [8:01] 11. A Time to Kill [6:31] 12. Rampage [5:59] 13. A View to Torture [5:26] 14. The Final Stroke [6:42]