Rating: ***
Review Date: 4/21/25
Cast: Hiroki Matsukata, Tsunehiko Watase, Sonny Chiba, Mikio Narita,
Emi Shindo
In 1971, Okinawa was returned to Japan, which presented an opportunity for Yakuza from the mainland to expand their territories and take over the local gangs. But the Okinawans are pretty tough and not very fond of mainlanders. Especially gang leader Seigou Kunigami (Sonny Chiba), who is a completely unhinged and violent psychopath. Hideo Nakazato (Hiroki Matsukata) is Kunigami's sworn brother, and his small clan is struggling to get by in all of the turmoil. Unfortunately, he becomes a sacrificial pawn in a larger power play, and after everyone betrays him, he gathers his forces and dedicates himself to revenge.
This is an ugly, brutal, and sadistic film, and definitely not for sensitive viewers. It also features the most outrageous and over-the-top performance I've ever seen from Sonny Chiba. He's at his unrestrained best and tears up the screen with his rude behavior, bug-eyed insanity, and horrifically violent outbursts. His death scene is so comically over-the-top that you're not sure if it's supposed to be funny or not. Given the raw intensity of his performance, I really wonder what it was like to work with him on the set.
That said, Chiba's character is just a catalyst and a chaos factor, as the film is really about Nakazato's struggles within the Yakuza power structure. He and his wife (Emi Shindo) are the only likable and reasonable people in the film, and it's heartbreaking to see them suffering from the constant problems and injustices that are thrown their way. His men are loyal to him, but they're not particularly bright or mature, which constantly gets the clan into trouble.
It's a slow burn that builds to an exciting climax, and for the most part the cinematography and action are very good. The gunplay is especially noteworthy for a Japanese film, because it looks far more realistic than typical Japanese fare, and the bullet wounds are satisfyingly messy. The acting is very good, even if the characters are unlikable, and the bold 70's funk music score does a great job of setting the raucous tone. If you can get past the intense violence, torture, murder, rape, and general mistreatment of women, there's a solid revenge drama here about a man who is pushed beyond his limits.