City of lost Souls (2000)

Production: Daiei
Color / Length: Color, 103 minutes
Director: Takashi Miike
Actors: Teah, Michelle Reis, Patricia Manterola, Ren Osugi

This one is among Miike’s more accessible films, though not exactly his best. Anyway, it is a rather enjoyable trip to the land of crime melodrama in its extreme.

Miike starts with a slow, Western-like prologue, which explodes into a gunfight and thus introduces the main character, a tough Brazilian named Mario (Teah). A man, who is good with weapons and shows no mercy with his enemies.

Then we are introduced to the main story in breathtaking speed as Mario practically jumps from a toilet seat (which has a sub machine gun concealed it) to a helicopter, then attacks a prisoner bus with people to be deported from Japan; his beloved Chinese beauty Kei (Michelle Reis) among them. Soon after the reunited lovers soar to the clouds using the helicopter again and the whole episode ends with them literally falling from the skies and landing (of course) unharmed.

But there’s no slowing down as Mario and Kei start to deal with many problems represented by the shadiest types, Tokyo, according to the film, is full of. Deportation is just one of the difficulties the lovers have to face. More dangerous to their health are: Fushimi (Koji Kikkawa), a young Yakuza struggling for power, Ko (Mitsuhiro Oikawa), a Triad leader hungry for control and enlarging his territories, last but not least is Lucia (Patricia Manterola), Mario’s ex who hasn’t forgotten that he dumped her for Kei. In addition to the main characters, there are some interesting side-characters like the sneaky Russian Kholodoski (Anatoli Krasnov) or the wise cracking Tokyo cops, who prefer to watch the going-ons instead of participating or even stopping them. In a chain reaction of relentless bloodshed most of the stories characters are killed within a short time. Ko is killed by Fushimi, Fushimi in turn dies in a gunfight with Mario. But there’s no happy end waiting at the end of the day for Mario and Kei, if there is something even more dangerous than the Yakuza or the Triads, than it is a jealous woman.

“The city of lost souls” is easy to watch. It moves in a fast pace, the action sequences are quite professionally staged (the gunfights have many references to classic Westerns, especially the one between Mario and Fushimi) and even Miike’s trademark eccentrities don’t seem irrelevant to the story.

The already famous cockfights filmed in Matrix-like manner spring to mind or the announcer from the Brazilian radio network in Tokyo who comments the confrontation like a football match (that’s soccer for non-euopeans).

But they’re only superficial highlights that are quickly forgotten. It seems Miike wanted to play with all kinds of stereotypes and clichés – genre, nationality, you name it. But because of stereotypes being what they are everything seems predictable and not very original, no matter how hard Miike tries. Mostly he succeeds in creating an atmosphere of Tokyo as a melting pot of more mixed races and more craziness than every city you’ve heard of, but he fails in creating anything more than a mood.

The characters are too familiar: greedy and ruthless young gangsters, passionate lovers ready to die for their love, jealous and crazy ex-girlfriends and shrewd cops. Maybe some irony would’ve helped (for once) but the actors play it straight through out the movie. Patricia Manterola does try to create something different with her role, but ultimately she fails as well. The overall result is a superficial load of stereotypes played expertly, while it could’ve been an ironic masterpiece.

“City” is a movie with national stereotypes galore. I wont comment on those connected with Chinese (like, of course, Ko meets Fushimi for the showdown behind a ping pong table), more on those familiar to westerners (nurtured on popular American films or Brazilian soap operas). We have once again a vodka guzzling, sneaky Russian with a surname no Slavic person would be able to pronounce (even for an unpatriotic Russian like yours truly it’s not funny anymore). But things are even worth with the Brazilians. What we all know about Brazilians is: Men play football and do “capoeira” stuff, women are always stunning beauties and dead jealous. Whatever Miike wanted to do with those stereotypes, it didn’t work and they are just repetitions of characters we’ve already seen a thousand times.

I guess Brazil would have to be beaten by some European squad in the world cup finals several times, before Brazilians will be associated with something else. But I guess it will stick to them forever, like Vodka drinking will always be a cliché stamped on every Russian male.

Secondly… According to many films and series the plight of Brazilian women is really hard. In so many films they spend most of the time doing life important activities like looking great and wearing as less clothes as possible only to find out, that their men are either hitting the ball (instead of working) or hitting on foreign girls (instead of “eating” at home). Seems they have the moral rights to show those guys what the wrong side of a gun is made for. The stereotyped that’s put on brazilian women is the hardest one to believe. Seriously, if I were in a company of a lady with the looks of Patricia Manterola, I’d be too busy to think of somebody else. But I’m not Brazilian, and we are talking about films, not real life. So, I have to stick to vodka and before downing my first glass I won’t forget to give this movie 3 Kitanos.

Guest Reviewer: Ivan Denisov

3 Kitanos

Agitator aka Outlaw Souls: Agitator (2001)

Production: Daiei
Color / Length: Color, 200 minutes
Director: Takashi Miike
Actors: Mickey Curtis, Yoshyuki Daichi, Naoto Takenaka

Review:
This is another Takashi Miike Yakuza Eiga (YE) I eagerly waited to see. I was fortunate enough to purchase the uncut version of this movie (~3 hours). Three hours of crazy YE action from Japan’s latest directing stud seemed like a dream. My hopes were super high with anticipation (they always are when it comes to top-notch directors and the YE genre). Although, the last Miike YE I watched was “Deadly Outlaw: Rekka” and I wasn’t impressed. I have faith that Miike is capable of producing intense, dynamic, F**k You Up, quality YE’s as he’s done in the past. Unfortunately, my most recent opinions of his movies have been a coin toss, good or bad. Agitator came in two parts (Part I: War Ensemble & Part II: Bloody War). What do you expect when the film is 3+ hours long? So, at least that’s something to look forward too if you’re a fan of the genre and the film is good. The movies star some fresh and old faces to Miike yakuza eiga. Again, the director himself makes a cameo appearance (the other I know of was “Graveyard of Honor”). The YE great Hiroki Matsukata plays the role of Kaido of the Tensei group. I love seeing this guy since his great YE 70’s flicks. He is easily becoming my second favorite YE actor (after Bunta of course).

So, the story goes… Part One: War EnsembleThe Yokomizo & Shirane gangs are the powers of the underworld in this Japanese city (Tokyo?). They are sworn enemies who live in relative peace. One day, a hired Shirane drug-addict (Miike) is sent into Yokomizo territory to stir up trouble and loses his life in the process by members of the Higuchi gang (who are under the Yokomizo umbrella). While both groups prepare for war or mediation, a hired assassin is sent to kill Yokomizo himself. Higuchi, sworn brother to Yokomizo, and his extreme Higuchi group are devastated. Kensaki, an erratic yakuza in the Higuchi group, is sent to kill Boss Shirane in revenge. Behind the scenes, the leader of the Tensei Association (a large yakuza group) has died and their executive members are vying for leadership. Kaido (Matsukata), a Tensei executive member wants to merge the Yokomizo & Shirane gangs and have them unite under his Tensei group, making him strongest of the other executive groups. He sets a plan of deceit and backstabbing and ignites a war with the Yokomizo outcasts, Higuchi Gang.

Part Two: Bloody WarWith both bosses of the Shirane & Yokomizo groups dead, next generation leaders are appointed. With Kaido’s mediation, both new bosses exchange the cup of bonding. Higuchi becomes suspicious of his peers and severs ties with Yokomizo. Which leads to Kenzaki rampaging against any who stand in the way of his boss, Higuchi. In the meantime, Kensaki and crew kidnap the second in command Shirane and extract information about what is really going on behind the scenes. Yokomizo and Shirane gang are set to merge under Kaido and his Tensei Association. In the exchange for the kidnapped, Higuchi is assassinated. Higuchi group has a newly appointed second generation boss, who goes back under the Yokomizo Group. Kenzaki dismantles his crew and sends them packing. Finally, the Kaido jig is up, but Kenzaki is bent on revenge, he sets a path of death and destruction against, Yokomizo, Shirane and Kaido.

I liked it. That’s all I can say. It wasn’t an orgasmic experience, nor was I wanting to stick my thumbs in my eyes. It was what it was, a straight up yakuza film. Maybe for the “shocked” Miike fan, there will be disappointment. Nothing shocking in this film. Lots of non-chalant shootouts though. The acting was decent and the story flowed well. The only thing I didn’t like/understand was the whole kaleidoscope thing and Kenzaki’s chick flashbacks. Made no sense at all and I got the feeling Miike wanted it to have a Bladerunner like feel to those out of place scenes. But, this was definitely a step up from “Deadly Outlaw: Rekka”. I recommend it for those Miike Yakuza fans, but the perverse sex starved gore fanatics will be disappointed. This film didn’t “WOW” me, but it was a good way to waste 3 hours of my life. A must for Miike dorks.

Guest Reviewer: Steven McVey

3 1/2 Katanas