This is basically a remake of the 1949 film D.O.A. starring Edmond O'Brien
with a few minor changes. In that one O'Brien learns that he has been poisoned
and has a short time to live and spends that time tracking down whoever did
it. Same idea here. Except the person poisoned is a hard-as-nails female
assassin, she is in Tokyo and the Yakuza are behind it. There is also a touch
of the Jean Reno film Leon: The Professional. And let's toss in La Femme
Nikita as well. Maybe even the film Ava too. Like I said in my comments on
Protégé, another recent female assassin film - there have been
so many of these over the years whether in Hollywood or Asia or Europe that
being original is hard. But if you are going to borrow, borrow from the best
and they did. If not for those films, I would probably rank this higher because
it has style, it has a great lead actress and it has a body count that would
put Leon to shame. There are multiple action set pieces and they are very
well done. The one in the traditional Japanese restaurant is astonishingly
brutal and the shoot-out in a labyrinth of alleyways and shops is wonderful.
There is an ongoing debate among professional killers when they gather for
conventions in Las Vegas - go solo or be part of a corporation. Being corporate
has its advantages - better benefits, a steady stream of work and logistical
support. Being solo is tough in today's market place where big is better.
Difficult finding clients that pay the big bucks. But it has one advantage.
When you decide to hang up your weapons of death, no one will stop you. Corporations
being what they are have an issue with people leaving. Our girl in this one,
Kate, belongs to a corporation. Her handler who has brought her up since
she was a young girl is played by Woody Harrelson. Kate is on duty. To kill
a Yakuza with a sniper rifle. When the target appears there is a problem
- his daughter is with him - she hesitates - but finally follows orders.
Back in Tokyo a few months later she is poisoned with plutonium at a bar.
The doctors tell her she has a day to live. She does not want to go quietly
into that good night. Unfortunately, for dozens of gangsters who get in her
way. She works her way up to the leader, one dead person after another. Mainly
with a silencer but any weapon handy will do. One of her leads is the niece
of the Big Boss - the same girl who saw her father's brains splattered all
over her. She is a Japanese Valley Girl and quite adorable. Kate grabs her
and drags her along this bloody road to oblivion. Her insides are melting.
Kate is played with unglamorous ferocity by Mary Elizabeth Winstead and the
young girl is Miku Patricia Martineau. On the Japanese side of the ledger
there is Tadanobu Asano as the number 2 man and Jun Kunimura in a great quiet
performance as the head of the Family. It moves very quickly, has a few twists,
fabulous location shooting in Tokyo and just looks great. Sure, we have seen
it before but that is not a big deal for me. It is a female assassin going
through hell to kill the man she wants. I will take a dozen more.
