I know that calling this Japanese film awesome can make me sound like a pimpled fanboy, but this film is truly awesome. Genre heaven. How come no one ever tied me to a chair and made me watch this film like in Clockwork Orange? Calling this a martial art film is a disservice. It is that and everything else. Fabulous and dangerous looking stunts till the last shot, a monkey that not only saves the day but also can snap off a bikini top faster than you can blink, a spectacular chase through Hong Kong that should have shamed Hong Kong films, a band of ninjas after the hero through the streets of Japan and no one looking surprised. And so much more. 90-minutes of thrills and busted faces and broken bones.  It is directed by Norifumi Suzuki, one of Japan's purest genre filmmakers. Lots of female Pinky films, action films, the Trucker Yaro series, a Red Peony Gambler film, Ninja films and one of my favorite other awesome action films, The Great Chase with Etsuko Shihomi. He throws it all into this messy at times absurd but awesome film.


In the very opening scene Hiroyuki Sanada is running through Hong Kong being chased by a gang of killers. He runs into a dead-end alley and gets gunned down with more shots than in the St. Valentine Massacre. Well, hell we barely got to know you Hiroyuki, but no need to worry. It is the old lost twin plot twist. His twin was kidnapped as a child and brought up in Texas on a ranch where like all men from Texas he learns how to ride horses, roping, throwing axes from a tribe and martial arts from dad. All which comes in handy during the film, In Texas I understand this is mandatory right next to the Pledge of Allegiance. On his death bed, dad apologizes to him and tells him that he is from a wealthy family in Japan. Off he goes, with his monkey on his shoulder.


A nice welcome awaits him, seven beautiful women in bikinis around the pool and the well-trained monkey - Peter by the way - plays hide and seek with their tops. I am liking this film already. Sadly, most of them drop out of the film fairly soon. But his sister is still there - poor blind Etsuko Shihomi. But as we find out later, she has been training with Shintaro Katsu and we have a nice fight later on with her against a dozen men. Pure Zatoichi. Turns out their uncle (Mikio Narita) has a family secret - he is a Nazi with a portrait of Adolf in his lair and he killed the parents of Joji (Hiroyuki) and Chihiro (Etsuko). An all around bad guy. Even his female secretary is a demoness with her high heels.


And her aid is pretty handy with a whip. And just for the hell of it, Sonny Chiba shows up first as a magician and ventriloquist but stays away for much of the film till it is Chiba Time. It is pretty much up to Joji to kill everyone. That later chase and bus scene in Hong Kong is brilliant - there is no way that they controlled the environment when he climbs up on top with others trying to kill him - hops on to another passing bus and then grabs on to an overhead sign. This is so entertaining that I think I have a few pimples now.    

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