Fudoh - Delux Edition

 

 

Create your own review

A Takashi Miike is always worth looking out for, and this one was highly anticipated. It's one of his earlier Yakuza movies, but still very Miike in approach that was highly recommend to me by another great reviewer by the name of Dave K. We open innocently enough with young Riki Fugoh playing catch with his beloved brother Ryu. The entire family, however, is yakuza. After Ryu retaliates for the actions of the rival Nioh gang, the boys' dad kills Ryu to save his own neck. Young Riki, is not amused.

Ten years later, Riki (Shosuke Tanihara) is the smartest, best-looking kid in his high school. He also runs the place with the aid of his own gang comprised of fellow students. With the aid of eight-year-old hit men and schoolgirl strippers and assassins, it looks like Riki could have his revenge on the anniversary of his brother's death, but dear old dad may not go down so easily.

Shock value and native Japanese weirdness aside, this is a great movie. It looks great. Whatever the content, each shot is carefully composed and the action is often so manic it can be had to keep up with. As unemotional as the Japanese can be, "Fudoh" turns into the nastiest family squabble since "Medea". The parenting skills of the eldest Fudoh make Christopher Walken in "At Close Range" look like father of the year. Also into the mix comes man mountain Akira, played by wrestler Kenji Takano who must be the biggest guy in Japan! Even allowing for simple tricks like standing him next to short people, putting him on a box and filming from the waist up (the sort of stuff they do with Robbie Coltrane in the Harry Potter movies) it's clear that this guy is huge! Still, the most notable aspect is that just when you think the film can't get any weirder, it's just getting started. Murders are often accompanied by rivers of blood. The scenes in the children's assassin training camp are hysterical. I lost count on the number of decapitations.

While this is a film about kids, it's definitely not for kids. Director Miike may be better known for his surreal yakuza films and his greater exercises in strangeness, but the only difference with "Fudoh" is really one of style. Miss this and the Yakuza will have your fingers! Don't say I didn't warn you... Miss this and the Yakuza will have your fingers! Don't say I didn't warn you...

Takeshi Miike is a cinematic visionary who has directed over 50 films and among these most memorable are Audition (2000) and Ichi the Killer (2001). Miike's films often bring the audience into a dark and disturbing world of crime and psychologically distressing themes. In Audition Miike depicts a love story that turns into a carnival of mutilation and degradation in which the audience still can connect with the mutilator. In Ichi the Killer the audience can be forced into a shockingly violent world of crime, but there is a deep sense for the understanding of the characters despite the violence. Miike's absurd fondness for the disturbed and dark shines through in his films, yet each film he directs has a unique touch and offers a new experience. In short, Miike who seems to do nothing but work as he releases film after film, reinvents himself in each film with his own characteristic touch, and each accomplishment leaves a new mark of Miike.

Fudoh: The Next Generation is no exception to Miike's style as it takes on a yakuza revenge story where the young Riki Fudoh (Shosuke Tanihara) is severely traumatized by witnessing the murder of his brother as his father decapitates him in order to please the bosses of the other yakuza families. Riki promises himself to seek revenge on those who ordered the killing of his brother. Ten years later when Riki is in high school he has organized himself with well-trained six-year-old assassins with guns and stun-guns, two lethal high school girls, and a gigantic high school boy that can crush anything with his hands. Riki begins to take on the yakuza killing them off one by one in Miike style, which means that each killing offers a new disturbing experience. The question is can Riki make it, or will he also be a victim for the violence that he breeds around himself. Fudoh: The Next Generation offers an interesting cinematic experience as it offers notions in regards to social learning and violence.

If you ever wonder how all the fuss about Miike has started then look no further. This movie brought international recognition and acclaim to his work. Althought shot for video market only, movie was screened in portugal fantastic movie festival and stirred loads of interest. As a result, a brilliant director was unearthed who's still yet to be recognised and respected in Japan.
Fudoh family serves for a Yakuza organization and father holds an important place in among his peers. After witnessing his brother's murder by the hands of his very own father (who cold bloodedly tries to cover up a mess that is caused by his elder son), youngest member of the family swears for revenge.
Fudoh is a fantastical yakuza revenge movie. Like rest of his filmography, Miike's characters are definitely original as well as absurd. In order to carry out his personal war against his father, fudoh builds his own gang which includes deadly female classmates, primary school kids that are trained to become ruthless assasins and other strange characters. Weapons, murders, other characters are all very originally constructed.
Action and erotic scenes are guaranteed to leave you stunned and dark secrets of the characters are not forgotten and really add many interesting points to the overall absurdity of the film.Like rest of his portfolio, film has many bright ideas that are scattered in, flowing freely without following a pattern.
Also we do have Riki Takeuchi, the evil elvis of japan with long hair (and his scornful forced smile which became the trade mark of him)portraying the bad guy who's after young fudoh.
In comparison to his late work such as Ichi the killer and katakuris, movie seems a bit humble despite all the strangeness stamped all over it. But with such a small budget, director's movie passed the test of originality with flying colors.
Fudoh is a bizzare nutfeast and truly a definite watch for the fantastic movie lovers.

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 15 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

 

1.0 out of 5 stars Good film - Bad DVD
Watching this DVD is like watching a video tape :
there is only the movie with no removable subtitles
There is absolutely nothing else on this DVD (there is no... Read more

Published on Nov 19 2003 by shiniya

5.0 out of 5 stars Comically violent
Director Takeshi Miike is never one to hold anything back. I'm sure you will agree if you have seen any of his movies. Read more

Published on Aug 29 2003 by Andrew Anissi

3.0 out of 5 stars Fudoh: The New Generation DVD
I was surprized by the plot twists and the violence. In reading the film discription on the package you say, well this might be an interesting action flick for a slow Friday... Read more

Published on Nov 16 2002

4.0 out of 5 stars Sick Kicks
Forget the plot and watch a mad genius work.

Miike serves up plenty of cheap thrills for the jaded cineaste with this one. Read more

Published on Sep 8 2002 by jackswagger

3.0 out of 5 stars Yakuza revenge story that falls slightly short of genius
Takashi Miike's brand of "extreme cinema" is now getting art-house accolades thanks to his "Visitor Q" and "The Happiness of the Katakuris" (a remake... Read more

Published on Aug 23 2002 by Serdar S. Yegulalp

4.0 out of 5 stars A Sado-Sexual Fairy Tale for the Younger Generation
Japanese director Takashi Miike is not yet too well-known in the United States--even in Japan he's a little obscure--but if the general success of his cautionary romance... Read more

Published on July 13 2002 by Emil Hoelter

4.0 out of 5 stars Glossy, high impact shock flick, nothing else
OK, my thoughts are a bit mixed on this one. One hand, you got a somewhat innovative, crazy action thriller. Read more

Published on April 15 2002 by Victor Destefano

5.0 out of 5 stars gobsmacking crazy japanese gorefest
wow! this film must be seen to be believed.made by the fantastic takashi miike{ichi the killer,audition,dead or alive} its full of amazing visuals and over the top violence,you... Read more

Published on Jan 29 2002 by B. smith

3.0 out of 5 stars A Class-A B-Movie
The Hitoshi Tanimura comic on which this film is based must have passed me by, but it shares a publisher with Legend of the Overfiend and is a similarly exploitative... Read more

Published on Aug 28 2000 by Jonathan Clements

2.0 out of 5 stars yuck
yes, it was inventive in its own sick way. but that was the problem, this movie is way too gross and shocking to not have some kind of warning on it. Read more

Published on May 18 2000

Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews

› See all 15 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

Search Listmania!