Dead or Alive: Final is the third and final film in the Dead or Alive trilogy by Miike Takashi. The third film takes on a sci-fi route this time round. There seems to be some sort of connection aside from the obviously mentioned, and that is the connection of the characters. The two central characters played by Takeuchi and Aikawa are essentially playing different roles in different circumstances, and continually the result is destruction and a finality to proceedings.
They are linked eternally, for in the first film they die fighting each other, in the second it could be argued that they are reincarnations and again die together, in the third film they are cyborgs who ultimately live and finally come to terms with their link and their similarities.
The influence and comparison with something like Blade Runner is far too obvious, but it is inherent to understand Blade Runner was not an original piece of work, and Dead or Alive: Final does not rip of Blade Runner. In fact, it could be argued that Dead or Alive: Final is a piss take of itself and other sci-fi films. There is evidence which points to this, and it wouldn’t be surprising as Takashi’s take on film making is that there are no rules.
The third film involves a homosexual dictator in the year 2046 who has declared it law for procreation not to happen. The birth of any baby will be met by execution, and in order to control the populace from not procreating they are forced to take a pill which does this. Not taking the pill leads to death.
Enforcing this law is Takeuchi, a powerful cop with super reflexes. This is demonstrated in the early opening, when the cops discover a child eating noodles. The child is given five seconds to declare who he is, and is then shot at. Enter Aikawa who stops the bullet from hitting the child, demonstrating his own abilities as someone not to be messed around with. The chance meeting between the boy and Aikawa leads Aikawa to rescue the child and become acquainted with the rebels against the dictatorial mayor of Yokohama. So, Aikawa and Takeuchi reprise their roles as rivals as per the first film, bringing us full circle to another “What happened after DOA” scenario.
Of the three, this seems to be the most fun that Takashi had with managing his boredom
Takeuchi grimaces more than ever, with Aikawa now pretty laid back in his role. Although the proceedings in this film are taken up more by the other characters than the two central stars this time. Aikawa, having saved the kid is introduced to the rebel group and agrees to stay with them for the moment. Takeuchi’s boss, the gay mayor, is intent on killing the rebels and he has with him a young guy dancing around in his underpants, while playing a saxophone and gyrating intently towards his master.
As Aikawa looks after the kid, the rebels go out to assassinate the mayor. After a botch up job, and suffering several casualties, the rebels retreat, accidentally resulting in the kidnapping of Takeuchi’s son who is on the school bus the rebels captured. Disagreements ensue with what to do next within the rebel group, resulting in several being executed by Aikawa to protect the “good rebels” as it were.
Takeuchi is furious about the kidnapping and sets out to get his son back. The mayor explains that he has it all sorted out, and a plan is in effect. He takes a couple, who are hostages of the rebel cause. The lady is pregnant, and after giving birth some deal seems to have been met where they will betray their comrades by killing them. In return for the freed prisoners, Takeuchi’s son would be delivered to his premises, which Aikawa does.
A meeting is set up and the prisoners are freed, the traitors open fire, Takeuchi’s son is returned, and the mayor is happier with the result. Since Takeuchi’s son was with the rebels, he had made a bond of friendship with the kid, and both watched films from “the old world”. When Takeuchi is called by the mayor to track down and kill the remaining rebels, he is called by his wife to be told their son is missing again. Takeuchi figures out where is son is, and locates the base of the remaining rebels: one lady, the kid and Aikawa. As they sit in the cinema watching the films, Aikawa meets Takeuchi outside. He tries to explain to Takeuchi what the issue is, but Takeuchi is only intending to kill Aikawa. Queue the snappy, fast martial arts set piece.
The fight stops before it begins as Takeuchi’s son watches, thus Takeuchi takes his kid home.
He returns home to find his wife throw herself over the staircase, and watches as she leaks green liquid down her leg and moves like a spastic. She is a robot, a cyborg, and discovering this he wants to know whether his son is one too, but holds back from checking his body. Instead he returns to the mayor and attempts to kill him: however, he cannot as he has been programmed not to, and the mayor freely admits that all of his life was pre-programmed, “The story of the three happy robots” as he calls it.
The result of this is much angst, and a final show down between Aikawa and Takeuchi which, once more, turns out to be less than normal or clichéd. One thing Takashi doesn’t do is use cliché’s. He can be seen as quite original in several aspects, even though he isn’t the most original director, he more than matches his unoriginality with original ideas and innovations. The fights scenes are Matrix like in part, but are far, far more outrageous and original in their execution. The scene with the catching of the bullet with an L-pipe, which then travels through the pipe upwards and hits the word was quite an amusing touch for example.
The third film involves a homosexual dictator in the year 2046 who has declared it law for procreation not to happen
Of the three, this seems to be the most fun that Takashi had with managing his boredom. He gives up on the expected, and sequential idea of this is how movies ought to be, and creates a film which pretty much throws the rule book out, creating self-parodies and takes the sci-fi along another path of madness and extravagance. The conclusion is also appropriate in some sense as it takes the first and second film and the characters they played, finally providing compliance and acceptance. The first film deals with rivalry, the second co-operation, and the third acceptance if you will.
The characters are about as throw away as any sci-fi film, and the acting is equally ponderous. The interesting thing about Takashi’s DOA trilogy has been the mixture of English, Chinese and Japanese speaking cultures, as there doesn’t seem to be that “we’re better than them” conclusion as perhaps can be found in either Japanese or Chinese films with nationalistic themes. The dystopian future is perhaps a way for all cultures to create some cohesive commonality against oppression.
DOA: Final is effective as both a conclusion and a sci-fi film. To some the ending, or even the film itself can be seen as a middle finger for those expecting something normal, and logically conclusive. Those that wish to look at something different, original and very bizarre would appreciate the trilogy, and in particular this film. Films don’t need to make sense, they don’t need conclusions, they don’t need logic. Takashi can do all this and more, and yet he can follow the given procedure, and this is perhaps a testament to his flexibility as a director.
Verdict: Extravagant, entertaining and fitting conclusion to the series.