Miike Takashi is well know for provoking controversy with films that display gratuitous violence, and add more than his own fair share of twists and turns, and topics that are prominently taboo.
Fudoh: The Next Generation is not the Japanese Star Trek, nor does the lead include a bald headed British thespian. Starring a relatively unknown cast, Miike has again provided a film that boarders on violence for the sake of violence. Still, the violence committed is hardly realistic, and essentially as most of his films, is rather like a comic book.
This sort of violence is quite evident in the opening scene. A man is in a toilet providing information to his boss, the eldest Fudoh brother, when two men enter the lavatory, an old man wearing a mac and another man who sits outside the door. The old man after an exchange of words with the informant in the cubicle, let’s rip with two guns firing repeatedly. The man in the cubicle is shot to pieces.
But this is a Miike film, so it’s not over yet. The old man empties the entirety of the clips into the victim. Who smashes through the cubicle wall to get to the next toilet. The old man unloads his gun, and the man sitting down loads his guns again. The old man continues to release bullet after bullet in to the victim once more. But this is a Miike film, so it’s still not over. The old man wastes his clips in to the flailing victim, and is then followed by the other guy, who presents a shot fun, and unloads the shells in to the man until he’s totally dead. This is very much a Miike Takashi film.
The story is that the Fudoh’s are at war with the Yashu, who are both overseen by the Niho Group. The eldest Fudoh brother commits a raid on the Yashu group, unfairly, and during mediation with the Niho Group, the father and head of the Fudoh’s agrees to take full responsibility for the incident. His response is to cut off the head of his eldest son in reparations for the raid. Witnessing the act, is the youngest brother Riki Fudoh who is affected by the incident, and tattoos his back with the blood of his dead, headless brother.
On screen action is varied and entertaining, thought I felt some of the fights were rather underwhelming for the most part
Cut to Riki, now grown up and attending a school. However, the innocent looking school boy, as smart as he is, is anything but a school kid. Riki is as big a threat as his late brother, and in revenge, on his brother’s tenth anniversary, begins exacting vengeance on the four council members of the Yashu who instructed Riki’s father for reparations.
Each of the four council members are killed in typical Miike fashion, and anything understated does not exist. The deaths are over the top, violent, and gore filled. Of particular note is the death of the second council member in the car, who drink a liquid and then we watch as he continually sprays blood from his mouth, flooding the back of the car, as when the door opens for the man to escape from this frightening experience, a river of blood pours out from the car.
That is the essential gist of this movie. A revenge film Miike-style. After exacting their revenge, the head father of the Fudoh’s decides to execute his son’s accomplices, and also his son, now that all the council members have been killed. His plan was in effect to merge with the Yashu, and domination of Japan and beyond would be hindered by Riki’s actions, thus a second range of death’s take place.
These deaths are equally violent, with Miike not be any gentler about the death of the female’s, and he never has been, and perhaps this is one of the good things about his violence. The lack of discrimination on what should and should be acceptable violence. Not only do young children exact violence, but they are also punished for the violence the inflict. Whether young or old, male or female, you can expect to die in Miike film, and something that stands out from most other film makers.
Several plot developments do occur, some of which are typical Miike, including a a relationship and seduction of a hermaphrodite, young children carrying out assassinations, using a blow pipe to kill using the female genitalia. It’s all rather traditional fanfare with this Director, who cares little for rules. Lack of morality is never evident in Miike films, and if that is a claim leveled at his films, it is unjust. What Miike depicts are elements of reality, all wrapped around excessive and cartoonish violence. It’s about as realistic as Itchy & Scratchy. It may shock some people, but for me it’s a director expressing his imagination in providing different ways to exploit the rigid humdrum of typical violence that is displayed.
Fudoh: The Next Generation is not the Japanese Star Trek, nor does the lead include a bald headed British thespian
The performances are OK, and not really that noteworthy. Sex is dealt with subtly, and some sex matters are dealt with openly, and may put some people off their dinner. I think it was quite interesting to include a character who is as normal (or as normal as can be in a Miike film) as anyone else. She goes to school like the others, she kills, but she also wants and has sex. For that you have to credit Miike for not shying away from topics that would otherwise not be touched by other directors. He is a sensationalist, but he does it with a middle finger displayed to everyone else.
On screen action is varied and entertaining, thought I felt some of the fights were rather underwhelming for the most part. The final fight between Gon and Riki was actually very well executed. Over the top, brash, chaotic and unrealistic, it was very enjoyable. Other fights were less entertaining and felt rather tired and forced.
There are a further two sequels to this film, that were straight to video releases. How they continue the story, I’m not sure, and it could very well be a Dead or Alive esque methodology, whereby the sequels are in fact the same idea, with the same characters, but told in a different way and a different time. The ending, however, does leave open the possibility that a sequel would happen, leaving on a veritable cliff hanger.
In summary, Fudoh: The Next Generation is quite an over the top entry in Miike Takashi’s massive catalogue of films. It’s not his best work, but it is reasonably good and worth watching if you’re in to Miike’s film style. I don’t think he’s done a film any worse than City of Lost Souls in any case.
Verdict: Excessive comic violence, and a contrived plot. Good entertainment, but nothing deep.