Full Metal Yakuza (1997)

Guess that in potential this could had been a truly awesome and insane revenge flick but the movie instead goes for a more over-the-top and comedy like approach. It doesn't really has the desired effect, since it more often makes the movie just silly instead of entertaining or funny.Normally I either really love or truly dislike a Takashi Miike movie but in this case I'm stuck in the middle somewhere. I really didn't hated the movie but at the same time was also never impressed- or entertained enough by it.Because the movie takes a more comedic approach, it's also being a more simplistic one to watch. It's very straight-forward, without any good depth or underlying emotions to the movie its story and themes. It's why the movie feels like a bit of a bland one, as well as redundant, even for the fans of Takashi Miike movies.For a Takashi Miike movie it also certainly isn't edgy enough. It sounds weird, with all of the violence and gore in this movie but the movie feels quite tame and like it's holding back with its graphic violence. This is something Takashi Miike normally really never ever does! But it's a movie from before the days he became an established name really, so it perhaps isn't so surprising that this movie doesn't feel as edgy and daring as most of his later work.Another problem I really had with this movie was its story. To say it bluntly; this movie really seems to be a Japanese remake of "RoboCop". It uses a very similar concept and even some of the characters and sequences seem alike. So originality was also a big problem with this movie. And as a matter of fact, it makes the movie even weaker, considering that it isn't even halve as good or half as edgy and daring as Paul Verhoeven's "RoboCop". It makes this movie feel like a bit of a lame rip-off attempt.But despite all criticism, this is still a movie you could have some fun with. It's definitely entertaining to watch in parts and with a Takashi Miike movie you are always getting something unique and unusual. The movie is still filled with plenty of moments like that. So despite not being to original with its story, it still is at least being original with some of its scene's.6/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

I love Miike films so I was a tad shocked after watching this one. It still bears his trade mark arterial spray shots and the WTF ending but other than that it's more like something you would find along side the likes of Robot Jocks or Dollman from Full Koon films. I recommend this flick to fans of the Guyver films more than I would fans of Audition or Visitor Q (even tho I love both of those films). I was intrigued the entire film laughing, cheering, booing, so I have no idea why everyone trashes on this movie so much (it's even a tad cerebral at times!). So bottom line from me is: Don't watch this flick expecting anything in particular except for an Ultra-Man-esquire splatter film and you'll find a surprising masterpiece.

I'll admit that this work isn't some of the director's best. However, this movie was one of those 'made for video and late nite TV' type movies. And even though my Japanese is very rusty (okay so it's rusted through), I still enjoyed the movie. The gore level is on par with Kill Bill (Quentin Tarantino) and has just about the same amount of plot. If it had a huge soundtrack budget it would be indistinguishable from a Japanese version of Kill Bill. Some of the gore effects are... quite unique. Along with some typical Japanese phallic humor, the movie does manage to hold your attention. Enjoy the movie for what it is, a quick and dirty gore flick with some 'interesting' bloody special effects that would make Quentin Tarantino become nauseous.

Takashi Miike may well be the savior of modern cinema - more than any other film maker I'm aware of, Miike keeps pushing the boundaries of the art form. He's also got a deliciously sick sense of humour.Full Metal Gokudo is an early Miike movie (with the rate he produces movies, even 5 years ago is a long way back in his career). It's a made for video ultra-cheapy, probably made in a couple of weeks for a few thousand yen. The basic premise is Robocop meets a Yakuza movie... producing the Full Metal Gokudo himself, a low ranking Yakuza gangster whose body is reanimated by a self-proclaimed genius scientist, to be a crime fighting superhero. Though things don't quite go according to his plans.Despite the very very low budget and terrible special effects, FMG contains buckets of that Miike imagination and intellect. Subtle, dark humour occasionally gives way to comic absurdity - and occasionally to something much darker and more disturbing. Nothing as sick as you will find in Ichi The Killer or Fudoh, but enough to trouble the more squeamish viewers no doubt. There's a little bit of a heart in the movie too though, for the viewer who can look past the gore and idiocy.Mostly though, FMG is just a silly comedy. It takes a bunch of mostly loathsome characters and puts them in a ridiculous situation, then has fun seeing how everybody reacts. It's a movie that could only have come from Japan, and probably only from Takashi Miike himself. The ultra low budget means its never going to get mainstream popularity, but it's the perfect material to become a lightweight cult classic.