Yakuza: Like a Dragon

	Rating: 4 out of 5 Original Title: Ryû ga gotoku: gekijô-ban Japanese: 龍が如く 劇場版 Release Date: 2007 Director: Takashi Miike Netflix Link IMDb Link

Yakuza: Like a Dragon far exceeded my expectations, but then again, it’s a movie based on a video game so my expectations were really low. Most of the time in Yakuza flicks, you can expect either an overused plot or none at all, but this one actually had a plot, and a rather complex one at that, which is completely unexpected coming from a video game turned movie and, as much as I like him, from Takashi Miike. At times, it’s terribly awesome, at others it’s awesomely terrible. Some cool fight scenes, a couple of explosions and some interesting characters almost make up for the weird plot made up of vignettes that barely connect, if at all. All things considered, it’s a pretty bad film, but I happen to like bad films like this.

The Negotiator

	Rating: 4 out of 5 Original Title: Koshonin Release Date: 2003 Director: Takashi Miike Netflix Link IMDb Link

The Negotiator is a fairly straight-forward detective yarn about a robbery turned hostage situation. The plot does a decent job at not being entirely transparent. It manages to stave off the important clues until near the end. I only figured out the entirety of who, why and how just slightly before they revealed it. If you’re looking for one of Miike’s more controversial gangster films or blood-gushers, you should look elsewhere. But if you like low-key mystery stories that reveal a little at a time, The Negotiator delivers.

Full Metal Yakuza

	Rating: 3 out of 5 Release Date: 1997 Director: Takashi Miike Netflix Link IMDb Link

Like Miike himself, I was drawn to Full Metal Yakuza by the title, but the end result is a straight-to-video film of mediocre quality. Full Metal Yakuza was made when video rental sales were in full swing. Distributors were clambering to fill empty shelves on video store walls. Most of Miike’s films made during this period are of questionable quality. Miike, being of questionable quality himself, cashed in on market demand with film after slapdash film. It’s a wonder that he survived this era and still is able to make films today. I, for one, keep wading through Miike’s back catalog since there are, in fact, some hidden gems. Full Metal Yakuza may or may not be one of them depending on your standards and expectations. If you’re looking for a not-so-serious, low-budget fantasy film full of violence, half-assed special effects, some brief half-nudity, a little bit of bondage, and lots and lots of gushing blood, this is for you. There are some highlights and the story is nothing if not original, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it to anyone who isn’t a Miike completist.

Detective Story

	Rating: 3 out of 5 Original Title: Tantei Monogatari Release Date: 2007 Director: Takashi Miike Netflix Link IMDb Link

Detective Story seems more like a made-for-TV movie than a feature film which would actually account for the strangely blurred-out gore and peculiar editing in some sequences. It’s not a bad story, even though I saw the ending coming a mile away, but there was a little too much cheese factor. The comic relief throughout makes the serious parts seem awkward. It seems like Detective Story couldn’t decide if it wanted to be a horror film, a comedy or just a straight detective drama. The main character, Kazuya Nakayama, is goofy and bumbling, but also rather believable as the titular detective. Everyone else is just along for the ride. As far as shocks and thrills go, Miike has much more available elsewhere. Detective Story would not be one of my highest recommendations.

Neighbor No. 13

	Rating: 4 out of 5 Original Title: Rinjin 13-go Release Date: 2005 Director: Yasuo Inoue Netflix Link IMDb Link

Neighbor No. 13 is not for everyone, not even necessarily for people who are Miike fans (Miike has a bit part as Kaneda). It does have some graphic violence, disconcerting scenes and the like, but it’s far from a simple bloodbath. Neighbor No. 13 is a rather sophisticated story of retribution and sense of self. It’s a slow-paced story of the ruination of a young boy at the hands of schoolmate torturers. The boy creates an alter-ego, in the effectively disturbing form of Minoru Matsumoto, who is capable of not only vengeance, but of straight murder with ease while the main personality limply watches. None of the characters in this film are all that sympathetic and their actions make them less so as the story progresses. With a little bit of suspense, creepiness, a lot of surrealism and ending that leaves it to your own imagination, Neighbor No. 13 is another unusual Japanese film.

Osaka Tough Guys

	Rating: 3 out of 5 Original Title: Naniwa yuukyôden Release Date: 1995 Director: Takashi Miike Netflix Link IMDb Link

Seeing what Miike is capable of now, it is often a little difficult for me to truly appreciate his older films. Such is the case here. There is quite a bit of seemingly intentional humor in this film which, unfortunately, isn’t all that funny. Perhaps it’s just a matter of fondness for that type of juvenile antics or perhaps Osaka Tough Guys is just a true reflection of the manga on which this film is based. In any case, Osaka Tough Guys was a mild disappointment. I didn’t dislike it (Actually, I can’t think of a single Miike film that I do dislike) but, boy, does he have better films. Even from this same time period, I would recommend watching The Way To Fight instead. But, if you are a hardcore Miike fan, Osaka Tough Guys is worth watching. Maybe you’ll have better luck finding the funny than I did. If you like Cromartie High School, you might like this film too.

The Way To Fight

	Rating: 4 out of 5 Original Title: Kenka no hanamichi: Oosaka saikyo densetsu Release Date: 1996 Director: Takashi Miike Netflix Link IMDb Link

The precursor to Miike’s other high school gangland films like Young Thugs and Crows: Episode Zero, The Way To Fight is a clever film rife with societal commentary and unexpected emotional depth. Basically, it has a little bit of everything. The Way To Fight is one of my favorite early Miike movies because of its roller-coaster ride of emotional complexity from sadness one minute to funny in the next. Considering the title, there is actually much less fighting than one would expect. This is not one of Miike’s extreme bloodbaths. Essentially, The Way To Fight is a coming of age tale spattered with sadness, humor, violence, the confusion of adolescence and every other emotion that makes up human life.

Crows: Episode Zero

	Rating: 5 out of 5 Original Title: Kurôzu zero Release Date: 2007 Director: Takashi Miike Netflix Link IMDb Link

Miike returns to his high school gangland warfare type of films like Fudoh and The Way To Fight, but with even more fighting, special effects and sheer badassery. Crows seems more like a fighting tournament than a straight-up school delinquent story. Each class is led by the best fighter vying to take control of the whole school. Based on a manga, this story seems like a perfect fit for Miike and he handles it admirably without succumbing to silliness or melodrama. Visually, this film is very slick and polished. It looks a lot more big-budget than most of his films and he makes use of it without going over the top (with the possible exception of a certain bowling scene). The acting is good and all of the characters are rather likable. My only complaint is that the music seems below par, but that could just be a matter of taste. Overall, Crows is another really entertaining genre film from Miike.

The Great Yokai War

	Rating: 4 out of 5 Original Title: Yôkai daisensô Release Date: 2005 Director: Takashi Miike Netflix Link IMDb Link

It seems as if Peter Pan met The NeverEnding Story somewhere in Takashi Miike’s brain and we ended up with The Great Yokai War. Actually, this film is Miike’s take on the Yokai Monsters series from the 60′s. It is a story about a child, but not necessarily a children’s story as there are some pretty dark moments. The fantastical plot seems easier to follow if you have at least a cursory knowledge of Japanese folklore. Yokai are supernatural beings that range from good to evil in Japanese mythology. Some are animals, some used to be human and others are inanimate objects that come to life on their one-hundredth birthday, which is why you will see such Yokai as a wall, an umbrella or a jar of sake. Visually, parts of this film are devastatingly beautiful, while other parts seem lackluster in comparison. Because of its fairy-tale nature, The Great Yokai War is made up mostly of special effects, but without the big Hollywood budget giving it an almost cartoonish quality. All things considered, it is yet another intriguing film from Miike which showcases his boundless imagination.

Sabu

	Rating: 4 out of 5 Release Date: 2002 Director: Takashi Miike Netflix Link IMDb Link

Just when you think you have Miike all figured out, you watch something like Sabu; a straight-forward and conventional historical drama about friendship. There is nothing shocking or disturbing about this film in the traditional Miike sense. There is hardly any gushing blood and very little violence. In a subdued and deft manner, Sabu explores the themes of honor and loyalty through the trials and tribulations of two life-long friends. Though not a samurai film per se, Sabu actually reminds me a bit of Yoji Yamada’s samurai trilogy with its unique view of the Japanese caste system. If you like Sabu, I’d also recommend The Twilight Samurai, The Hidden Blade and Love and Honor.