Director: Vicente Amorim
Year: 2021
Country: Japan
Alternate Titles: N/A
Genre: Action
Plot:
Awakening from a coma, an amnesiac patient finds himself strapped to a hospital bed being questioned about his identity as no one knows his name. After being released, he finds a young woman living in nearby Sao Paolo that holds a special significance to his troubled memory but can’t figure out why until he realizes he has to protect her from several yakuza members trying to target her. As they both learn about their shared heritage through the sword that enables her to take care of a Yakuza clan that has its leaders being the ones trying to take her out to keep their control intact. Banding together, they take the fight to the Yakuza gang in a bloody war for their own survival.
Review:
There was quite a lot to like with this one. Among the better features on display here are the fun and exciting setup that generates quite a lot to like about it. The dual storylines here involving each of the backstories that get revealed over time about their connection to each other dating back to them being kids due to the connection with the special sword in their possession. Knowing that he carries a connection to it while she has the sentimental aspects by being an ancestral heirloom passed down from her parents, there's a lot to like here that gets spelled out involving the second half being their connected quest to find out this truth while also fighting back against the other half of the criminal gang intent on wiping them out to keep the power within themselves and their side of the organization. The motivations for how everything is set into motion and the realization of their tied journey here are quite nicely tied together with a lot to like.
As well, there's a lot to like with the Action featured throughout the film. Featuring the initial assault out in the public square which includes close-quarters shootouts and some sword-slinging as well, the starting point is good enough to get this going until the film picks up once the gangsters realize who she is and what her presence means to them. That enhances the action rather nicely with several brutal and hard-hitting confrontations including martial arts displays and sword-fighting that has some fun with the graphic outcomes. The constant action scenes in the final half, where they battle the gangsters in order to carry out their destiny together, manages to mix together some nice choreography for the sword-battles alongside some gun-play and the hand-to-hand fighting that pops up even though the majority of the fighting staying with the weaponry adds a frenetic quality to everything. These manage to have enough to like for the most part.
This one does have some issues. The main factor on display here is the films' overlong sequences with the gangsters discussing the inner workings of their plans that go on far too long. That these are endless conversations detailing the different activities they need to carry out and how to protect their investments once she finds out her true inheritance that just goes on much longer than necessary is a big issue, making this feel a lot longer than it should be. Despite all the insistence on setting up this great story involving everyone and their relationships with each other, these sections of the film get dragged out to the point of being too long at the wrong point. The other issue here is the rather choppy editing done to try to hide the fact that he’s not a skilled martial artist at all and sticks out considerably from the rest of the other actors who are skilled and accomplished practitioners, leaving the film to be dragged down as a result.
Overview: ***/5
An enjoyable enough effort that gets enough positive to like about it while still being held back by several factors, there’s enough to keep the film entertaining enough to be watchable but still kept back by those issues. Those who like this kind of Action/Thriller or are intrigued by the film as a whole but most others should heed caution with this one.
This review ran as part of our coverage of the 2021 Fantasia International Film Festival (while screening at the festival, Magnolia Pictures will distribute the film on September 3rd in the US). Click the banner below to check out all of our coverage, including reviews and interviews, from the event:
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