Ryûhei Kitamura...Ninja stars are for losers

From Undead to Aliens and from War Demons to the Yakuza, Kitamura' s movies covers every modern crazy, dark and twisted trend in filmaking that is expressed recently by directors like Tarantino, Rodriguez and Ritchie. I first saw a review about one of his movies in TGWTG website and was intrigued immediately. I saw 5 of his movies these last 10 days and I have to say it is everything that I hoped for. Interesting and unique camera work stylized,crazy and twisted violence and a few of the most enjoyable action scenes one could expect.

Photo by : Os Osment

 Versus

The first movie that made people notice Kitamura's movies was one in the Action/Horror genre. 2 prisoners escape from jail through a  weird forest where they have a deal with some other criminals to help them bail out. Yet the agents that were supposed to help them appear with a kidnapped girl and a weird and suspicious request by their boss. In the process everyone comes to a terrifying realization. This forest is enchanted and all that die return as undead. Pretty smart undead too...

The movie is fast, stylish and violent. There you first notice Kitamura's skill in creating actions scenes.Original scenes, crazy premise and as much blood and mindless violence as needed to enjoy these kind of movies. Many Zombies to kill and cool characters to enjoy in Matrix like duels. The whole movie seems like a very weird combination. It has a grind house feel when it comes to production yet it is obvious from the start by the way it was shot that the director knows pretty much what is doing and he is not doing a sloppy job. 

Of course the story and the character are nothing to be amazed about. The plot is non-existent besides the general premise and the characters don't always makes sense. But this is not the goal of the movie. It is a mindless action movie and knows that well. The over the top humor is everywhere (sometimes more than it should) and the movie does not takes it self seriously, as it should not. It is just mindless enjoyment with action scenes and movie tributes(Present in all Kitamura movies) to watch laid back on your seat.

Versus Trailer


Lovedeath

When Rodriguez meets Richie you have one result.Kitamura 's  Lovedeath. Clearly influenced by Guy Richie's fast, stylized and humorous gangster movies and Rodriguez/Tarantino 's multi threaded narrative and violence Lovedeath can satisfy anyone that enjoys this type of movies. Sai is the typical cool young guy that knows how to take care of things. At some point he meets an intriguing girl named Sheela and have a brief but strong affair. Almost a year later he calls and tells him that the time has come for her Chrysalis day. They day that can change her life forever or end it and needs a protector. Since they were born the same day the same applies to Sai. Still infatuated by her he agrees to pass the day with her and help her with her problems.

Completely insane, bloody and twisted this movie is there to entertain. The extreme humor is everywhere here again and the characters are caricatures of the character types they are portraying. Violence blends with crazy jokes and comedic relief. Sheela's Chrysalis day involves Sai with Yakuza mobbsters , dirty/clean cops , stupid and soulless assassins as everyone tries to kill them. Twisted sexuality is also present throughout the movie that includes dildo guns, molesting and incestuous feelings and gives an eerie feeling in the already  unnatural universe of the movie.

With all that said this movie has a few problems though. The jokes are too much sometimes and seem forced and annoying instead of funny. The movie is too long and many times it drags...Especially in the first half the beautiful scenes of Sheela and Sai usually transit to some pretty slow and boring scenes of the supporting characters and back again. This is truly a unique film that is very enjoyable, as long as one can survive the boring parts without falling asleep.     

Lovedeath Fanmade trailer (Spoiler at the end!)


Alive

Alive is a sci-fi horror film. The story begins with a death row prisoner , Tenshu Yashiro. He is to be executed for murder by the electric chair. At the last minutes, though, the guards save him and give him a choice. Either die here or relinquish his existence to the government. Ignoring the wardens warning that there are worst fates than death he decides to save his life. Soon he is brought in a single huge cell with another death row inmate as a part of a suspicious physiological experiment of confinement. Yet the actual reason for this experiment is something that Tenshu could have never imagined. 

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This is a much more serious, dark movie. There is only a few jokes around the movie and that is just to lighten the heavy mood of the main plot. The atmosphere is excellent nearing the style of 80s sci-fi movies, like Blade Runner. This time the characters matter and they are well developed and the performances are great. The dramatic feel that the Japanese language has by itself helps a lot. And, of course, the same stylized action scenes with cameras traveling the whole scene and dramatic zooms etc, are still present.

There only one problem with this movie though...Again sometimes it drags and events pass without something important happening for the plot. It is quite easy to lose your interest there. But these are just a few moments in the movie and only in the first half. After the point when the motive of the experiment is revealed one just enter a completely different world.

Alive trailer



These are the first 3 movies I have seen by this director...I will continue in a part 2 with the best 2 in my opinion of the 5 that I have seen recently. Aragami and Azumi...
         
Part 2....