DVD Review: Tokyo Gore Police
I love this movie. Its not a dry psychological thriller, (I have to been in the mood
for those,) instead it's packed with gracious amounts of fluids. Wet films like this
draw me in because I'm a sucker for the genre. There are scenes of spraying blood
that rival Kill Bill. There is an interesting urine scene with urine being sprayed
into a man's mouth.
This movie is everything that was missing from Machine Girl. It took the gory fun of
that movie and pushed it up several notches.
What I also liked, was that it actually has a plot. It wasn't just random.
It helps that the leading actress, Eihi Shiina who plays Ruka, is super hot. I
probably would have still liked it if Shiina was just average but it really does
help to have someone this beautiful in it. Her beauty creates a pleasing contrast to
the blood, torture, carnage, and gore. When she sees a good friend suffering as that
friend is being pulled apart by several police cars, you see the friend crying out
in pain as limbs are being ripped out and then you see Ruka's pretty face which
creates a balance. Some horror movies use humor in between graphic scenes but this
one uses beauty. Just as in the beginning you see a pretty flower, followed by a
man's head exploding, it's the interesting tension between beauty and gore that draws
you into the world of Tokyo Gore Police.
I also love how it parodies Japanese society with commericals of giggling
schoolgirls selling cute (Kawaii) exacto knives for potiental suicides. If you make
anything cute, it will catch on with Japanese youth no matter how deranged your
product is. It is also equally amusing to see the Wii parody, as a happy family
enjoyes using a wireless sword controller to slash up some poor sap on TV.
I thought it was going to be just another brainless gorefest and I was surprised at
how much I actually liked it.
If you're squeamish, it's not for you at all. I've seen thousands of horror films and
nothing bothers me anymore. What makes this film work for me is in its presentation
of violence and gore. It shows you scenes of chainsaws cutting, swords slashing, and
a penis gun shooting with a fresh angle. It some ways it reminds me of Miike's Ichi
the Killer and Audition but with a less serious tone and a lot more fun. It's a great
film to watch and unwind to. Certain films I have to be in the mood for and movies
like this I'm always in the mood for.
So if you are interesting in seeing a beautiful lady literally cutting up her fellow
Tokyoites, then this is your movie too.
FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS.
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