A few months ago, I reviewed an uber-strange film, Executive Koala. This odd live-action Japanese film stars a giant koala as a corporate executive---and his co-workers don't seem to notice or care that he's a koala in a business suit!! It clearly falls into the category of 'you ain't seen nothing' yet'! Well, I enjoyed this strange film so much that I decided to look for more of director Minoru Kawasaki's other films--hoping they would be just as weird and just as good. In the case of The Rug Cop I got half of what I got with Executive Koala. It was every bit as weird but was it as good? No...it was better!!!
When The Rug Cop begins, a brave detective sneaks into a hostage situation. However, when you see the criminal(s), you're in for a big shock--it's a ventriloquist and his evil dummy!! At this point, I was definitely intrigued....so imagine my surprise when the armed dummy yelled out "I'm sick and tired of being this guy's puppet!!"-- and he (it?) threatens to kill the ventriloquist!! That is when the Rug Cop springs into action--launching his magical toupee at the dummy and knocking the gun out of its hands!!
It seems that although he is super-efficient and the best cop out there, his previous co-workers all thought Detective Duka, the Rug Cop, was creepy---hardly surprising considering his style of fighting crime! As a result, he's soon transferred to a new unit made up completely of weirdos with strange names. There's Shorty, Fatty, the Old Man, Handsome and, um..., Big Dick. All have various powers but also are ostracized because they are real oddballs...especially Big Dick. His powers are just something you'll need to see for yourself....and you just won't believe it!! Handsome isn't quite so creepy. In fact, women find him SO good looking that they commit crimes just so he'll arrest them!! How can this groups of misfits somehow work together in order to save Tokyo from a maniac who threatens to nuke it?
As I mentioned above, this film actually works better than Executive Koala because it doesn't just have a goofy idea but the writing it simply hilarious. Watching the toupee acting like a bloodhound when Duka is kidnapped, an interlude in the middle of the film where the audience is treated to Rug Cop karaoke as well as the super powers of Big Dick all make this film a real treat. A STRANGE treat, yes....but a treat! Do yourself a favor and see this movie.
