I'm not saying this film is a masterpiece....
There's a lot of other words that would aptly describe this cinematic piece.
I'll cut to the chase: Takashi Miike's cinematic works are often so hit and miss so when one decides to watch an hour long b-movie yakuza martial arts film, one does not expect a masterwork in craft and execution. Nonethless, Miike's strong point is that he is so inventive, and I am happy to say that even this early in his career he still makes really entertaining 'bad' films. The content is particularly bad in comparison to is later works (some of which are actually surprising competent, in fact, very occasionally brilliant). Here we are barely able to suspend any sort of disbelief. The plot is ridiculous, and the action choreography is literally hit and miss (I swear I saw people scream and fly backwards when the air nearby them has been punched).
My verdict is an ambivalent one. If you like inventive bad-but-not-boring b-movie karate-yakuza films, then this one comes recommended.
