Gun Crazy: Episode 2 - Beyond the Law

A Woman From Nowhere, Episode 1 of Asushi's Muroga's Gun Crazy series, left me a little disappointed with it's lack of action scenes, uninspired spaghetti western style plot, and poorly realised gun-play. I'm happy to report, however, that the director's follow up, Beyond The Law, is a much more satisfying experience: its vigilante/revenge narrative is more involved; the action is much slicker; and its beautiful star, Rei Kikukawa, seems more at ease handling her handguns than predecessor Ryoko Yonekura.

Kikukawa plays Yuki, an idealistic young lawyer whose faith in the law is rocked when she is unable to prevent a rapist from walking free. Her disillusionment of the judicial system is complete when her next case goes disastrously wrong, her corrupt boss is killed by her disappointed gangster clients, and she only narrowly escapes the same fate when a gun-toting stranger bursts into the office and shoots the men dead.

Realising that the power of the law cannot possibly match the power of a gun when it comes to dispensing justice, Yuki puts down her law-books and picks up a pair of pistols. Under the tutelage of her saviour Takida, a criminal determined to get even with the men responsible for his imprisonment, she learns the art of assassination, and proceeds to help her mentor send his enemies to their grave. But once Takida has finished settling his score, he begins to build a criminal empire of his own with little concern for the lives of others, and Yuki finds herself turning her gun on the man who taught her how to kill.

The plot might veer dangerously close to cliché at times, but Muroga's handling of his material is so good that it's easy to forgive the occasional sense of over-familiarity: the hi-octane, ballistic action is superbly choreographed, and star Kikukawa, clad in leather and PVC, is a delight to behold; the pacing is excellent, with never a dull moment; and the finalé delivers that feel-good factor, with our sexy protagonist arming herself to the teeth with weapons (courtesy of her obligatory goofy pal) and introducing her foe to a whole world of hurt. When the whoop-ass includes a mini-gun, you know you're having fun!

7.5 out of 10, rounded up to 8 for the lovely Kikukawa.

This is a great movie of meek lawyer turned bad ass assassin. Yuki is convinced that the Law is flawless, until she sees the corruption surrounding her. When some gangsters come to take her out for going to blow the whistle on the corruption she is saved by a mysterious assassin. She then realizes that the justice from the gun was more powerful then any court or lawyer could ever be. She seeks out her hero to learn how to become an assassin like him.

Rei Kikukawa does a great job of turning the character the 180 degrees from meek to fearless. The story is very easy to follow and the action is fulfilling. Acting is pretty good, kept off the cheese except for Yuki's goof ball friend, and even in the end he is a bad ass. while the story does move at a quick pace, you can pinpoint the change in Rei's character Yuki when she goes from the suits to the leather.

I would recommend this movie for someone who likes a quick paced action flick with some substance.

The extremely beautiful Rei Kikukawa (who also seems to be adorable in real life, going by a short interview with her that is included on the DVD) plays an idealistic young lawyer who gets increasingly frustrated when the judicial system lets obviously guilty people walk free because of loops in the law. One day she finds herself in a violent confrontation with some gangsters, who are about to shoot her when a mysterious man arrives and saves her life by shooting them instead. Fascinated by the "instant judgement" of the gun, she follows him around and asks him to train her in shooting. She soon embarks on a second career, as a vigilante hitwoman, but eventually finds out just how ruthless the people she is associated with now really are.

The second "Gun Crazy" film is quite a bit different from the first ("A Woman From Nowhere"): it has an urban setting, and the heroine is not an expert with guns when the story starts, she has to work her way there. But one thing they have in common is that they are both considerably superior to the somewhat similar "Zero Woman" series: they look better, they move faster, and they contain more action. This movie is careful not to overstay its welcome - it only needs about 65 minutes to tell its story. Kikukawa looks like a natural with two guns in her hands, and the director seems to know that women with guns are sexy and films her appropriately. For the small, low-budget action film that it is, "Beyond The Law" is an overachiever. **1/2 out of 4.