Onigoroshi: Demon City

It had been a while since i watched a Japanese martial art movie, so as i saw this on Netflix and with the French dubbing nontheless, i sure gave it a shot.

The first issue i had was that the plot is barebone. The old classic of retiring hitman have to be taken out by former boss has been seen a million time sure, but normally you at least are given a reason to care for the character. Sure his familly is murdered but outside of that, you see so little of that guy and he pretty much have the personnality of a broom, so its hard to care.

As for the rest, well sure there is some decent action with no refrain on blood and violence, but its like the movie never decide what it want to be. Is he supernatural or just a man? Is this a serious revenge flick or its supose to be goofy (despite the violence). It never decide.

You really have to turn your brain off to enjoy it even middly. Personally i was never "bored" per say, but i rolled my eyes a few times. I would say its a 5.4 out of 10. So it get a 5 ultimately. Its average. Watchable, but its not one i will revisit.

I really wanted to like this. First 15-20 minutes made me feel like it could be inspired by a mix of John Wick and The Crow (original). They raised the stakes by what happened to the protagonist but we never really get the payoff from the build up. He is inexplicably invincible, even when he wants you to believe he's hurt and sadly the villains never really die. Speaking of which, they are evil to the core but then they have little back stories to make it seem like they have some sort of honour. There are some cool action sequences, and performance around the Samurai culture but overall I found this movie weird and ultimately disappointing. I had to watch John Wick after to scratch the vengeance itch it gave me.

Yes there are many things about this film that are not true to life, but that does not mean this film should be any less enjoyable. Masashiro Higashide plays Kanta fase, the main character here who is sent a mission to kill the head of a clan. Unfortunatly five men in very creepy looking but at the same time cool masks do something unspeakable, and leave kanta in a coma. Somehow he survives by share luck and as he regains he functions he must go on a quest to hunt down each of the masked men and make them pay for what they have done. The action was good and pretty bloody. Good effects were used here. Sure redemption stories have been done many times before but this was a very entertaining one with good acting to add.

I have seen bad movies before, start to finish, and it is not often that I actually consider stopping before it ends.

The sheer number of deadly blows and stabs that the main character receives, yet still continues 'figthing' with speed and strength - not to mention surviving - has made this worse that some of the worse cartoons ever.

I used to think that even the worst movie can teach me something, but this one here changed that idea forever. There were so many ways in which they could have saved this from being an absolute pile of ridiculousness that I am thinking of actually starting making movies myself, and even if I get hid in the head by a horse and I lose my brain's ability to maintain bodily functions i'm sure i would still do a better job than this.

"Demon City," is a Japanese revenge thriller directed by Seiji Tanaka and based on Masamichi Kawabe's manga "Oni Goroshi." The film follows Sakata (Toma Ikuta), a hitman who, after surviving an attack that killed his family, embarks on a relentless quest for vengeance against the gang responsible.

The movie delivers on its promise of intense martial arts sequences, gravity-defying stunts, and choreographed fight scenes that keep viewers interested. Even for those accustomed to the over-the-top action of Indian cinema, "Demon City" offers a familiar experience, but nothing beyond that.

Even the background score, composed by Tomoyasu Hotei, known for his work on Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill," was not as intense, though the music complements the film's tone. The cinematography is noteworthy, with clear visuals that don't strain the eyes-a common issue in many modern action flicks.

However, the film's foundation feels somewhat weak. The antagonist's character development is limited, and the plot contains noticeable holes. Addressing these issues could have elevated the film to a higher standard.

In conclusion, "Demon City" is a high-octane action film that delivers thrilling sequences and strong performances. While it has its shortcomings in narrative depth, it remains an engaging watch for fans of the genre.