Demon City

'Demon City (2025)' is a Japanese adaptation of Masamichi Kawabe's 'Oni Goroshi' manga, a stripped-back actioner that essentially aims to be a cross between 'John Wick (2014)' and 'The Raid (2011)' but never manages to be as good as either. It isn't bad, and it's nothing if not intense, but there's just this vague sense that it's missing something, that it's underwhelming even as it's utterly sprinting towards its inevitably violent conclusion. Its plotting is predictable and its narrative incredibly generic, but that often doesn't matter much with movies as high-octane as this, so I'm a little puzzled why it never quite lands. It does most things right, but it just feels wrong somehow. The generic score sounds like it's comprised mainly of stock audio, the sound effects leave something to be desired and often reduce the impact of the admittedly savage action, the editing is sometimes noticeably choppy (even if it's often for dramatic effect), and the choreography is never quite as exciting as it feels as though it should be on paper. To be fair, the set-pieces are energetic, often creative, and driven by impressive stunt work that really sells the heightened mayhem they depict. They're also incredibly bloody, spewing so much crimson liquid across the frame that it's a wonder you can see past it. There's always this sense that they're never quite living up to their potential, though, even as they're undeniably getting the job done. I'm aware that my criticisms of the flick mostly boil down to "something's missing", and I can't even identify exactly what that something is, but that genuinely is the prevailing feeling the feature evokes. Everything comes together quite nicely in the uber-brutal finale, which crescendos in a painful one-on-one which really puts the baddie's theory that the protagonist is possessed by a demon to the test. The actual ending is slightly clunky in the way that it initially seems to be setting up a sequel, only to undercut this expectation to provide a definitive finish that's fairly satisfying despite the inelegance of the moments leading up to it. Still, it's ultimately pretty tricky to shake the feeling that this could have been a lot more fun. It's a good example to use when trying to articulate how the best movies seem to be more than the sum of their parts, to have some kind of electric energy coursing between their edits, because the fact that the only thing this lacks is that intangible movie magic acts as pretty solid evidence for its existence. I can't quite put my finger on why, but this is undeniably vaguely disappointing (even for something I'd never heard of before today). It certainly isn't bad by any stretch of the imagination. Even though it isn't massively compelling, it's a relatively entertaining experience that moves fast enough that it never outstays its welcome. At the very least, it will almost certainly satisfy you if you're feeling particularly bloodthirsty (and if it doesn't, you might just be a psychopath). It's a perfectly decent actioner. It's just that, with a bit of refinement, it could have been a really good or even great one. Your mileage may vary, but it left me wanting more.

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.

I was expecting a decent movie, but the reason this one didn't meet my expectations is because it is too unrealistic and inconsistent. You can't wake up from 12 12-year coma and go straight into a physical contest (fight), or be able to stand on your feet and this lasts for months. The main character goes even further - he has so much blood, he can never die from blood loss (which can be said about both "The Raid" movies, but the thing is everything there is made less excessive than this movie and just better), but in one moment he can barely standing, the next he is acting like John Wick on PEDs. Don't get me wrong, everything is filmed well enough, the actors are good enough, it is just the entire concept that is poorly represented.

"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.

Sh#tty screenplay, sh@tty acting and sh#tty direction.

Background is also not that impacting and most of the time doesn't match with the situations. Nothing new you can expect, everything is outdated, action sequences are not even that great, stakes are not even high, villian is also mid with no great reason why he became villain. Atleast action should be delivered to audience the way they promoted the movie was purely due to action but it lacks it. 4 stars because if you literally nothing to watch, you can kill your time with this, else no need to watch if you have your watchlist stacked with good taste.