Beale Reviews Fudoh: The New Generation

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The Mad Prophet of the Movie Forums


I checked this film out because Audition and Ichi the Killer are a whole world of classic, and I wanted to see what else Miike had up his sleeve. The next film I was able to get my hands on was one of his earliest. I enjoyed this film, ‘tis true, but not as much as the film sickened, and continues to sicken me. Miike again treats us sadism, violence, revenge, and sex, but this time, he doesn’t have the flair or visual poetry that made all these elements not only watch-able but entertaining in the films I mentioned above. Sure, they were disturbing there as well, but here, this has a certain raw character to it.

The plot is interesting enough, a young yakuza named Riki Fudoh takes out the elder generation of gangsters with an army of school children. He takes special pains against his father, the elder Fudoh having brutally murdered Riki Fudoh’s brother fight before his eyes. Among Riki’s gang are elementary school children with guns, a 7 foot Asian wrestler type, and a high school girl who shoots darts with help of her nether-regions.

Where this film lost me is how it executed this plot. There is such a lack of care for human life (which in itself, isn’t a problem, it merely accentuates the overall depressingly disturbing quality this film has), and little kids are seen kicking around an English teachers head as if it’s a soccer ball. A student finds this amusing, and joins in. The violence itself, though excessive, is not what brings my major problems with the film. It is how the film views sex. Here, we have a very bizarre and sleazy look at how people procreate.
WARNING: "Sexual Acts Beale Found Distracting" spoilers below
Among these were a 70ish year old man committing homosexual incest with his son while the old man’s twin brother looks on, and the aforementioned girl with darts turning out to be a hermaphrodite and having sex with another woman. This acts, (mainly the latter) were COMPLEYELY out of the blue, excessive, and ultimately distracting (the hermaphroditic sex scene being an extended and very random bit to the final act.) Special focus is also paid to the dart shooting sequences, and there are about 2-3 too many.


The film isn’t without its strong points though. Riki Fudoh is quite the cool protagonist, sporting a samurai sword (as well as having a loyal army of children). The fight scenes, and in particular the weapon designs are inspired. Riki’s father is a very evil and sadistic man (a fact which is downplayed by the fact that everyone else is also evil and sadistic…but this is a good thing nonetheless). The themes presented, though flawed, are quite neat in conjunction (Don’t mess with the family/Cycle of Violence/Out with the Old…). Best of all though, is the wicked awesome soundtrack.

There is a lot going for this film. With its premise, it it’d been saved for, say, this point right now in Takashi Miike’s career to make, his by now perfected (though ever evolving) style would’ve made this movie a force to be reckoned with. Instead, the movie only has the style needed in some scenes, and, as such, falls flat on disturbances when it should be sadistically entertaining. Speaking of sadism, the amount of style put into the film determines how sadism is portrayed. In Kill Bill, sadism is seen as a means of revenge, and it’s nothing short of catharsis to see the villains get their revenge. This is the romantic view of sadism. Ichi the Killer, (about to explode with style), treats sadism as a way of life, and, as such, satires violence and the way it’s carried out. House of 1,000 Corpses, devoid of all I’d feel comfortable calling style, shows sadism as a great horror, and continues to force it upon us for 90 mins, never allowing for a buildup of fear concerning the sadism. It is because of this that the film lacks any form of punch, and the viewer is numbed by the experience, devoid of emotions. I loathe this feeling, and I loathe that movie. Fudoh plays it half and half, allowing for the romantic vengeance of sadism to root itself at the films heart, but surrounding it with forced and (the problem being) artless violence, thus dulling the impact of the revenge and depressing the viewer in the long run.

Seen as a work in progress, at least in terms of style, Takashi Miike still scores. He had the right idea, he just at the time, as I’ve said, couldn’t portray this idea the way he should’ve. For all those but Miike’s biggest fans, and fans of Asian crime and gore, you may want to opt for another film. I personally would suggest Audition, and, for those with slightly stronger stomachs, Ichi the Killer (which, although much more violent, isn’t nearly as disturbing or depressing.) Fudoh: The New Generation is an entertaining movie with a great premise, but it leaves such a bitter aftertaste that it is hardly worth it in the long run.

**1/2 out of *****
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The Mad Prophet of the Movie Forums
Poor thread...so lonely...




Tuna's Avatar
Hi
Well I guess I SHOULD step in to give you company
but problem is, this movie has been on my rental queue for months but hasn't been available and sent to me
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The Mad Prophet of the Movie Forums
More than ok. When it comes in, I'd love to know your thoughts.


Oh, and thanks!