Movies
An amusing action romp that brings together various influences, but gets a bit too serious in its second half. The premise is cute, but it's not particularly original. Thanks to the spirited leads (Akari Takaishi in particular) and some sly comedy, it's at all times an easy and pleasant watch.
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The second half is a little darker and more serious in tone, which doesn't quite fit the sillier premise. There are some impressive action scenes to compensate, but the shift in tone was unnecessary and disrupted the pacing. It's not that it ruins the film, it's just a weird choice. I still had good fun with this one, but I was probably expecting a tad more.
Stuntman and actor Kensuke Sonomura moves up in the chain of command as he directs his first film. Sonomura is a bit of a cult figure, though don't expect too much camp or pulp here. Hydra may be a basic genre flick with potential for over-the-top weirdness, the execution is rather straight-faced, with Sonomura focusing heavily on the action sequences in the latter half of the film.
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The synth soundtrack feels a little out of place, the cinematography isn't quite polished enough and the plot's very basic, but the characters are rather fun and the action scenes in the second half are fast and well executed. The short runtime plays in the film's favor and the punchy close combat scenes are a treat. Simple but solid fun.