Jinzô Ningen Hakaidâ
1995 / 77m - Japan
Sci-fi, Action
3.0*/5.0*
Mechanical Violator Hakaider poster

Watches

March 29, 2021

3.0*/5.0*

Pretty decent sci-fi entertainment. I didn't expect too much when I started this film and sure enough, it gets pretty damn cheesy. At the same time Hakaider has a surprising cyberpunk vibe that puts it well apart from the tokusatsu superhero nonsense (you know, Ultraman and the likes) I had in mind.

Hakaider is a spin-off from the Kikaider franchise. Hakaider is in fact a villain in the original series, but when he is unleashed in an post-apocalyptic future he becomes a veritable antihero. And since villains are usually way cooler than your average hero, there's a lot more to enjoy here.

The effects are really cheap and the cast is clearly C-grade, but the designs are pretty cool and Amemiya does his best to put his limited budget to good use. It's no blockbuster material, nor is it a stylish, accomplished auteur film, but if you're in the mood for some badass genre cheese, this is one of the better films I've seen.