Redi Hantaa: Koroshi no Pureryuudo
1991 / 78m - Japan
Action
1.5*/5.0*
Red Hunter: Prelude to Kill poster

Watches

August 24, 2016

1.5*/5.0*

The first film Miike directed (but the second one to be released). People familiar with Miike's older work will already know to keep their expectations low. While there are glimpses of his directorial style shining through, the film itself is cheap direct-to-video shock that doesn't warrant too much attention, and would've been long forgotten if not for Miike's involvement.

The plot revolves around Saeko, a former US commando who returns to Japan in the hope of making a living there. Shortly after her arrival she gets a couple of mercenaries on her tail, who leave no method unexplored to get to Saeko. While her skills get her out of some thorny situations, protecting the people around her proves to be the bigger challenge.

A mix of nationalities, some harsher moments that liven up the action scenes and minor details left and right hint at Miike's involvement. Other than that, this is just an ugly 4:3 action flick with poor performances and a complete non-plot. Watch it to discover where it all started for Miike, then forget about it again (which won't be a very hard thing to do).