I may be going to work everyday, but my bubble is extremely small. How do I pass the time at home? Bad movies! It was about a month ago that I watched a strange mountain climbing movie called K2 that featured Hiroshi Fujioka in a small, but important role. This time around I pulled out the big guns...a foreign film *starring* Hiroshi Fujioka called Swordkill Ghost Warrior.
As usual I have to post some disclaimers before I get started. If you want to check out this movie, and you should, there will be some heavy spoilers. I would even go as far as to avoid the trailer. It's guaranteed that you'll dig the movie if you're into Fujioka.
Here goes...
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In 1552 Japan, Yoshimitsu attempts to save his young wife, Chidori, from captivity. He mistakenly lets his guard down and both he and Chidori are killed. Yoshimitsu, however, falls into a frozen lake. In 1984 his body was discovered by a hiking couple and is sent to Los Angeles, California for examination. Rather than completing an autopsy, Yoshimitsu is brought back to life at the California Institute of Cryosurgical Research by Dr. Alan Richards. A young researcher named Chris is brought in to help with the secret operation and generally rebuilds the humanity in the confused Yoshimitsu.
One of the doctors overhears that Yoshimitsu's weapons are priceless and attempts to steal them in the night. Yoshimitsu kills the doctor and makes an escape from the lab, leaving him to wander the streets of Los Angeles while the lab tries to explain the death of their doctor to police without divulging the truths of their secret. Yoshimitsu meanwhile encounters an elderly veteran named Willie who is being mugged by a small gang and intervenes, leaving more bodies for the police in his wake.
Rocky III and Hercules! Ehh...well...ugh. Those were pretty lame come to think of it...Keep walkin'...
The surviving thugs catch up with Yoshimitsu and lure him into Xanadu an abandoned building where they end up getting killed one by one. Willie and Chris catch up with Yoshimitsu during the fight with Willie getting shot while saving his new friend. As a token of gratitude he is given one of Yoshimitsu's swords. The scientists capture both Chris and Yoshimitsu soon after but end up losing them both en route to the lab.
There is a sound effect in my head for this...definitely not of a horse.
As nighttime approaches the police and scientists are still hot on the trail of Yoshimitsu and Chris as they head up into the hills. The police spot the duo on their stolen horse using a helicopter and give chase while a enraged Dr. Richards attempts to end things with a stolen police shotgun. Once encountered, Yoshimitsu spares Dr. Richards only to be attacked again. He kills the doctor as police arrive. Yoshimitsu is shot once and again falls off of a cliff and into a lake.
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Now that the synopsis is out of the way, I guess I can get to my thoughts...
Is it just me, or is Hiroshi Fujioka prone to botched experimental surgeries more than any other actor?
I take that back...they're successful surgeries, he just becomes a liability to whatever organization cooked him up. Next you'll tell me that Segata Sanshiro was a Nintendo experiment gone haywire.
Is it also weird that his character in K2, that mountain climbing movie I talked about, also died from being frozen?
......anyway.
Hiroshi Fujioka is far, FAR too good for this movie. I would say the casting director did an amazing job, but they also hired everyone who isn't Fujioka. Let's just say that they got extremely lucky that, at the bare minimum, their lead was awesome. This movie really doesn't have much of anything going to it outside of Fujioka and some fun action set-pieces. Yet, he makes up for a lot of the flaws.
Seriously, this movie has a razor-thin plot with some just truly awful acting. It's competently shot, however, and moves at a fair pace. The other leads are bland and our first set of antagonists in Los Angeles are rejects from Deathwish 3. Even the cops are just over-the-top hams with their misplaced accents. I mean...what gives with bringing in a researcher for assistance who doesn't even speak Japanese?? Wouldn't that be a top priority? It's Los Angeles, surely there is a translator around.
Much like that other movie I watched, Hiroshi Fujioka is a master of the badass pose. Just look...
I Just Made The First Mistake of The Movie Pose
Suntory CM Pose 1
Killed Your Horse Pose
What Is This Goddamn Place Pose
About To Fuck Up Some Punks Pose
Suntory CM Pose 2
Legit Best Pose of the Movie Pose
Repeating History Pose
Uhhh Nevermind/Redemption Pose
In all seriousness, I really can't recommend this movie if you happened to stumble on this page looking for info on this movie without giving a damn who Hiroshi Fujioka is. I feel like that really isn't the case for a lot of my visitors, though. Yes, give this movie a watch. It definitely isn't the most well-constructed movie, but it is certainly a worthy movie of your time. You won't be disappointed by Fujioka's immense talents.
So yeah, for sure check this one out!
Be back soon!
-CC
P.S. Yes, the second gang fight really did take place in Xanadu. Why do I know that? Why do you know that? Feh.
Who knew opening a roller disco in 1980 would lead to immense ruin a few short years later??
PREVIOUSLY.....
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