In the interest of full disclosure, anime's not really my thing. So I was drawn to this movie by the apparent Internet celebrity of the titular character Duke Togo (classified as Golgo 13). Which is curious, because the title character looks eerily like game show host Richard Dawson, and doesn't say much. So how he's irresistible to women in the movie is beyond me. But he's also the star of a line of comics, and not to mention a TV series.
This particular movie finds our resident badass in the crosshairs of an oil tycoon (named ... wait for it ... Richard Dawson[!]). Dawson ain't too happy when Duke puts a bullet in his son's head, and decides to use all of his resources (FBI, CIA, etc.) to get even. Said revenge campaign involves various freaks of nature, men in suits yelling into phones, and lots of signature shots of Duke shooting stuff. Also, Duke walks away from every gunfight.
Which is part of the reason this film didn't blow my skirt up. I didn't believe for a second that the main character would come to harm (let alone death). And the violence unfurls in such a dramatic slow motion that it cuts any tension or suspense with a Rambo survival knife. And you would think that a movie that features so many topless ladies would be a fool-proof source of titillation. Not so. Every woman has that plastic look of a stripper (such is the downside to anime ladies). Then there's that score, which was obviously supposed to be "noir sax", but just sounds like some malicious brand of Adult Contemporary.
Not for me.
5/10
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03/09/16 Revision
This is why I'm such a proponent for rewatches. Perspective change is always a good thing. What I missed about "Golgo 13" the first time around is, well, the point. The whole thing boils down to style, and the movie's simmering with it. The angles, the camera movements, blood flow, inventive kills, hot women . . . all of this goes into a potent stew of luridity. You don't come to this for the messy narrative - you do so for Duke Togo's lethal turtleneck badassery (dude shoots through a building, for god's sake). Speaking of which, he doesn't look anything like Richard Dawson (I dunno what the hell I was thinking). He reminds me of Ken Takakura (he was in "The Yakuza").
It's not a movie I can watch on a regular basis, but there's no mistaking the movie's got style.
6/10
This particular movie finds our resident badass in the crosshairs of an oil tycoon (named ... wait for it ... Richard Dawson[!]). Dawson ain't too happy when Duke puts a bullet in his son's head, and decides to use all of his resources (FBI, CIA, etc.) to get even. Said revenge campaign involves various freaks of nature, men in suits yelling into phones, and lots of signature shots of Duke shooting stuff. Also, Duke walks away from every gunfight.
Which is part of the reason this film didn't blow my skirt up. I didn't believe for a second that the main character would come to harm (let alone death). And the violence unfurls in such a dramatic slow motion that it cuts any tension or suspense with a Rambo survival knife. And you would think that a movie that features so many topless ladies would be a fool-proof source of titillation. Not so. Every woman has that plastic look of a stripper (such is the downside to anime ladies). Then there's that score, which was obviously supposed to be "noir sax", but just sounds like some malicious brand of Adult Contemporary.
Not for me.
5/10
-----
03/09/16 Revision
This is why I'm such a proponent for rewatches. Perspective change is always a good thing. What I missed about "Golgo 13" the first time around is, well, the point. The whole thing boils down to style, and the movie's simmering with it. The angles, the camera movements, blood flow, inventive kills, hot women . . . all of this goes into a potent stew of luridity. You don't come to this for the messy narrative - you do so for Duke Togo's lethal turtleneck badassery (dude shoots through a building, for god's sake). Speaking of which, he doesn't look anything like Richard Dawson (I dunno what the hell I was thinking). He reminds me of Ken Takakura (he was in "The Yakuza").
It's not a movie I can watch on a regular basis, but there's no mistaking the movie's got style.
6/10