Monster Killer (Red Tears) (Tsujimoto / Nishimura, 2011)

[HungFist]

Monster Killer (Red Tears - Kōrui) (レッド・ティアーズ～紅涙～)



Finally, the long awaited new film by Takanori Tsujimoto (whose Hard Revenge Milly: Bloody Battle is the best Japanese action film of the past decade). Starring action legend Yasuaki Kurata and featuring special effects by Yoshihiro Nishimura.

For those who don't know Tsujimoto, he's someone who loves ultraviolence and hard hitting old school action, and seems to dislike CGI. Expect ultra violent action scenes with old school gore effects and top grade action choreography.

TIFF info site:
http://2011.tiff-jp.net/en/lineup/works.php?id=158

Promo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU_geiyBZL4

via Sheldon Warnock / AV Maniacs

[HungFist]

Trailer:
http://2011.tiff-jp.net/en/lineup/works.php?id=158

via Sheldon Warnock / AV Maniacs

Looks a bit underwhelming...

[HungFist]

Review:
http://www.filmbiz.asia/reviews/red-tears

Site:
http://www.redtears.net/

[HungFist]

Another review:
http://japancinema.net/2011/12/05/monst ... er-review/

[Xenon]

Finally, the long awaited new film by Takanori Tsujimoto (whose Hard Revenge Milly: Bloody Battle is the best Japanese action film of the past decade).

Bloody Battle was bloody boring. And I wholeheartedly disagree about it being the best Japanese movie of 00's, since that title belongs to Versus IMO.

For those who don't know Tsujimoto, he's someone who loves ultraviolence and hard hitting old school action, and seems to dislike CGI.

Don't exactly remember about the Bloody Battle, but the prequel (which I found superior to Bloody Battle btw) was full of cheap-ass CGI.

[HungFist]

Bloody Battle was bloody boring. And I wholeheartedly disagree about it being the best Japanese movie of 00's, since that title belongs to Versus IMO.

If there's any film that challenges Bloody Battle, it's Death Trance

Versus would be number 3.

Don't exactly remember about the Bloody Battle, but the prequel (which I found superior to Bloody Battle btw) was full of cheap-ass CGI.

Might be my bad memory, but as far as I remember, it had absolutely none.

Bloody Battle had a couple of CGI backgrounds shots, but nothing that would matter. It's a 75 minute movie with maybe 15 seconds worth of CG shots (which even looked quite good) in two or three scenes...

edit: forgot the beginning of the 1st film, so yes, this one also has some 15 seconds worth of CGI shots in the opening credits scene...

[Xenon]

If there's any film that challenges Bloody Battle, it's Death Trance

Versus would be number 3.

While I still stand firm on Bloody Battle being a snoozefest, I'll be sure to check out Death Trance.

edit: forgot the beginning of the 1st film, so yes, this one also has some 15 seconds worth of CGI shots in the opening credits scene...

Not only the beginning, but also one of the decapitations was done with with CG. The head separating from the body looked so hilariously bad that I still remember it to this day. And wasn't the scene where the mechanical tentacles come out Milly's stomach (I think it was one of the final scenes) also done with CG?

[HungFist]

I forgot the decapitation. But it was a pretty cool scene anyway. The blood was real, the torso was real and the head was real, it was only CGI when the head came off and was flying in the air.

CG
upload/HungFist/miricg1.jpg

Real
upload/HungFist/miricg2.jpg

Real
upload/HungFist/miricg3.jpg

CG
upload/HungFist/miricg4.jpg

Real
upload/HungFist/miricg5.jpg

Real
upload/HungFist/miricg6.jpg

Real
upload/HungFist/miricg7.jpg

You're right about the ending, there's a couple of amusing 1 second bits with CGI, plus the shadow.

Still, "full of CGI" is an exaggeration to say at least IMO. The film has notably less CGI than your average action/horror/splatter film made around or after HRM. Besides, I think the CGI here blends in quite well, usually being 1 second shots in the middle of a scene full of hand made gore.

[HungFist]

Red Tears

Watched this last weekend. Better than suggest by the trailer, though a far cry from Bloody Battle. At 65 Kurata can still kick ass, though he's not as fast as he used to be. Mostly entertaining action scenes with a standout katana match at the end. Shaky cam much less severe than suggested by the trailer, though still a bit distracting. Wire-fu is plentiful, too.

Quite surprisingly from Tsujimoto the first hour is comedy and romance oriented - and none of it works that well. Directing and visual style are not as shap as expected from the director. Gore is served occasionally, all of it old school with hardly any CGI found in the film. The last half an hour goes to more typical Tsujimoto territory with non-stop action and more gore (courtesy of Yoshihiro Nishimura), though Kurata remains the film's star - even if he's technically speaking a supporting character who just pops up everytime stuntmen are in a need of arse kicking.

Full review some day, maybe.

[HungFist]

my full review, finally:
- http://sketchesofcinema.wordpress.com/2 ... red-tears/

[HungFist]

Toei's R2J announced for 2012/09/21
- www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0086RBTQI
- http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_dvd. ... sid=839055