ok, let me summarize this film in two words: Incredibly. Embarrassing.
The Story: a bunch on high school girls are filming their own martial arts movie in an empty school building. Then a group of bad guys appear, looking for money hidden in the building, and not quite expecting the corridors to be filled with karate-skilled school girls. The girls decide to fight their way out and film it.
The Good: Mayu Kawamoto! Remember that name. This 20 year old Kyokushin karate black belt (the world’s toughest karate variation, and Sonny Chiba’s primary art) is great. It was her promo videos prior to the film that were the most impressive, and she does the same in the film. Her fights are real action goodness: attacks, blocks, counter-moves, dodges, fast moving; in other words, intelligent, interactive and exiting fighting! It’s a shame she’s not the main character, but a supporting one.
The Bad: Everything else. The story is dull beyond belief. The music is horrible. The directing and almost all of the acting is incredibly childish and over-done, especially by the adult villains. It’s hard to say who is more irritating: the girls imitating Bruce Lee’s battle cries (+ borrowing looks and lines from Hiroko Yakushimaru and Meiko Kaji) or the adults (Chisato Morishita, Shingo Koyasu) sporting the corniest possible villain looks. Kanon Miyahara and Kaede Aono are the top billed school girls, and while both surely have some ability, most of their action looks way too much like a kicking demonstrations: the bad guys wait in line to be kicked or hit, and never even try to block.
Verdict: As wonderful as Mayu Kawamoto is, it’s hard to recommend the entire 90 minute film just for her. High Kick Angels has none of the slick (and partly unintentional) amusement of K.G, and it’s not even on par with High Kick Girl. It might work as a children’s movie, but that’s it. Wait for DVD and fast forward to Kawamoto’s scenes.
For another opinion, here's a review by a writer with whom I disagree with almost always:
http://www.filmbiz.asia/reviews/high-kick-angels
Note: The film is not directed by Nishi. I don't know why I thought so before. The director is Kazuhiro Yokoyama.
