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Fans of Japanese schlock movies might find something worthwhile in Tak Sakaguchi's "Yakuza Weapon," but most viewers will give it a pass. The high definition presentation is a solid one, however, especially considering the film's low budget origins and aesthetics.
Yakuza Weapon
Release Date: February 7, 2012
Studio: Well Go USA Entertainment
Packaging/Materials: Two-disc Blu-ray case with slipcover
Year: 2011
Rating: NR
Running Time: 1:45:06
MSRP: $29.98
| THE FEATURE | SPECIAL FEATURES | |
| Video | 1080p high definition 1.78:1 | High definition |
| Audio | DTS-HD Master Audio: Japanese 5.1 / Dolby Digital: Japanese 2.0 | Stereo |
| Subtitles | English | English |
The Feature: 2/5
Slap together over-the-top martial arts action with a similarly gonzo, manga-inspired gore fest and you get "Yakuza Weapon," a schlocky pastiche of an exploitation/revenge film directed by Japanese stuntman-turned-filmmaker Tak Sakaguchi. Though the genre film no doubt has a specific type of audience ready and able to watch it, the general viewer will find it tedious at best, as the main character (also played by Sakaguchi) hacks, slashes and pummels his way from one outlandishly violent set piece to another in his quest to avenge his dead father. Trimmed down by 20-30 minutes, the film could have been entertaining - shorter is sweeter when it comes to this kind of grindhouse fare - but the first time director ultimately overindulges with one arterial blood spray too many. By the end, even the best sight gags - like the excessively robo-fied big boss character - have been sapped of all their potential humor and appeal.
Video Quality: 4/5
Audio Quality: 4/5
Dialogue in the Japanese language DTS-HD Master Audio track is consistently crisp and clear. Surround effects can be quite aggressive but also nicely balanced and rendered; everything from whizzing bullets, sword slashes and crashing helicopters have a great, immersive quality. Low frequency effects are more measured by comparison, but the track exhibits strong depth and fullness throughout.
Special Features: 2/5
There's nothing surprising in the extras, though the behind-the-scenes should prove interesting for those keen on seeing how the movie was made (supposedly over just 12 days).
Behind the Scenes (46:22, HD): Video footage from the shoot along with on-set interviews of the cast provide a flavor of the production experience.
Deleted Scenes (12:36, HD)
Takuzo Weapon (15:38, HD): Features the main character's sidekicks in a spin-off short film.
- Helldriver (2:02, HD)
- Yakuza Weapon (2:17, HD)
- Mutant Girls Squad (:58, HD)
- Karate Robo Zaborgar (1:00, HD)
- Deadball (1:08, HD)
Previews: Precede the main menu loading and include "Let the Bullets Fly" (1:05, HD), "1911" (:56, HD), "Flash Point" (2:33, HD), and "The Stool Pigeon" (1:47, HD).
DVD: The disc includes the main feature presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic video and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio at 448 kbps. Special features mirror those on the Blu-ray disc.
Recap
The Feature: 2/5
Video Quality: 4/5
Audio Quality: 4/5
Special Features: 2/5
Overall Score (not an average): 2/5
Well Go USA delivers a solid presentation for a Japanese exploitation film that ultimately has limited appeal for general viewers. The release's special features are fairly perfunctory, but satisfactory given the feature's narrow audience.
