Audiences are often divided when it comes to surrealist/art-house cinema, just as they are when it comes to action cinema, but some films accomplish the demanding and difficult task of successfully combining the two genres, and one of these films is "Branded to Kill", a classic Japanese new wave masterpiece. With plenty of sex and violence to appease an average teenage boy, as well as plenty of weirdness and artistic beauty to turn him off, "Branded to Kill" is a surprising and almost epic culmination of genres that do not often coexist, at least not with any success. This accomplishment is mainly due to the genius behind the camera: legendary Japanese filmmaker Seijun Suzuki. The somewhat cliché and convoluted script is twisted by Suzuki in just enough as for it to become one of the wildest, weirdest films of all time, as well as one of the most entertaining and exciting. the action scenes are intense, hilarious, and thrilling, the characters (particularly our puffy cheeked protagonist, a sleazy killer with a fetish for the smell of boiled rice) are memorable and quirky, and the cinematography and camera-work are masterfully done, giving the film a real eye popping look. If you're craving something original and new, just watch "Branded to Kill" and your urges will likely be overfed. This is not only a fun and funny classic, but also a quite influential one as well, and easily one of the most iconic and important films made during the Japanese new wave. It recalls every great modern filmmaker from Quentin Tarantino to David Lynch. It is a surrealistic comedy, a tragic love story, an action packed art film, and a violent, yet erotic, crime thriller all wrapped into one single, brilliantly executed, relentlessly entertaining bow!
Review of Branded to Kill
