Matt Cooper Films

Gonin 2 (1996) by Takashi Ishii

When his wife dies by suicide after being raped by Yakuza thugs, Masamichi (Ken Ogata) sets out for revenge, attacking those responsible. Meanwhile, a group of women are caught in the middle of a jewellery store robbery, managing to make it out of the ensuing firefight with the loot. The women must decide what to do with their spoils while avoiding the repercussions from the gangsters who want to reclaim it.Their actions bring them into contact with Masamichi who is looking for one of the jewels he had promised to his wife before her death.

“Gonin 2” is a spiritual successor to the first film, with scant nods to the previous film. It brings the same mix of violent action and emotional backstories, with yakuza shootouts, rape and robbery. The main cast do a great job, from Ken Ogata’s broken widower, Masamichi, whose own guilt underscores his anger at his wife’s abusers. The women face every possible outrage perpetrated on the female sex, from victims of abuse, jilted lovers, and teenage prositutes; beaten and betrayed by the patriarchal world they inhabit, their rage is palpable. Shinobu Otake, Kimiko Yo, Mai Kitajima, Yui Natsukawa and Yumi Nishiyama bring the same blend of chemistry, heart and humour as the men in the first film, proving they are more than capable of handling themselves. This emancipatory tale sits alongside the exploitation elements of nudity, but largely steers clear of sexualising its protagonists, instead highlighting the dangers they face due to their gender. Exciting action sequences with a score by Goro Yasukawa that moves from frenetic to operatic, capturing the theatrical tragicality of the story. This is very much a larger-than-life story, not afraid to push credibility to the limits. Ishii’s talented direction captures striking shots and sequences with a natural flair.

More than a simple crime caper, “Gonin 2”, by treating the female protagonists with no less respect than the men in the first film, becomes a feminist piece highlighting the adverse circumstances they suffer under, everything from daily slights to serious abuse. The scene in which the women dance to an old jukebox emphasises their joy at being freed from societal constraits, now able to steer their own destinies. While it may be wish-fulfilment to believe that they would triumph under such circumstances, we are completely behind them as they variously evade and take on the evil gangsters that pursue them, with every victory a body-blow against the men who dismiss or underestimate them. A stunning sequel that captures the energy and emotion of the original, while delivering a poignant reminder of the inequalities still prevalent in society.

Matt Cooper Films

Gonin (1995) by Takashi Ishii

Five men attempt to escape the brutal vengeance of the Yakuza after stealing 100 million yen from them. Club owner Bandai (Koichi Sato) is in debt to the Yakuza who come to his club to harrass him. He recruits knife-weidling fraudster Mitsuya (Masahiro Motoki), ex-detective Hizu (Jinpachi Nezu), violent tearaway Jimmy (Kippei Shiina), and an unemployed salaryman (Naoto Takenaka), all of whom either have monetary worries or a vendetta against the Yakuza, in a daring raid on the offices of the group. Following their heist, the Yakuza hire two hitmen, played by Takeshi Kitano and Kazuya Kimura, to find the men responsible.

Written and directed by Takashi Ishii, “Gonin” is a stylish crime thriller with a great cast of central characters. The slight backstories give us enough to sympathise with them, through their planned robbery and the merciless hunting of them that follows. This group of anti-heroes all have their own peculiarities and the film lets us see the psychological turmoil they are going through. The early part of the film takes its time to establish their circumstances, which makes the final third even more thrilling as we watch their attempts to escape the hitmen that have been assigned to kill them. The film’s oppressive noir atmosphere is perfectly encapsulated in the various night-scenes and shootouts in the pouring rain. This is a world that is awash with violence, drugs, avaricious mobsters, and brutal repercussions and the superb score by Goro Yasukawa underlines the tensions and tragedy of those involved.

“Gonin” presents the image of a deeply depressing world, where no deed goes unpunished. The senseless violence drives home the point that any involvement with the criminal underworld is likely to end poorly, whatever your intentions. Violence begets violence and the cycle continues. The film also forefronts homosexuality, with both the protagonists and antagonists, which nods to the idea that heroes and villains are distinguished only by their actions. The final shot of the film also highlights this duality in man and we are left to wonder what will become of a world in which violence is permitted to flourish.

Matt Cooper Films

Original Sin (1992) by Takashi Ishii

A young man begins a deadly affair with a married woman in this relationship thriller. Makoto Hirano (Masatoshi Nagase) accidentally bumps into Nami (Shinobu Otake) as he is getting off the train, following the woman to her work at a property rental agency, which she runs with her husband Hideki (Hideo Murota). Nagase asks for a job and proves himself an effective communicator. Hideki is oblivious to the new recruits designs on his wife however. At first led entirely by Makoto, Nami begins to develop feelings for him, enjoying the attention while her husband frequents bars with younger women. When Hideki discovers their illicit relationship, Makoto realises that in order to have the woman he desires he may have to kill her husband.

Based on a novel by Bo Nishimura and directed by Takashi Ishii, “Original Sin” delivers a tale of high drama as Makoto and Nami’s secret is threatened and the stakes are raised as what appeared to be a casual affair takes on terrifying new possibilities. The film takes its time to build up the three main characters before delivering a shocking final act as emotions that have lain buried come frothing to the surface. It plays out as a modern day tragedy, with Makoto and Nami’s first innocuous meeting at the train station taking on a horrific significance as it marks the first step on their doomed paths. The main cast do a stunning job with the characters; Masatoshi Nagase slowly evolves Makoto’s easy charm into something more sinister; Shinobu Otake’s masks Nami’s deeper passions with a veneer of naivete; and Hideo Murota delivers a heartbreaking performance of a man whose betrayal at the hands of his wife feel sickeningly real. The simple beauty of Takashi Ishii’s direction is perfect for a film in which the everyday nature of the love triangle belies the depth of emotion it represents and the psychological pain inflicted through infidelity and unrequited love. In two sequences between Makoto and Nami, one in which they walk alongside moored boats at sunset and another in which they share a conversation by an open window, Ishii manages to capture their relationship perfectly, the subtle manoevering, the feints and gambits of their dialogue, and the passions that threaten to overwhelm them entirely.

“Original Sin” is a must-see for fans of emotional thrillers. A simple plot that is perfectly executed, the film draws you in with its tale of forbidden love before turning to something much darker as it progresses. Both the acting and direction succeed in maintaining tension as the three players are drawn into an unavoidable tragedy.