The Machine Girl (2008, Review)
Published on June 16, 2008 by Greg B. · 4 Comments
aka Kataude mashin gâru
Writer/Director: Noboru Iguchi
Cast: Minase Yashiro, Asami, Kentaro Shimazu, Honoka, Taro Suwa
Tokyo Shock / NTSC Region 1 / NR / Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1) / Audio: English/Japanese 2.0 & English/Japanese 5.1 Dolby Digital / English Subtitles / Approx. 96 min / Purchase from DiabolikDVD.com
While seeking revenge on a ninja Yakuza (that’s right, ninja fucking Yakuza) boss’ son for killing her brother, Ami is captured and tortured. During the abuse, her left arm is cut off just below the elbow. She escapes before they get a chance to kill her and takes refuge with a family of a boy who was also killed by the same people. Ami forms a bond with the boy’s mother over the loss of their loved ones and vow revenge on the sadistic crime family.
They fashion a huge machine gun for Ami’s arm stub as well as a chainsaw as a reserve. Once they decide it is time, the two find the Yakuza hideout but bite off more than they can chew when they are confronted by The Mourning Gang; four grieving parents of boys that Ami killed on her initial try at retribution. Armed with guns, martial arts training and hearts full of vengeance The Mourning Gang fight Ami and company to the death. But the mourners are the least of their worries… they still have to contend with *DUN DUN DUUUUUN* Mama Ninja Yakuza!
It’s a pretty typical Japanese family honor/revenge plot but done with style to spare. Mixing old-school martial arts flicks, Yakuza crime drama, revenge and ballz to the wall splatter gore, writer/director Noboru Iguchi gives fans what they want in spades. If you love movies like Ichi the Killer, Meatball Machine or old Peter Jackson splatter horror/sci-fi, you will fucking dig The Machine Girl. Not only do you get all of the cool gore and kung-fu fighting, but it’s a chick(s) kicking the ass! In a schoolgirl outfit! And sometimes when she’s fighting… panty shot!
I don’t know about you, but it don’t get any better than that. The arterial spray paints the walls and the camera. The gore is fraggin’ fantastic and even the few bad CGI gimmicks were fun because the fast pacing of the movie doesn’t stop from the opening scene of Ami fucking some dudes up in a warehouse. The violence and torture scenes don’t come off as sadistic or mean spirited because of the manga/cartoonish presentation. Everything, including the acting is just so over-the-top. I fucking love it.
I won’t ruin the fun by telling you about some of the fun gore scenes, but I will say this; you won’t see sushi or bras in the same way ever again. BTW, don’t watch the goddamned trailer. Those assholes put too much of the cart before the horse. They include too much of the good stuff in there. But I digress, I can’t recommend this one enough. It’s fun to watch, well made and delivers the goods.
(Thanks to Gomorrahy.com for the movie stills!)
Related posts:
- Battle Girl: The Living Dead in Tokyo Bay (1992, Review)
- Sexy ninjas and more slutty wives coming from Pink Eiga
- Battle Girl: The Living Dead in Tokyo Bay coming from Synapse Films
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This looks like my kind of film. I do have and need to watch it soon. Great review!!
I LOVED this movie. Glad you did also.
I just watched it and its so over the top it’s brilliant. The Japanese have been doing this for ages (junk, wild zero, Stacey, Versus, etc.) It’s funny that the American millenials have made this trailer viral.
Good stuff, good review.
This was a terrific movie! After seeing the trailer I thought there was no way the whole movie could do it justice… but it did.