Deadly Outlaw: Rekka (AKA Jitsuroku Andô Noboru kyôdô-den: Rekka AKA Violent Fire) (2002)
Distributor (UK): Arrow Video
Release Date: 22nd November 2010
Directed by: Takashi Miike
Starring: Riki Takeuchi, Kenichi Endo, Sonny Chiba
Review by: Ben Bussey
It’s modern day Tokyo gangland, and as ever things are a little fraught in the day to day goings-on of the Yakuza. One of the bosses has been assassinated by a rival gang, and while this news does not necessarily bring a smile to anyone’s face, few among them wish to see it lead to the inevitable outright gang war. However, this does not include Kunisada (Takeuchi). Fiercely loyal to his murdered boss and driven by a psychotic urge for vengeance, he wants blood and lots of it. Drop a man so unhinged into the complex web of gang politics, give him access to weapons, and all things considered it’s pretty much a given that things are going to get messy. And, as this is a Takashi Miike movie, it’s also pretty much a given that things are going to be bizarre, excessive, ocassionally unintelligible, but always stylish. So it is with Deadly Outlaw: Rekka.
Given that Miike is primarily celebrated in the west for Ichi The Killer and Audition, the temptation is always to attempt to find parallels with those films in any of his other works. However, this is to lose sight of the fact that Miike is (by western standards at least) a ridiculously prolific filmmaker, having directed over fifty – yes, fifty – feature films to date in a career that doesn’t even quite span two decades yet. Subsequently, it shouldn’t be too unexpected that the films in question will vary wildly in tone, content, and of course quality. And so, whilst there may at face value be conceptual similarities between this film and Ichi, Deadly Outlaw: Rekka is very much its own beast.
For starters, that dreaded keyword that is so often used in reference to Miike – ‘extreme’ – is not so applicable here. Sure, when the main protagonist is a bloodthirsty rogue Yakuza no-one’s going to mistake this for a Nancy Myers film, but by comparison with the aforementioned Miike films this is considerably milder stuff in terms of viscera. That said, when it comes to the other keyword that Miike is generally measured against – weirdness – this film has that in spades. From the frequently nude assassin casually wearing the severed hands of his last victim still clenched around his neck, to Kunisada inexplicably dyeing his hair gray, to an ending guaranteed to make audiences worldwide utter the universally recognised phrase “what the fuck?”, this is one odd little movie, make no mistake.
As if Miike’s distinct directorial style was not enough, a further iconic quality is lent to proceedings by the soundtrack. I must confess to having never before heard of Flower Travellin’ Band, nor their 1971 album Satori from which much of Deadly Outlaw: Rekka’s music is taken, but damned if it ain’t some catchy shit. Think oriental Black Sabbath and you’re on the right track. This vintage Japanese rock is utilised in much the way Scorcese uses British and American 60s/70s classics, and it really adds to the mood in a big way. On top of which, a couple of members of Flower Travellin’ Band also appear in the movie (though I must again hastily confess to having no idea which roles they play).
I suspect that, owing to its comparatively low score on the fucked-up scale, this film is unlikely to garner as much attention as Ichi or Audition, and it’s fair to say that all in all it is a far less distinct, memorable and effective film. Indeed, the fact that it’s only just getting a UK release now eight years after it was made would seem to reflect its somewhat cooler reception. Even so, this is still a pretty good gangland thriller that’s got enough grit, masculinity and batshit weirdness to leave the viewer satisfied. It’ll thrill you, amuse you and leave you pondering what the hell you just watched, and if that ain’t signature Miike then I don’t know what is.