Monday, August 6, 2012

WTF Japan?!?: Mutant Girls Squad

Are you ready for some seriously-crazy shit?!?  Today's film is Mutant Girls Squad, a film I've been waiting for (thanks to Netflix) for quite a while.  I don't entirely blame them, as these wacky Import films are a tricky thing.  After a film is made and released overseas, there is the usual 'wait for the DVD' stuff.  On top of that, someone with National distribution has to buy up the rights, make a Dub and/or Subtitle track for it & then convince Netflix to actually distribute it.  Regardless, the movie is here and it is glorious.  If you don't know much about Japanese Gonzo Cinema (see Robo-Geisha, The Machine Girl, etc), I can make this simple.  Three up-and-coming Japanese Directors- of previous Gonzo films- teamed up to make one crazy-ass one together.  The result is a film about a battle between mutant girls (think crazy limbs, not optic blasts) and a harsh, Japanese Government seeking biological purity.  The only real strike against the movie (for me) is that there are quite a few re-occurring visual gags/concepts from their other films.  Regardless, this is a film so glorious in it insanity that I don't want to SPOIL it too much with a full review.  I choose you- Review in Pictures...
Our young heroine discovers that she's from a family of mutants.  Unfortunately, *that* news comes with even worse (read: violent) family news...
*****
*****
Rejected and threatened, our heroine goes on a mini-rampage before joining up with a secret, titular group of girls with their own unique mutations.
*****
*****
The plot takes a few twists and turns as the Second Act closes and the Third Act runs its course.  I won't give you any real SPOILERS, but I will give you a taste of what happens there.  The End.
*****
*****
Welcome to insanity!  For me, this movie is great.  The story is weird (but fun), the action is insane/over-the-top (but fun) and it is well-paced.  The action comes quick and often enough to not ever leave you bored.  For a lot of people, this is just going to look strange.  Granted- it is.  If you can accept/learn to love the crazy gore, ridiculous effects and wacky tone, you'll have a blast.  It's certainly not a film for everyone.  I will say, however, if you're surprised by how weird a film called Mutant Girls Squad is, you have bigger problems than the movie!  For fans of Iguchi, Nishimura and Sakaguchi, the question is this: how does this movie live up to their previous works?  I think it holds up pretty damn well, getting the wacky-to-accessible ratio a bit better than Helldriver did.  The film mixes the comedy and melodrama quite well, something they did with Robo-Geisha and Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl.  This one is played for laughs and it works.  As I mentioned, my only gripe would be a re-use of previous ideas (the 'human rocket' from Tokyo Gore Police and the ass-blades from Robo-Geisha).  If you look at them being lazy (which I don't), it could be a negative.  If you look at it as a call-back joke, it won't be.  The bottom line: this is pure, Japanese insanity.  Like Wasabi Peas, it has a strong, unique flavor.  That or French Bread...
Next up, an Adrian Paul film that didn't get its due last month.  Will this enigma of a riddle inspire intrigue or apathy?  Stay tuned...

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