Notable Cast: Akari Takaishi, Mario Kuroba, Masanori
Mimoto, Ayaka Higashino, Hidenobu Abera, Naoto Kuratomi
When the opening sequence unveils itself to have Masanori
Mimoto fighting off assassins armed with knives in an alley, humming along to a
synthwave score, punctuated by hyper-grounded and lightning-fast choreography,
you know that you’re in good hands with Ghost Killer. The latest
low-budget, highly executed martial arts actioner from director and
choreographer Kensuke Sonomura, his third as a director, follows suit with his
previous films.
Both Hydra and Bad City were gems to be discovered, and while Ghost Killer does play slightly into some new realms, it’s another raucous slice of martial arts film that will have both his fans and newcomers hooked into his style. It’s quirky and offbeat in its concept and performances, but never hesitates to deliver those brutal beat-downs and jaw-dropping kung fu choreography that people have come to expect from his material.
Simply
put, it’s another borderline masterpiece to add to his already impressive
resume.
Although his previous two films heavily explored
well-trodden territory, focusing on thugs, assassins, and classic Japanese
action tropes, Ghost Killer takes a slightly new approach to many of
those same themes and narrative choices. This time, a well-trained assassin
(Masanori Mimoto) is killed, and his spirit ends up attached to a young college
student (Akari Takaishi of Baby Assassins fame) through the bullet casing of
the shot that killed him. When she chooses, she can allow him to take control
of her body and bring his impressive ass kicking and manslaying abilities to
the fight. Together, the two go on the hunt for his killer. Hijinks, brutal
kills, and some vague lessons about living in someone else’s shoes ensue between the two.
With its “possession by a well-trained hand-to-hand combat
trained killer” concept at its core, Sonomura gets to toy more in the comedic
realm this time around. The chemistry between Mimoto and Takaishi is palpable,
and the slips between personalities that Takaishi gets to play up when the two
characters are conversing through her body certainly carries a bit of that
slapstick silliness one would assume it has. It’s not that Ghost Killer
is an out-and-out comedy, and often comedic bits take a ridiculously dark turn,
like a couple of sequences with a toxic man that Takaishi’s character meets in
a bar. Still, it does add levity to the traditional revenge plot that works in
the film’s favor to keep its more conceptual narrative moving.
Outside of that, Ghost Killer is Sonomura continuing
to cook at an expert chef level. The hand-to-hand combat is so impressively
crafted and performed that it’s hard not to call him the New King of Kung Fu
choreography. Both Takaishi and Mimoto ably handle their choreography with utmost
ease, and the decision to ground the violence and combat effectively allows the
stunts and performers to showcase their skills. There’s enough style in his
long takes, wide shots, and synthy scores to attract even those who may not
love martial arts choreography like we do at Blood Brothers. Not to mention,
Sonomura knows how to edit and craft sound design to maximize the brutality and
ferocity of each punch and kick, which further makes the action really
impressively hard-hitting.
Indeed, with its more baseline plot and high-concept angle, Ghost
Killer is either going to be fans’ favorite or least favorite. Still,
there’s no denying that it’s another impressive film to add to Sonomura’s
filmography. The secondary characters create a vivid world for the narrative to
exist in, and the film’s propulsive energy is carried from its stabby opening
action sequence to its brutal finale. Even its themes around empowerment,
friendship, and setting things “right” resonate throughout its script in some
surprisingly sound ways. Ghost Killer might be touching on some new
genres and areas for Sonomura, but that doesn’t stop it from being another
highlight to an already impressive career.
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