Director: Shigehiro Ozawa
Notable Cast: Junko Fuji (Sumiko Fuji), Hiroyuki Nagato,
Kyosuke Machida, Bin Amatsu, Hosei Komatsu, Shunya Wazaki, Tatsuo Endo, Shoji
Nakayama, Hitoshi Omae, Kenji Takamiya, Misa Toki
“I wish you good luck from the shadows.”
By now the formula is established. The first three Red
Peony Gambler films share a common structure and narrative that solidifies
the identity of the series, but by the third film it was starting to wear
thin – even if that film ends up being quite the impressive little period
yakuza film. For the fourth film of this franchise, with the subtitle Second
Generation Ceremony, the series takes a somewhat unique direction that differentiates
it from its predecessors. One part of me enjoys the film for a relatively
refreshing approach to telling the next chapter of Oryu’s saga as a wandering
yakuza gambler. The other part of me found the film somewhat of a chore to sit
through with its sluggish pacing and occasionally overbaked plot. Although it’s
a flawed film, Red Peony Gambler 4 is still a decent film, but it doesn’t
find the balance and effective thematic depth of the three films prior.