How could this title not catch your eye, right? Well that's what I thought when I received the stack of DVDs that included this one. It looked like it had to be fun. The back of the box informed me it was "From the writer and stars of ICHI THE KILLER and GOZU" - both of which I've heard great things about but haven't yet been able to see.
I am a glutton's glutton but there were some others that looked like they'd need a helping of this "Japanese Shaun of the Dead" to wash away the pain. So I saved it for last, and finally watched it tonight.
The release is from Anchor Bay which brightened me up even more since they are known for providing tons of enjoyable genre product. I have to give you fair warning that this baby moves . . . very . . . sloooow ... ly. The first half of it, to my eyes, is a What if Wes Anderson made a zombie movie in Japanese-type of thing.
The two heroes are even wearing citrus-colored coveralls through this part of the movie. I think it has to be an Anderson reference, but who knows for sure. It begins like a slow Shaun of the Dead, relying very heavily on that cut-to-the-laugh editing technique we loved so much in Edgar Wright's movie. But TZ very quickly strikes of on its own into material suited more for far darker comedies.
Whereas Shaun's characters are extremely "normal" suburb-y types, TZ's principals are more like two stooges – baldy dealing with cancer (sort of) and Afro with being a victim of sexual abuse in childhood.
All really hialrious stuff! (This movie does actually have what I think is the most intentionally funny cancer diagnosis scene ever - and this from a man who loves his cancer humor.) Something I get seriously sickened by in so many comedy movies is when the music department feels compelled to fill it with cartoony cues that take you out of the story by throwing it up in your face how silly all of this is.
The soundtrack is one of the elements that especially gives you that "Rushmore" or "Tenenbaums" kind of feel. It's fun without going Tex Avery.
At several points in this first half of the flick, I felt like an ox pulling a broken down cart - I knew where they were going so why do I have to sit and watch them figure it out? It's a standard zombie plot with two bumbling, Jiujitsu-obsessed goofs driving around Tokyo doing all the typical things of trying to find food and figuring out where to run away to. I did find it interesting that they use martial arts to combat the undead as an alternative to chainsaws and shotguns but they have to know this only serves to fuel the stereotype.
Then they find a girl. Then some bad zombie stuff goes down. Then... it's FIVE YEARS LATER! Holy crap. Really? It's not even halfway through, how are we flashing so far forward?
Now, we're in a post-zombie-apocalypse world where the rich have built fortresses and use the zombies and the poor for entertainment. All of a sudden we're in RUNNING MAN!?! This sent me for a whirl and really woke me up. Afro is now fighting zombies for money while, at home, he and his wife (he's with the girl from earlier) beat the hell out of each other and sling vile insults effortlessly - all in front of their young daughter. Basically it's what Rocky 5 SHOULD have been. Then it gets weird!
The movie maintains a relatively slow pace but it takes off at this point and continually transforms into something else through an explosive ending with several indispensable epilogue segments. It's a subtle, touching kung fu zombie, coming of age comedy with classist overtones and a pedophilia subplot. Great characters with fun moments - just please make it through to the end before giving final judgment.
Tokyo Zombie is now available at Amazon and AmazonUK . Visit the DVD database for more information.
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