Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Review: Shadow Fury (2002)
There is no other movie like this. It’s that simple. A hybrid of American Western and Japanese Samurai movie conventions, manipulated through the imagination offered by science fiction. An homage to old style action / martial arts B movies infused with the ballet-like brutality of Hong Kong cinema.
Japanese representation in western cinema has often been associated with villainy. Like Hong Kong cinema, the Japanese embraced the clichés of gangster cinema but imbued their films with complexities. The Japanese gangsters, Yakusa, were presented as anti-heroes, the audience being invited to attempt to understand the violent nature of these men. To understand the briefly summarise the evolution of this genre. Using a ‘coming to America’ theme, Japanese film makers brought these ideas to the west, resulting in these hybrid pictures.
One part gangster movie, one part action movie, the gangster was placed in juxtaposition to an American cop. Their stories running parallel, the narrative would draw the two together, erasing their differences in a final collaborative effort to take down a dual threat. No Way Back (1995) and its tongue-in-cheek companion piece Back to Back (1996) were followed by a Fatal Blade (2001) which is the most notable precursor of this film. Fatal Blade introduced the sword as well as elaborate stunts and wire fighting to the conventions of this sub-genre. But while each of these films is rooted strongly in the action and gangster genres, Shadow Fury creates its own unique identity by incorporating science fiction and historical elements.
In its manipulation of the conventions of this sub-genre, Shadow Fury creates strong connotations with the action / martial arts B movies of the 1980s. In the early 80s martial arts films, Sho Kosugi was the only major Southeast Asian star. The result of a quest to establish a major Asian talent in the wake of Bruce Lee’s untimely demise, Kosugi infused the Ninja theme to emphasise his uniquely Japanese identity. When kickboxer Don Wilson, a half-Japanese American, succeeded Kosugi’s crown, in the late 80s, he shifted the focus to more typically western themes, similar to Chuck Norris, who had been Kosugi’s principle mainstream genre competitor.
Japanese wrestler Masaharu Okadu is almost a dead ringer for Kosugi and revives that overtly Asian style of dress and performance, emphasising the similar legend of the samurai warrior. By uniting this with Hong Kong influenced fight sequences, Shadow Fury adds a contemporary dynamic to the retro styling. In forming the contrasting part of this film, Sam Bottoms perfectly evokes the Eastwood persona of the grizzled gunfighter, which was similarly left behind, paving the way for the pin-up generation of action wannabes. The fact that Makoto Yokoyama’s film has such a grainy picture quality, low budget aesthetics (limited locations, few extras), and notable B supporting players (Fred Williamson and Pat Morita) serves to enhance the feel of the film as a piece of old B film making.
Imagine a Sho Kosugi martial arts movie crossed with The Terminator (1984), but with the added sensitivity of Terminator 2 (1991). Imagine the role of protector being that of an ageing, rugged gunfighter. Now pile on the B movie melodrama and a bizarre plot device wherein our American hero needs a to capture the villain for his liver (he needs a transplant). This is Shadow Fury.
In a future where human cloning is illegal, a mad scientist has created the ultimate killing machine. His mission, to kill the corporate scientists who fired his master. Our mercenary hero has been hired (ala Blade Runner) to stop him. When the scientist is killed, the killer, created in the form of an ancient samurai warrior, is left a ronin (a master-less samurai). Compelled by his conditioning to continue his mission, the gunfighter protects the young female scientist (love interest) who is next on the list.
Each of their stories is one of redemption. Both find this redemption through the love of a woman. The samurai meets a young prostitute who helps him discover his repressed compassion and humanity, while the gunfighter defeats his inner demons and his alcoholism. It is then up to the two to join forces to unleash vengeance on another evil scientist, who has created an even more brutal killing machine, in the form of Ultimate Fighting Champion Bas Rutten. None of these details spoil the movie.
This is a film wherein the execution is more interesting than the narrative. What I refer to as a ‘spot the cliché’ movie. The conventions, retro B movie styling and amazing martial arts sequences are more reasons than you need to see this movie. Shadow Fury is everything that is great and fun about contemporary B cinema.
There is no other movie like this. It’s that simple. A hybrid of American Western and Japanese Samurai movie conventions, manipulated through the imagination offered by science fiction. An homage to old style action / martial arts B movies infused with the ballet-like brutality of Hong Kong cinema.
Japanese representation in western cinema has often been associated with villainy. Like Hong Kong cinema, the Japanese embraced the clichés of gangster cinema but imbued their films with complexities. The Japanese gangsters, Yakusa, were presented as anti-heroes, the audience being invited to attempt to understand the violent nature of these men. To understand the briefly summarise the evolution of this genre. Using a ‘coming to America’ theme, Japanese film makers brought these ideas to the west, resulting in these hybrid pictures.
One part gangster movie, one part action movie, the gangster was placed in juxtaposition to an American cop. Their stories running parallel, the narrative would draw the two together, erasing their differences in a final collaborative effort to take down a dual threat. No Way Back (1995) and its tongue-in-cheek companion piece Back to Back (1996) were followed by a Fatal Blade (2001) which is the most notable precursor of this film. Fatal Blade introduced the sword as well as elaborate stunts and wire fighting to the conventions of this sub-genre. But while each of these films is rooted strongly in the action and gangster genres, Shadow Fury creates its own unique identity by incorporating science fiction and historical elements.
In its manipulation of the conventions of this sub-genre, Shadow Fury creates strong connotations with the action / martial arts B movies of the 1980s. In the early 80s martial arts films, Sho Kosugi was the only major Southeast Asian star. The result of a quest to establish a major Asian talent in the wake of Bruce Lee’s untimely demise, Kosugi infused the Ninja theme to emphasise his uniquely Japanese identity. When kickboxer Don Wilson, a half-Japanese American, succeeded Kosugi’s crown, in the late 80s, he shifted the focus to more typically western themes, similar to Chuck Norris, who had been Kosugi’s principle mainstream genre competitor.
Japanese wrestler Masaharu Okadu is almost a dead ringer for Kosugi and revives that overtly Asian style of dress and performance, emphasising the similar legend of the samurai warrior. By uniting this with Hong Kong influenced fight sequences, Shadow Fury adds a contemporary dynamic to the retro styling. In forming the contrasting part of this film, Sam Bottoms perfectly evokes the Eastwood persona of the grizzled gunfighter, which was similarly left behind, paving the way for the pin-up generation of action wannabes. The fact that Makoto Yokoyama’s film has such a grainy picture quality, low budget aesthetics (limited locations, few extras), and notable B supporting players (Fred Williamson and Pat Morita) serves to enhance the feel of the film as a piece of old B film making.
Imagine a Sho Kosugi martial arts movie crossed with The Terminator (1984), but with the added sensitivity of Terminator 2 (1991). Imagine the role of protector being that of an ageing, rugged gunfighter. Now pile on the B movie melodrama and a bizarre plot device wherein our American hero needs a to capture the villain for his liver (he needs a transplant). This is Shadow Fury.
In a future where human cloning is illegal, a mad scientist has created the ultimate killing machine. His mission, to kill the corporate scientists who fired his master. Our mercenary hero has been hired (ala Blade Runner) to stop him. When the scientist is killed, the killer, created in the form of an ancient samurai warrior, is left a ronin (a master-less samurai). Compelled by his conditioning to continue his mission, the gunfighter protects the young female scientist (love interest) who is next on the list.
Each of their stories is one of redemption. Both find this redemption through the love of a woman. The samurai meets a young prostitute who helps him discover his repressed compassion and humanity, while the gunfighter defeats his inner demons and his alcoholism. It is then up to the two to join forces to unleash vengeance on another evil scientist, who has created an even more brutal killing machine, in the form of Ultimate Fighting Champion Bas Rutten. None of these details spoil the movie.
This is a film wherein the execution is more interesting than the narrative. What I refer to as a ‘spot the cliché’ movie. The conventions, retro B movie styling and amazing martial arts sequences are more reasons than you need to see this movie. Shadow Fury is everything that is great and fun about contemporary B cinema.
# posted by Richard Hawes @ 4:41 AM 
