Reviews
Kaiji: The Ultimate Gambler
| Year: 2009 |
| Country: Japan |
| Genre: Drama |
| Director: Toya Sato |
| Reviewed by D.C 19/07/2010 |
Reaching UK shores from 4Digital Media on the 26th July is the live action version of Nobuyuki Fukumoto's manga and anime series 'Tobaku Mokushiroku Kaiji'. Kaiji: The Ultimate Gambler is an interesting mix of quirky drama, social criticism and black comedy, exploring the addiction to gambling often overlooked and dismissed in western cinema. Gambling movies while a stable niche in Japanese and HK cinema not many make it to foreign shores or make a hit in their own territories. Of notable success was the gambling glamorisation portrayed in the 1980's H.K Chow Yun Fat God of Gamblers series. Gone is the playboy life style with Fukumoto focussing on the down and out 'losers' of gambling who never seem to hit rock bottom and keep on digging themselves deeper, amassing more and more debt through sheer exploitation and the ongoing addiction with the belief that the next time theyll get that jackpot to solve all their problems. The premise behind Kaiji is a simple one: a rabble of down and out gamblers scouted by loan sharks put together for one night of high stakes gambling on board a cruise liner offered by a mysterious organisation of ulterior motive. Through a single night the gamblers are hooker with a one time chance to clear a lifetime of debt with a series of increasing stakes and penalties. Initially building from child like games such as the traditional rock paper scissors events escalate to a life and death tightrope challenge, pushing the boundaries of how much is a human life worth and can it be given a price tag. Kaiji over comes challenge by challenge working his way through the controlling organisation before earning the challenge of his life gambling both his freedom and life in the final showdown. Our main protagonists of such exploitation trip are Kaiji Ito, antisocial and initially thoroughly unlikable bum, before softening to the audience as he learns from his trials and tribulations, played by Tatsuya Fujiwara of Death Note/Battle Royale fame. As a minor supporting character Makoto Sahara, a moody loner whos primary role is of character contrast to Kaijis overcome adversity by teamwork attitude, played by Kenichi Matsuyama (also of Death Note fame) shows the long term tolls of losing to the organisation and the downward spiral once you try and get out from the loan sharks grip . The Japanese pretty boys make a welcome change from the garish and ugly visuals of the anime. The first pairing of Fujiwara and Matsuyama since the end of the Death Note series and just as L was to Light Yagami, without giving too much away, Matsuyama gets yet another unpleasant undeserved end, perhaps third time round hell get luckier in the pairing. While the story is pushed to extremities and beyond believability Fujiwara gives a satisfying performance as Kaiji. He shines in performance as that role the Japanese love so much, as the underdog never gives up persevering against adversity. Whenever those around him are giving up, falling to the sweet nothings of the preditors around them, or simply giving in to human weaknesses, Kaiji keeps on going, refuses to give up and see things through to the very end. And while the early naivety is forced, the brutal contrast and sublime performance given in Kaijis final triumph as he battles though the finale slowly bleeding to death from self inflicted injuries to win his freedom or happily die trying, makes up for the cumbersome early character development and will remain one the notable performances of Fujiwaras career. Importantly the premise never glamorises gambling and clearly shows the destructive consequences, with a welcome twist ending to ensure all the characters bar one get the comeuppance deserved. The trademark series character monologue commentary is still apparent, and while the gambling strategies have been dumbed down substantially to fit the shorter running time restrictions of a movie, the fun of predicting the scams, the schemes and the 'poker faces' of each round remains the main enjoyment. Overall Kaiji: The Ultimate Gambler is an entertaining, intelligently crafted, suspense drama accessible to all regardless of background to the franchise and recommended. Hitting the shelves in the UK on the 26th July, the DVD will feature a making of documentary and original Japanese trailer, subbed in English with Japanese audio, running time 130 mins. D.C, www.eastasiancinema.com