One-Percent Warrior

A Japanese homage to filmmaking and action movies in general, with experienced martial arts expert Tak Sakaguchi playing an action movie star dissatisfied with the way action movies are currently made. He wants to make his own movie, which will be set in a zinc factory on a deserted island, but the shooting is interrupted by a Yakuza gang with unfinished business and Sakaguchi decides to step in and try the action for real. The film has a few pop culture references and explores the essence of action films and impresses with the unconventional fighting style of the protagonist: zero close combat and assassination-Jutsu, which he masters perfectly, his speed and agility reminiscent of Bruce Lee, who is also humorously referenced. The action sequences have very elaborate and have an interesting choreography. I was intrigued by the use of a flashlight in the dark, which the protagonist uses to blind his enemies. There's not a lot of violence here though, and I missed the "hardness" a bit – those punches just didn't hurt as much, even though they looked effective. The highlight is the final long fight with the Sensei, where they really put a lot of effort into the choreography and will please many a martial arts fan. It's quite a seminal film for Japan, bringing a bit of an unconventional fresh breeze to the martial arts genre, it's got heart and Sakaguchi has incredible talent. 75% (03/19/2024)