By Daniel Zelter

Well I managed to catch Dead or Alive, so here's my review. Before I start, 
I want to mention my feelings about live Japanese films, in order to 
demonstrate my distinction from other reviewers. Generally, I go for three 
types of live Japanese films: 1)Giant monster attacks Tokyo, 2)A person or 
group of people use special weapons and suits to fight aliens and/or demons, 
and 3)Horror films where people die inhumane and bloody deaths-as opposed to 
films where they die from having sex in a forest.
 
If the Japanese film doesn't fit that category, I tend to be more wary of it 
for one reason. Slow camera shots. It may be in an arthouse, but there's 
nothing "artistic" about a movie which keeps the camera focused on someone's 
face or some stupid background, in order to lengthen the film, and make it 
more "meaningful". That's what turned me away from Sonatine and Yojimbo. But 
it kind of worked with Brother and the Seven Samurai; and I do know that 
many of you readers go for that style. So, as a contributor for ANS, I 
consider it my duty to the faithful readers of ANS to keep up with all the 
independent-and mainstream-Japanese cinema that's hot right now. But I'm not 
afraid to tear films which are overhyped. I hate pretentious films[The Blair 
Witch Project, Hedwig and the Angry Inch], just as much as I hate 
overbudgeted b-movies. [Armageddon and Battlefield Earth] So I hope my 
review is helpful, even if you don't agree with my opinion.
 
Warning: some spoilers.
 
Dead Or Alive is about two men on the opposite sides of the tracks whose 
worlds are slowly crumbling apart. Jojima is a police officer who has a 
young daughter with a bad heart. Ryuichi is a Chinese gangster raised in 
Japan. Their goals are the same-to take down yakuza(gangsters for those not 
in the know). Although Jojima targets them for the sake of duty, Ryuichi 
does it for the expansion of territory.
 
What makes the film truly interesting is the humanity conveyed in both 
characters. Other directors could make the film look like a case of the 
"good guy" vs "the bad guy", but Miike prefers to make each person 
three-dimensional. Jojima isn't willing to sacrifice his masculinity to save 
his daughter's life. He wants to be the sole provider for the family, and he 
does so through nefarious means. While Ryuichi isn't afraid to kill one of 
his own gang-members for "embezzling" money from the group,[The gang-member 
steals for the sake of his mother.]he's willing to accept his own brother 
leaving-in order to earn money the honest way. In fact, although the end 
doesn't justify the means, many of the people that Ryuichi kills are far 
more loathsome than him. [Let's just say that Miike puts a whole new spin on 
the idea of people being "disposable", when he shows how one stripper is 
treated by a yakuza in Dead or Alive.]
 
What's also interesting is the worlds both characters live in are polar 
opposites of their characters. Jojima lives with chaotic situations and 
deals with perverted people. Yet he's only trying to make an honest living. 
Ryuichi's consortium exists of seemingly violent people who are really 
hard-working and well-intentioned at heart. Yet Ryuichi manages to push 
these individuals to committ acts against their own better judgement.
 
As for the action, there are some very crazy shoot-outs throughout the film. 
The shoot-out in the beginning of the film mixes sex, drugs and violence at 
a frenetic pace that will make your head spin. And the end of the film has a 
battle that's truly epic. Couple that with some very disgusting scenes with 
various women, a dramatic scene of Russian Roulette, and extreme drug abuse, 
and you have a film which truly lives up to the word "innovative". But Dead 
or Alive is also not for people who are easily offended, or for people who 
get grossed out easily. [Hence the recommendation that the film only be 
viewed by those who are at least 17.]
 
Finally, while I had no gripes with the film itself, there were a couple of 
lines that Viz left unsubbed; and I hope they add the subs later, when they 
release it on dvd. In the meantime, I can't wait for Dead or Alive 2 to be 
picked up. But until then, I recommend Dead or Alive to anyone who likes 
their movies to be different, but energetic.