Double Feature: Chocolate & Tokyo Zombie

Today's two features are brought to us from Thailand and Japan. . .

Foreign Film from Thailand
Language - Thai with English Subtitles or English [Dubbed]


Genre - Foreign/Martial Arts
Year Released - 2008
Running Time - 92 minutes
Directed by Prachya Pinkaew (who also directed Tony Jaa in Ong-Bak: Thai Warrior & The Protector)
Written by Napa lee (who also wrote The Protector) and Chukiat Sakveerakul
Cast Includes: JeeJa Yanin, Taphon Phopwandee, Ammara Siripong, Hiroshi Abe, and Pongpat Wachirabunjong



Rating: 4 Skulls


Plot Summary:
Zen, a young autistic woman, discovers that she has the uncanny ability to absorb precision fighting skills just by watching martial arts movies. When her cancer-ridden mother's creditors come calling, Zen attempts to settle the debts by standing up to a hard-nosed gang of criminals who have wrongfully swindled money from her family.


Review:
I first heard about this one over at http://jadedviewer.com/ and as a big fan of Tony Jaa, I just had to check this one out! [basically JeeJa Yanin is a female Tony Jaa] So, if you too are a fan of Tony Jaa, then you should definitely check this one out!

The plot isn't the greatest one out there, but then again, we are only here for the fight sequences, and the fights Rock!

There are fights that takes place in an ice factory, [not only is this fight setting an homage to Bruce Lee's Fists of Fury, but Zen herself emulates the master!] a warehouse, a street fight, an aerial roof-top balcony sequence, etc. [plenty of fights!]

The only person who really gives Zen any trouble is this dude with a "twitchy" style - fortunately, Zen is able to study his moves and a "twitchy" fight sequence ensues - also, have no fear as Zen is an expert with weapons as well!

Here are some shots of some of the fights:

JeeJa Yanin is absolutely incredible - I cannot wait to see what she does next!

Here's a trailer for Chocolate:



Now, on to Tokyo Zombie:

Foreign Film From Japan - Japanese Title: Tokyo zonbi

Language - Japanese with English Subtitles or English [Dubbed]

Genre - Foreign/Zombie Comedy

Year Released - 2005

Running Time - 103 minutes

Directed by Sakichi Sato

Written by Sakichi Sato (who also wrote Ichi the Killer and Gozu)

*Based on the Manga written by Yusaku Hanakuma

Cast Includes:

Tadanobu Asano (Temudjin/Genghis Khan from Mongul: The Rise to Power of Genghis Khan - he was also in Ichi the Killer)

Sho Aikawa (Zebraman, Gozu, and the Dead or Alive films)

Erika Okuda

Rating: 3 Skulls

Plot Summary:

While training to fulfill their dreams of being jujitsu champions, Fujio and Mitsuo work in a fire extinguisher factory. But when a mob of zombies suddenly invade Tokyo, they'll have to employ their limited fighting skills to battle the undead. They soon join with other zombie fighters to try to reclaim the city.

Review:

Within the first 5 minutes of this film, you know that you are going to be in for some cheesy silliness.

We first meet Fujio [played by Tadanobu Asano, which was extremely odd after having seen him, most recently, portray Genghis Khan in Mongul - he couldn't have chosen a further character to portray] and Mitsuo - two bumbling idiots who are practicing their jujitsu during their lunch break. When their boss comes along to tell them to get back to work, they accidentally kill him.

In the below pic, Asano is Fujio [the one with the afro] and Aikawa is Mitsuo [the bald one]

Next we jump to a son who is burying his mother up to her neck, with his girlfriend standing by telling him that if he doesn't hurry, there will be "no more sex". The girl then proceeds to kick the mother's head right off her shoulders [see below caption] Again, this is just the first 5 minutes of the film! :-)

It turns out that Fujio & Mitsuo live near a garbage dump [nicknamed Black Mt. Fuji] Apparently not only is garbage dumped here, but toxic waste as well - not to mention the ton of bodies buried here as well. This seems to be the reasoning behind the sudden outpouring of zombies upon Tokyo.

This is a pretty hysterical film [one of the funniest moments in the film is when Mitsuo 'sings' Fujio a very sentimental song - I was cracking up!]

Around the 50 minute mark, the film jumps to 5 years later, where a narrated anime sequence tells us what has transpired over the last few years. It seems that a giant wall was built around the city and what the populace has created for entertainment is a combat sport where a member of the living fights a member of the dead, to the death. Fujio is now a jujitsu champion, but I will leave the rest for you to experience for yourselves.

Here's the Japanese trailer for Tokyo Zombie:


Also:

The Manga that the film is based upon

Jason