Directed by Yoshihiro Nishimura
Courtesy of Sushi Typhoon and Well Go USA Entertainment
Released: November 22, 2011
I absolutely LOVE over-the-top Asian cinema. I mean, how can you not? Massive blood sprays that look like geysers, bizarre love triangles (and rectangles) that involve humans and nonhumans, zombies, robo-anything, swords, gore...and comedy. It just doesn’t get much better than that! And HELLDRIVER is a perfect example of how much fun you can have with these kinds of films.
If you are not familiar with HELLDRIVER, here is the plot synopsis courtesy of the Blu-ray cover:
An alien-spawned, mysterious mist blankets the norther half of Japan, transforming those who inhale it into ravenous, flesh-eating zombies hell-bent on devouring the surviving human population. Plunged into chaos, Japan is torn in two - the southern half of the country, where the populace remains untouched by the deadly gas, lives behind a heavily-fortified wall, while the northern half is a lawless, zombie-infected wasteland. Hope arrives in the form of Kika, a beautiful high school girl armed with a chainsaw sword powered by an artificial heart. Recruited by the government, Kika leads a ragtag group of desperados on a secret mission into the zombie-infected wilds to exterminate zombie queen Rikka and put an end to the plague of the living dead.
Sounds like fun, right? And let me tell you: it is! I had the privilege to see HELLDRIVER at the Texas Frightmare Weekend earlier this year and it was a blast. But I have to admit: watching it in HD on Blu-ray is soooo much better. Granted, the video quality was not as good as I was expecting, but it was still impressive and the sound was just downright awesome.
The main aspect of this film that stands out is the gore. I have to hand it to Japanese filmmakers: they certainly know how to let the red stuff flow! And flow it does, usually by the gallon. We also get to see many dismembered body parts and partially eaten corpses.
Aside from the special effects, the film itself is way over the top but in a definite good way. I will admit that I saw things in HELLDRIVER that I have NEVER seen in other films, such as a giant monstrosity made out of the bodies of thousands of zombies that tries to kill Kika. Some of my other favorite aspects of the storyline are:
- When Kika comes home and finds her biological mother and her uncle eating her biological father’s legs.
- A pickup truck that fights like a sword (you have to see it to understand)
- A car made out of zombies
- An enormous, multi-storied zombie “being” that is made out of thousands of zombies
And I could go on and on. Honestly, though, HELLDRIVER is one of those must-see-to-believe-it films. It is an entertaining jaunt into insanity, full of fighting and gore. And it will leave you breathless in some parts.
The Blu-ray version of HELLDRIVER has some great Special Features, including an introduction by director Yoshihiro Nishimura and three short films that are set in the HELLDRIVER universe. From what I understand, these short films are exclusive ONLY to the Blu-ray, so you might want to pick up this version if possible.
My sole complaint about the film is that it is so long. Clocking in at 116 minutes, HELLDRIVER tends to drag at the beginning and certain spots in the middle. I think it could have been shaved down to 95 minutes or so and still been awesome. Otherwise, I think the film is excellent.
HELLDRIVER won’t be for everyone, but it was a must-see for me. If you look insane Japanese cinema (i.e. Tokyo Gore Police, Mutant Girl’s Squad, Robo-Geisha, etc), the you will absolutely love HELLDRIVER. Definitely give this one a look if you think you can!!
MSB
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