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Boiling Point
DVD/APPROX. 100 MINS/1990/JAPAN MA15+
DVD/APPROX. 100 MINS/1990/JAPAN MA15+
10
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Sometimes… just sometimes, even the stellar animated title menu of this DVD (provided by ‘Madman Entertainment‘, and ‘The AV Channel’ in
Region 4 format) has me pumping it up on screen. The catchy music, the well integrated clips from the film. It may not sound like much, but let’s just
say that if you walked passed a television set with this menu staring at you, you’d definitely want to take notice, or else!
This may not be enough to convince the more serious film goer, thankfully this movie echoes with promise, actually that is a lie, there is no promise,
this movie quite plainly just delivers on all the good things one can expect from a movie. So, now that I have your attention, let’s get on to those
finer details shall we? Yes, I thought you might like that.
Toilets have never been the nexus or origins of great journey’s, great ideas maybe, but seriously, no great adventure starts on the toilet (although
some do end there). The first thing noticeable about this film is that when compared to a lot of the western films of late that claim to be bold (and
subsequently have that boldness stripped away by over the top visuals, and themes so intense in delivery that someone forgot to put actual
content in them), Boiling Point actually delivers, although bold in visual attire, any non slap stick comedy movie that spends its opening moments
showing a title character taking a dump instantly grants it with a bit more guts and bravado than most, movie heroes need to poo too ok. Although
Masaki hardly pertains to the usual heroic traits.
There is a very human feel to this movie, unlike a lot of movies of its ilk there seems to be no need to make anyone in it Superhuman, the people
appear to be very natural and could easily fit into our world, a stunning achievement to which the greatest kudos must go to not only the actors,
but also the director and writer of the film (Takeshi Kitano). The opening events (after the toilet) depict a baseball game, instead of over the top
crowds, and the losing team getting harassed by the masses of supporters for the other team, the game is simply played out on a dusty sandlot
with barely a spectator insight. A sight more common in my experience (of games of this importance), than I have come to know of in the movies.
The main plot is revealed and begun soon after the baseball game, where Masaki’s inadequacies at his job outside baseball, put him in poor
regards with a made man within a local crime syndicate, which soon leads to Masaki attempting to strike this man. As we all know, this is probably
going to be a bad idea, which of course leads to the bullying and harassment of Masaki and his friends, and sets up what is the major point of this
movie. And thus brings us to Iguchi, a friend and ally of Masaki (and also coach of his baseball team), if like me, you tend to quote movie badasses,
you’ll soon find yourself chanting ‘Iguchi!’ when destroying your enemies at online tournaments, or offline tournaments if you’re luckily enough to
have friends.
From here on, it leads to a vicious cycle of the main heroes at first trying to get pardoned, then Iguchi going all Jason Latham on someone who
disrespected him whilst trying to do so, and so on from there, leading to a distinct and yet surprising growth of the main character, who originally
appears to reside more on the slacker side than anything.
A more subtle and what I find, realistic thing about this movie, is that it show’s that although the main characters evolve and act in the
foreground, there is still much going on around them, which may or may not be directly linked to a main character somehow (or even linked at all),
in one scene, it goes from showing Masaki being bullied by some hooligans in a car, and then shifts focus to that car after it crashes due to its
dangerous driving, another scene in a bar, changes from the dialogue (oh, by the way, all dialogue in this movie is of stellar quality) exchange
between three people in the foreground, to a group of people who have just walked in the door, it all then links back into foreground in such a
way that you barely notice you’ve just taken a short break from the story.
Also even though there is a major plot for the movie, the movie doesn’t feel the need (or at least doesn’t seem to) constantly keep you on it like a
roller coaster ride forcing you feel each turn and twist at its whim, the movie constantly explores the minor events of major characters lives whilst
retaining a connection to the over all continuum of the piece.
The audio of the film is fairly solid, and only falters in one minute case, sometimes when crowds can be heard in the background you tend to get
the feeling like you’re standing in a sound booth with the people providing the voices, it can be a little distancing at first, but the good points of the
movie vastly over ride it.
Lighting in this film, although not stand out at first, you get a real sense of it during a karaoke scene about half way through the movie, instead of
a Hollywood style of lighting that reveals the entirety of whomever is singing, the lighting is just how it would be, had you been in the bar at that
time.
Unfortunately for me, I am unfamiliar with Takeshi Kitano’s work (I’m actually an Anime reviewer), but I have a sense that there must be some
nuances in the film, that honestly, I do not know of, but I feel that a fan of his work would get a kick out of (so I hear at least).
The movie as a whole move’s along at a steady pace, although not action packed you never feel that labored feeling that some may get if they are
expecting one. The conclusion is well implemented, and although I had mostly become disenchanted with twist endings, Takeshi Kitano’s ‘Boiling
Point’ use’s one in such a way, that depending on how you interpret it, it could either be taken one way or another (one way being a twist,
another being a type of story telling technique which I could tell you if it wouldn’t ruin it for you), and as twists go, its not some super (possibly
tacked on) confusing or intertwined point that will unravel to the point of disassembly for the viewers.
The Special Features are a fairly basic affair, offering simply a series of Trailers. The Theatrical Trailer for the movie, other Takeshi Kitano movie
trailers, and Promotional Trailers.
As with any movie out there, there are faults, nothing too big to mention in great detail though. And I must say, I never thought I would do this, as
I am not usually a fan of full marks when it comes to movies, but in my eyes, ‘Boiling Point’ garners for itself a full ten marks out of ten.
Region 4 format) has me pumping it up on screen. The catchy music, the well integrated clips from the film. It may not sound like much, but let’s just
say that if you walked passed a television set with this menu staring at you, you’d definitely want to take notice, or else!
This may not be enough to convince the more serious film goer, thankfully this movie echoes with promise, actually that is a lie, there is no promise,
this movie quite plainly just delivers on all the good things one can expect from a movie. So, now that I have your attention, let’s get on to those
finer details shall we? Yes, I thought you might like that.
Toilets have never been the nexus or origins of great journey’s, great ideas maybe, but seriously, no great adventure starts on the toilet (although
some do end there). The first thing noticeable about this film is that when compared to a lot of the western films of late that claim to be bold (and
subsequently have that boldness stripped away by over the top visuals, and themes so intense in delivery that someone forgot to put actual
content in them), Boiling Point actually delivers, although bold in visual attire, any non slap stick comedy movie that spends its opening moments
showing a title character taking a dump instantly grants it with a bit more guts and bravado than most, movie heroes need to poo too ok. Although
Masaki hardly pertains to the usual heroic traits.
There is a very human feel to this movie, unlike a lot of movies of its ilk there seems to be no need to make anyone in it Superhuman, the people
appear to be very natural and could easily fit into our world, a stunning achievement to which the greatest kudos must go to not only the actors,
but also the director and writer of the film (Takeshi Kitano). The opening events (after the toilet) depict a baseball game, instead of over the top
crowds, and the losing team getting harassed by the masses of supporters for the other team, the game is simply played out on a dusty sandlot
with barely a spectator insight. A sight more common in my experience (of games of this importance), than I have come to know of in the movies.
The main plot is revealed and begun soon after the baseball game, where Masaki’s inadequacies at his job outside baseball, put him in poor
regards with a made man within a local crime syndicate, which soon leads to Masaki attempting to strike this man. As we all know, this is probably
going to be a bad idea, which of course leads to the bullying and harassment of Masaki and his friends, and sets up what is the major point of this
movie. And thus brings us to Iguchi, a friend and ally of Masaki (and also coach of his baseball team), if like me, you tend to quote movie badasses,
you’ll soon find yourself chanting ‘Iguchi!’ when destroying your enemies at online tournaments, or offline tournaments if you’re luckily enough to
have friends.
From here on, it leads to a vicious cycle of the main heroes at first trying to get pardoned, then Iguchi going all Jason Latham on someone who
disrespected him whilst trying to do so, and so on from there, leading to a distinct and yet surprising growth of the main character, who originally
appears to reside more on the slacker side than anything.
A more subtle and what I find, realistic thing about this movie, is that it show’s that although the main characters evolve and act in the
foreground, there is still much going on around them, which may or may not be directly linked to a main character somehow (or even linked at all),
in one scene, it goes from showing Masaki being bullied by some hooligans in a car, and then shifts focus to that car after it crashes due to its
dangerous driving, another scene in a bar, changes from the dialogue (oh, by the way, all dialogue in this movie is of stellar quality) exchange
between three people in the foreground, to a group of people who have just walked in the door, it all then links back into foreground in such a
way that you barely notice you’ve just taken a short break from the story.
Also even though there is a major plot for the movie, the movie doesn’t feel the need (or at least doesn’t seem to) constantly keep you on it like a
roller coaster ride forcing you feel each turn and twist at its whim, the movie constantly explores the minor events of major characters lives whilst
retaining a connection to the over all continuum of the piece.
The audio of the film is fairly solid, and only falters in one minute case, sometimes when crowds can be heard in the background you tend to get
the feeling like you’re standing in a sound booth with the people providing the voices, it can be a little distancing at first, but the good points of the
movie vastly over ride it.
Lighting in this film, although not stand out at first, you get a real sense of it during a karaoke scene about half way through the movie, instead of
a Hollywood style of lighting that reveals the entirety of whomever is singing, the lighting is just how it would be, had you been in the bar at that
time.
Unfortunately for me, I am unfamiliar with Takeshi Kitano’s work (I’m actually an Anime reviewer), but I have a sense that there must be some
nuances in the film, that honestly, I do not know of, but I feel that a fan of his work would get a kick out of (so I hear at least).
The movie as a whole move’s along at a steady pace, although not action packed you never feel that labored feeling that some may get if they are
expecting one. The conclusion is well implemented, and although I had mostly become disenchanted with twist endings, Takeshi Kitano’s ‘Boiling
Point’ use’s one in such a way, that depending on how you interpret it, it could either be taken one way or another (one way being a twist,
another being a type of story telling technique which I could tell you if it wouldn’t ruin it for you), and as twists go, its not some super (possibly
tacked on) confusing or intertwined point that will unravel to the point of disassembly for the viewers.
The Special Features are a fairly basic affair, offering simply a series of Trailers. The Theatrical Trailer for the movie, other Takeshi Kitano movie
trailers, and Promotional Trailers.
As with any movie out there, there are faults, nothing too big to mention in great detail though. And I must say, I never thought I would do this, as
I am not usually a fan of full marks when it comes to movies, but in my eyes, ‘Boiling Point’ garners for itself a full ten marks out of ten.
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