Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Deadly Fight in Hiroshima

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DanTheMan 2 The political machinations of the yakuza world provide bloody, non-stop thrills in this deliriously anarchic sequel that is never less than fascinating for its attention to personal details and vivid pictorial exploration of a criminal, country-wide hornet's nest. Deadly Fight in Hiroshima may take a more linear direction than that of its predecessor due to its basis having not been finished at the time of filming, the screenplay by Kazuo Kasahara cleverly weaves an adaptation of real-life gangster Mitsuji Yamagami, whilst continuing to build upon the themes of the first Battle. Fukasaku's direction continues to impress, unveiling an eye for breathing space in the middle of the blood-flowing whirlpool; the action sequences are brutal and unforgiving with the camera work by Sadaji Yoshida, at times, mesmerising, especially in the film's final twenty minutes, where Yamanaka is hunted in the rainy laneways of Hiroshima, those are exceptionally beautiful. Despite Sonny Chiba's impressive performance as the ultra-psychotic Katsutoshi, whose manic, psychotic body language jerking movements are used by Chiba to hold Katsutoshi as a ticking time bomb keeping everyone on edge; Bunta Sugawara's weighty presence, despite taking a back seat in this episode, the film truly belongs to Kinya Kitaoji and, the lone voice of feminine voice within the first two films, Meiko Kaji. Their chemistry is fantastic; you get a real feel for these two forbidden lovers' plight, a testament to Fukasaku's handling of the romance, which is deft and touching without becoming cloying. Backed by another spidery score from Toshiaki Tsushima (who even includes a playful nod to Seijun Suzuki's Tokyo Drifter), Deadly Fight in Hiroshima might be a more commercial film than it's predecessor, but just as worthwhile, one that's magnificently vicious and brutally exhilarating. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/14/25 Full Review david b Screaming, scowling, slapping yakuza fall all over each other. Is Sonny Chiba in this mess? The credits say so...couldn't tell. Glad I saw this one (purportedly a 'classic' - sheesh, film critics are lame aren't they?) and won't waste more of my life on any others. Rated 0.5/5 Stars •  Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review dustin d Deadly Fight in Hiroshima is the best film in the Battles without Honor & Humanity series thanks to a relatively coherent plot (for a Fukasaku film), a mostly self-contained story, and the star power of Sonny Chiba, Meiko Kaji, Bunta Sugawara and Kinya Kitaoji. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member The second film in Kinji Fukasaku's yakuza series is just as good as the first (Battles without Honor and Humanity), although it takes place on a smaller scale and with fewer central characters. Bunta Sugawara is back from the first film but he stays on the sidelines here, present apparently only to lend some continuity to the proceedings. In prison, Shozo Hirono (Bunta) meets small time hood Shoji Yamanaka (Kin'ya Kitaoji) who then takes center stage when he becomes a gun man for the Muraoka family and falls in love with the boss's niece. All seems to be going well until a rival gang led by insane Katsutoshi Otomo (played intensely by Sonny Chiba in one of his last films before international stardom as The Streetfighter) declares war on Muraoka. Yamanaka is a pawn in the proceedings and willingly goes to jail for the family...but then the betrayals begin. Bloody, chaotic, and with a hyperventilating lead performance from Kitaoji, the film keeps the tension cranked (but it is consequently less Shakespearean than its predecessor). Not for the squeamish. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/04/23 Full Review Audience Member Gran adicion a la saga. Menos caotica y sangrienta y se concentra en menos personajes. A pesar de que Bunta Sugawara vuelve a interpretar a Shozo Hirono, su rol es mas pequeño que en la original. Sonny Chiba y Meiko Kaji (Lady Snowblood) son una gran adicion al reparto. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/12/23 Full Review Audience Member The second film in the Yakuza Papers series is not as good as the first because the violence and general shoot-em-up plot got a little tiresome at times. However, the style of the film , the soundtrack, the excellent editing, and Bunta Sugawara's presence as Shozo Hirono kept me engaged. I simply love Fukasaku's exciting pacing and continued experimentation with the camera. What keeps me wanting to watch more is the connections that freeze frames containing dates and names make between fiction and reality. A memorable scene is the killing of Tokimori with the envelope slipped halfway between the door, when he reaches for it, Shozo's man is signalled by the envelopes movement and he shoots Tokimori. I was not drawn into or interested in following Kinya Kitaoji as Shoji Yamanaka or Sonny Chiba as Katsutoshi Otomo compared to the first film where I was really glued to the screen watching Hirono, Sakai, and the pathetic Yomomouri. The love story between Yamanaka and Yasuko added a different feel to the film rather than it just being about sheer violence and murder, but after a while it turned contrived and formulaic. The highlights of this film were: Matsunaga and the increased involvement of the police. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/14/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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