Customer Reviews

Black Angel 2

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Mayo, also known as the Black Angel, is yet another female assassin on the prowl in the Tokyo badlands. She's hired by Yazaki, a Yakuza leader, to kill Toyo, the big boss of the mob. Mayo prepares an ambush for Toyo and his two bodyguards in an underground parking garage, but the hit goes badly wrong.

Two other assassins, a man-and-wife team, try to steal Mayo's contract by attacking Toyo first. In the ensuing three-way gun battle, Toyo is wounded by the man-and-wife team, his bodyguard Yamabe wounds Mayo, and Yamabe also kills (by accident) an innocent bystander named Shin.

The Yakuza trio and Mayo escape in different directions. Toyo is enraged by the assassination attempt and suspects Osawa, another gang boss. For some reason, it never occurs to him to wonder at the loyalties of the blatantly unstable Yazaki.

Mayo spends several days at her apartment, recovering from her wound, and remembering an earlier encounter with Yamabe. Yamabe had intervened to save her from a gang rape a decade before, but she has not seen him since that time.

Suzu, Shin's wife, learns that Toyo's mob was responsible for Shin's death. Armed with a gun, she breaks into Toyo's headquarters, but is quickly overcome and taken prisoner. Toyo doesn't realize that her mission is one of personal vengeance; he assumes she is yet another contract killer. So he has some of his men take her to a back room and torture her.

But Mayo has arrived, to complete her contract on Toyo. This time she is successful. When she goes to Yazaki for her payment, though, Yazaki betrays her. Mayo blasts away several members of Yazaki's gang before escaping. Yamabe rescues Suzu; later, Mayo, Yamabe, and Suzu go to ground in Suzu's apartment.

This sets up the final blood-drenched confrontation, as Yazaki and his cohorts arrive, bent on the deaths of Mayo and Yamabe. Some live, most die.

Black Angel 2 follows the now-standard Japanese "girls with guns" formula--angst, gun battles, and sex. Unfortunately, there's quite a bit of angst to fill out the time between the opening and closing gun battles. The sex consists of a rape (Suzu, at the hands of an underworld informer) and does nothing to advance the plot.

No better--but certainly no worse--than the comparable Zero Woman, Prisoner Maria, and Scorpion movies. Mayo is a supporting character in the first Black Angel movie; Black Angel 2 recounts one of her earlier adventures. You don't need to see Black Angel to understand what is happening here.

The first Black Angel was about a girl who was saved by the Black Angel and then gives herself the same name when she grows up. The Black Angel ended up being a supporting role in the last movie but volume 2 revolves much more around her. It is a different actress so it is really a different movie. It's another Yakuza tale with betrayal and all that good stuff and the hitwoman Black Angel gets in the middle of everything.

There is only a smidgen of karate but it does have some good boxing action. The other main story in the movie is about a gangster with a heart and he gets into a couple of fights. Not as much action as the last movie but still very good.

The first hour is a complete bore compared to the first Black Angel but it makes up for it by capitalizing on everything in the final 40 minutes. I liked the story in this one much better than the first. The execution is far superior. This movie is not a comedy AT ALL. You may crack a smile a couple of times but don't expect a comedy whatsoever. It is just a very well done movie. This is more of a drama than the first but it is a better overall movie and there is some good excitement in the finale. 4/5

There is a Japanese and English audio track included on the Tokyo Shock version. The Japanese audio has a somewhat disracting hissing sound which can barely be heard on the English track. It is a shame because the English is impossible to listen to. Still, listening to it in it's original langage is the way to go. Picture is anamorphically widescreened and is pretty good quality.

Trailers-Gonin 2, Zero Woman Returns, Wild Criminal, and The Score. I haven't seen any of these and Gonin 2 and Wild Criminal look good but The Score looks outstanding. I will have to get this movie ASAP.