Customer Reviews

Golgo 13 - Queen Bee

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

If you saw "Golgo 13: The Professional," or even if you played the watered down NES games, and you're hoping for more of the same, look elsewhere. This movie lacks the storyline, style, and appeal of the original, instad going for an anime-sex overload, with a few exploding heads for flavor.

"The Professional: Golgo 13" is one of my favorite animated films, and I had seen it before this sequal. So, out of curiousity, even though I had heard bad things about it, I rented the movie to check it out.

I could not believe what I saw unfold before me on the television screen. This movie dwarfs in comparison to "The Professional." Even though Osamu Dezaki is back to direct, he doesn't achieve the same artistic creativity that I saw in his first Golgo 13 film. The scene involving the pool and the crazed military commander's face becoming a skull were all well and good, but the other artsy scenes just came out flat. The storyline also is horrible, and even though the video box claims it has "an ending you won't see coming" I saw it within the first ten minutes in. And one other thing I couldn't help notice was Golgo 13 wasn't really that involved in the storyline - it's more like "Queen Bee - with a special guest appearance by Golgo 13."

The other problem with this movie is simply this: sex, sex, and lots mo' sex. Yes, I know, "The Professional" had a good helping of sex too, but it also remembered to have a storyline. "Queen Bee" is really just a string of sex scenes. We're introduced to Queen Bee while she's having sex. Then the Vice President candidate hires Golgo 13 after having sex. Golgo 13 and Queen Bee meet and they have sex. Queen Bee has a flashback of being raped while she's having sex.......do you see the pattern here?

There are some other minor squabbles with the film - for example, the opening scene involves the Democrats worrying about getting the black vote. Huh?! The American general with a 19th century beard was extremely laughable. Finally, I think we could have all done with out the blaxpoitation theme song. I loved the jazz soundtrack to "The Professional," and boy did I miss it in this film!

In conclusion: unless you are in the mood for lots of nudity and useless violence, avoid this movie. Even if you just like Duke Torgo, it's not worth seeing.

the good news is that Golgo 13 is on DVD and there is an interesting commentary on an alternate audio track. the animation is in line with the character designs for Golgo 13.

unfortunately, this is nowhere near as compelling a story as the superior Golgo 13: The Professional, the other Duke Togo anime released by Urban Vision.

Togo never misses, and as a technicality he doesn't here but i don't recall ever seeing him hesitate so much, get so easily distracted, and have so many 'incidental' blocks on his target. if you're a fan of the manga and if you've seen G13: The Professional, you see the preparations and planning he labors over to score the hit. IMHO, the appeal was his elaborate setup to get that 'impossible' shot; in The Professional, the interesting twist was that he was targetted to be taken out so is forced on the defensive -- chased by other high caliber (and outlandish) hitmen.

here, Togo seems amateurish. there is nothing that defines him from any other hitman; the Queen Bee, herself, was not a very compelling character since they never really worked the child/children perspective of her character.

there is an even greater amount of sex and violence -- probably needless as well but to me in excess -- in this OAV, more like something from Crying Freeman, as one reviewer mentioned.

the plot is horribly cliche and most of the plot twists were pointless (Minor SPOILER: consider how important she put her revenge as oppose to getting funding for liberation army -- even the ending was bad, it was just a shooting gallery to complete the last contract). if you're a huge fan you're already bought it, so for everyone else, rent it on DVD and listen to the audio commentary.

Don't get me wrong, I love anime films like the ridiculously over the top Wicked City, the original Vampire Hunter D and the classic Akira, and the first Golgo 13 anime, titled The Professional, was a favorite of mine as well, which is the main reason I decided to buy this long awaited sequel that continues the exploits of stone cold assassin Duke Togo. The animation is very neat and looks great, but the cliched over the top ridiculous storyline and borderline terrible voice acting just about kills anything enjoyable with Golgo 13: Queen Bee. The Queen Bee, a female guerilla renegade who seems to have sex with just about anything that moves, is really the main character here and Duke is in more of a supporting role. The over the top bloody action, pointless sex, and wooden characters that the viewer ends up not caring about at all make Golgo 13: Queen Bee a very disappointing anime all together. Do yourself a favor, stick with The Professional for a great anime experience.

This is more of the action you crave from the 1st installment of this title. Difference? Sharper visuals and animation! A great story to boot- made me actually feel sorry for the 'villian'. Awesome opening song as well!

If you like Golgo 13, you can't go wrong with this one.
Those other guys are just nit-picking in my opinion...

if you are into fast killing and lot of action. With R rated movie line. This is it. This anime in particular is better than the last one as the ending in that movie is truly disappointing. This one has a lot of thrust as to why Golgo picks up the job given to him. After crying freeman if I suggest another anime to watch. This is it.
Also the movie Kowloon asignment is not bad either. Classic 70's with lot of sun-guns-and-buns.

Granted this anime has a strong 007 feel to it with a little Leon from the Professional on the "cleaner" mode. Besides that, this IS pretty cool. Good animation work here. I felt it was somewhat short for developing the story line. However the show moves along quickly, keeping you interested with the plot twists and combat and of course the love scenes which are always overboard. Enjoy!

Golgo 13 is back and this time he's in for one heck of a ride. Robert Hardy is a presidential candidate working for the US presidency. A women named Queen Bee keeps sending death threats to Hardy and wont stop. To remedy the situation, they call in Golgo 13. After having a more than friendly meeting with Queen Bee herself, Golgo 13 is presneted with another job. To kill Hardy. If Hardy wins the election, drugs will be outlawed and Queen Bee's life will go down the drain. But Hardy isn't a real winner either. Queen Bee is actually Hardy's daughter who he thought was dead. So what should Golgo do? I won't tell you how it ends, but it is really good. The only extra on the disc is the commentary track by the director and executive producer. They don't sound like your typical Japanese either, so it was fun to hear. There is however the original trailer for Golgo 13 The Professional inluded on this. The English language was done really well. I must say that I love the new English voice of Golgo. It sounds more deeper and very scary. I should stop my review there because giving away the rest of the story would be criminal so just buy it. It's too good.

Take the VHS version (which is excellent), add dual language tracks, a commentary with the producers as long as the movie itself, chapter selections, and surround sound. Then make it available at a lower price than the VHS version. This is what Golgo 13: Queen Bee is. Buy it!

Giving this inept film even one star is being generous. Where do I even begin to start on why this is one of the worst anime titles to date. First the plot is laughable at best. All there is to the plot is senseless violence and sex, that includes the murder of women and childen plus the implied rape of a child. TThe voice cast sounds like there reading off of cue cards! I swear no emotion what so ever. Those of you whom are expecting any type of a hero prepare for a huge disapointment! No one in this waste of animated cells has any shread of morality or even a basic sense of right or wrong. Unless you fell the need to punish your self for about an hour I suggest you avoid this film like the plauge!