Kenju Zankoku Monogatari / Cruel Gun Story (1964) - Fresh out of the Slammer and Straight into Mayhem - 8/10 (03/12/24)

Cruel Gun Story, originally known as Kenju Zankoku Monogatari, is a Japanese film noir that mixes elements of a personal drama with gritty action-thriller sequences. This is one of the last movies directed by Nikkatsu Studio employee Furukawa Takumi who would live to get one hundred one years old and stars charismatic lead actor Shishido Jo who has been excelling in such particular genre flicks.

This film tells the story of a young criminal named Togawa Joji who has been spending time in prison for getting his revenge on a reckless truck driver who brutally injured his sister who has since been living in reclusion in a sanitarium as she is confined to a wheelchair. Upon getting out of prison, Togawa Joji is immediately forced by his influential employers who managed to get him out of prison earlier than expected, to organize and execute an ambitious theft with three partners in crime. While one of them is a dear friend of old date, the other two are scheming outcasts who cannot be trusted. When the four criminals are forced to go into hiding after their crime, they turn against one another. To make matters worse, Togawa Joji is also betrayed by his employer. He is now on a quest for survival, motivated by a thirst for revenge and obsessed with taking care of his sister.

Kenju Zankoku Monogatari is an above average film noir that ultimately qualifies as a very good crime drama. The actresses and actors become one with their roles and Shishido Jo excels as rough protagonist with a heart of gold. The mixture of brutal scenes such as prolonged car chases are fluidly intertwined with heartfelt moments such as the protagonist's relation to his physically challenged sister who has no hope for recovery. The script comes around with interesting twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end that might get you to the edge of your seat. The desolate settings such as crumbling buildings, abandoned industrial areas and dirty sewer systems have been chosen with great care. This film has been shot with great care thanks to precise light and sound techniques. The fact that this film has been shot in black and white due to a limited budget actually enhances its gloomy atmosphere that fits perfectly with its genre.

On the negative side, the film's script is expertly written but fails to come around with any new ideas that would appeal to cineasts who aren't interested in the film noir genre. It's also obvious that this film has aged quite a lot due to its limited budget and actually looks much older than other genre films created at the same time or even earlier. Another element that deserves to be mentioned is the movie's controversial ending. Personally, I feel that it fits in perfectly but other reviewers might be disappointed by its particularly dark tone. This movie is most certainly only recommended to mature adults and shouldn't be watched by children at all.

At the end of the day, Cruel Gun Story, originally known as Kenju Zankoku Monogatari, is highly recommended to film noir fans, cineasts who enjoy gripping personal dramas, anyone looking for old-fashioned action-thrillers and people interested in Japan's post-war culture of the sixties.