One Percenter is an thrilling action movie with great twists!

 

I love Tak Sakaguchi movies. Ever since I first saw him in the Ryuhei Kitamura classic, Versus, I thought that he had the potential to be a big action star. Whilst he's not as big a star as Jackie Chan, he is worthy of being in contention for best action star of the 2000s alongside guys like Donnie Yen. His work with Kensuke Sonomura and Yuji Shimomura are amongst the finest you'll see in my opinion. One Percenter saw him team up with Sonomura again and as such, I was extremely excited to see what action they'd bring. The movie came out in 2023, directed and written by Yudai Yamaguchi and it didn't disappoint. 

Takuma Toshiro is an action star, having had success on screen with movies such at the hit Birth. He's not completely satisfied with his success however, as he wants to create some real action and not the choreographed dances captured in most movies. His vision does not come to fruition and he sends the next ten years plodding away in various movie roles that feature that same old dance-like choreography, stunt doubles, wire-work and he is extremely unhappy. His proteges scurry off and find work in movies elsewhere, leaving him with just one loyal pupil. Desperate, Toshiro meets with movie producer, Kanda who gives him a location to scout. During the location scouting, he comes across his old pupils in the middle of filming an action sequence for a famous director. Before they can have a proper conversation, two rival Yakuza families have a shootout that results in the famous director being killed. Not wanting to back down and sensing the opportunity to showcase real action, Toshiro decides to take on the Yakuza. 

One Percenter is a very interesting movie in a variety of ways. Toshiro is a protagonist with a mindset that I can get behind. Much like him, I prefer a more realistic approach to action as too much wire-work can lead to it becoming too fake and it becomes ridiculous after a time. The mocumentary style in which he explains is a great way to make his action stardom seem authentic at the start. I love how the footage is grainy and of poorer quality as that adds to the late 90s/early 2000s feel that the scenes were going for. I liked Toshiro calling out the fact that dodging bullets is impossible, but that reading the shooter's eyes goes a long way as dodging bullets is done a lot in over the top movies. I also appreciated the action co-ordinator, Tony, getting called out for yelling before his attacks, that was a fun moment. There's also a scene in which a movie that kind of resembles a legally distinct Rurouni Kenshin gets called out for its' choreography and wire-work with Toshiro being frustrated at having to take part in such a movie. In a way it almost perfectly mirrors Tak Sakaguchi's career or at least you can draw certain parallels, like Birth maybe standing in for Versus and it gives the movie an almost meta like feeling. Ultimately, One Percenter is a critique on the action genres stale over usage of CGI and wire-work, whilst also being a homage to great movies before it. 

Yudai Yamaguchi and Hiroyuki Ozawa worked seamlessly together in order to bring the movie to life. There's a dynamic array of various shot types, camera angles and techniques used to great effect throughout the movie's run-time. This includes some spectacular drone work that sweeps through various parts of the factory that does a fantastic job of showcasing the current situation on screen as every henchman's location, the location of the protagonist and even the very layout of the factory are made clear for the audience to witness. 

With Kensuke Sonomura on board, I knew that the fight scenes would deliver and they sure did! His choreography brings such a raw, visceral intensity that is an absolute privilege to watch. There's some tremendous creativity as Toshiro uses a flashlight to help overcome the odds when surrounded by foes. Something which also helps hide the straggling stuntmen waiting their turn to charge at him. A wrench is used to fabulous effect as are some pliers. Throughout the scenes, Toshiro undergoes a transformation as he goes from bored action star to a man enjoying the thrill of engaging in real action. This is most evident in the best fight scene of the movie and one of the best for the past few years in which Toshiro faces off against the skilled Sensei. On top of the choreography, snappy editing and rather solid camerawork helps to enhance the brutality of the fights. 

As always, Tak Sakaguchi delivered a brilliant performance as protagonist Takuma Toshiro. His very calm, stoicism is perfect for the action genre and he has a quiet charisma that makes him fun to watch. It doesn't really need to be stated, but he excelled in the action sequences as always. The wave fighting style is fun and unique whilst also being brutal, making it fitting for the screen. 

Kanon Narumi had a great role as the one-legged daughter of the head of the Yakuza, Ami. She brought out some great human elements of the character such as her desperate desire to meet Maria, the daughter of her fathers rival and become friends with her. The juxtaposition between her spark of humanity and the zero hesitation she has for violence is quite fascinating to witness on screen. She has some fun kills! Rumika Fukuda also did really well with what she had to work with, providing dramatic flair that wasn't ever over the top. 

Norihima Hiranuma was fantastic as Shishido, the father of Ami and leader of the Yakuza. He brought such great energy to the role and brought out some terrific emotions when called upon. In contrast, Togo Ishii barely had any dialogue and yet still was memorable as Ami's Sensei with his action prowess speaking for itself. His fight with Tak is a highlight of the movie and I enjoyed every second of it, even the bittersweet aftermath. 

Overall, One Percenter is a really entertaining action movie that features creative fight sequences and has several unexpected twists. I would highly recommend it to action movies enthusiasts, fans of Tak Sakaguchi and those who enjoy mpvies that critique the industry.