Broken Rage: Subverted expectations in the best way!

 

If you've followed this blog for a while, then you'll know that I enjoy Beat Takeshi/Takeshi Kitano's work. The one exception so far being Kubi, even though it was a well-crafted movie, it just wasn't for me. The man is known for two things: Directing Yakuza movies and also in Japan specifically, for his comedy. Having made both serious Yakuza movies and comedies, one would think that the title Broken Rage would indicate the former. The 2024 movie however, is a prime example of subverted expectations in a positive way. 

Broken Rage's plot follows the exploits of an elderly hitman known only as Nezumi, meaning mouse. He receives information about his targets via envelopes delivered to him at Yoshida's café. The sender is only identified as Mr. M. After successfully eliminating his target, Nezumi burns the contents of the envelope to get rid of the evidence of his work. He then receives an envelope containing his payment. Unfortunately for the hitman, two stubborn police detectives, Fukuda and Inoue, are on his trail. When Nezumi next visits the café, the two detectives seize the opportunity and arrest him on suspicion of murder. Things get worse for Nezumi when he is identified in line-ups by witnesses as the killer. Despite the overwhelming pressure placed on him, Nezumi refuses to confess or co-operate with the detectives. Frustrated with the hitman, the detectives make him an offer. They ask him to infiltrate a drug ring in exchange for acquittal. Nezumi accepts. 

Now, you may read the plot summary and think that everything seems to be quite straightforward and that this is a standard crime drama or thriller. If you only see the first half-hour of the movie, you would be correct in thinking that. Things seem to wrap up rather neatly, mission accomplished. Beyond that point, things swiftly and sharply take an amusingly absurd turn. Takeshi Kitano surprises the audience with an intertitle: Spin Off. The dark, serious tone previously established is suddenly turned on its head. The prior events witnessed are now retold, only in a very different manner with endless gags, absurd slapstick humour. It's an ingenious move which works much better than one might expect. You could certainly make the argument that the cool, dangerous Nezumi is but a figment of his own imagination and that he is actually a bumbling idiot stumbling through his work as seen in the retelling of the events of the plot. 

Now, there's some obvious elements of the latter half of the movie that can't be true. That being the more absurd non-sensical moments that lean into visual gags involving miraculous costume changes and randomness. These are moments that not only break the spatial continuity, but also add layers of disbelief that counter Nezumi's prior embellishments of his exploits.

Beat Takeshi had decades of experience as a movie director before working on Broken Rage. On this particular project, he continued his tradition of being director, editor and screenwriter. This works in his favour as we get a cohesive vision that plays out smoothly on-screen. His composition, camera placement and techniques are sublime. He knows exactly how to position the camera to frame the important stuff. There is dynamic movement as the camera tracks certain characters and there are static shots when characters are still. In terms of both camera work and editing, my favourite moment is when the focus is on a certain photo of a character. The scene transitions seamlessly onto that aforementioned character as if the photo has come to life. It's beautiful stuff. I also love how the camera moves rather comically and erratically in the very next moment after the viewers witness the intertitle of Spin Off. It's a sign of things to come, done remarkably well.

Speaking of the composition, the use of lighting is another thing that works in the movie's favour. The usage of faded colours and heightened shadows suckers the audience into the dark, gritty atmosphere created within the first 30 minutes. This marks the movie as a serious crime drama at the beginning without giving away the subversion that occurs later. 

Beat Takeshi aka Takeshi Kitano does a fabulous job in the leading role of Nezumi. He has the required range to be able to pull off the badass, cool and deadly hitman seen within the first portion of the movie and also the bumbling buffoon in the latter. The man is incredibly endearing and his comedic chops are on full display harkening back to his days as apart of Two Beat. 

Also noteworthy are the inclusion of veteran actors Nao Omori and Tadanobu Asano. Two men which I am also a big fan of. They portray the two detectives, Fukuda and Inoue, respectively. Both fully commit to the roles, doing a fine job in the serious portions before shining brighter in the much more comedic parts later on. The interrogation scene is one of my absolute favourites and these two are a major part of why. 

Shido Nakamura also has a role in which he delivers a fine performance. Playing the role of Kenshiro, he plays the stern, serious and often verbally intimidating drug ring gangster with ease. His biggest highlight and one of the funniest scenes in the entire movie features him and Takeshi Kitano sat in chairs, a strange broken trophy and a man sat opposite with a phone in hand. 

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Broken Rage. In fact, I enjoyed it more than I thought I might as the comedy gave me some great laughs. Now, your mileage may vary depending on your sense of humour, but I recommend giving the movie a go to witness Beat Takeshi at work.