The film tells the story of Gunji, an aging gangster just released from a ten year stint in prison. Through a flashback it is soon revealed why he went there: he had burst into a rival gang's hangout, guns blazing, and nearly took the whole gang out. Now that he is out of prison, he collects what's rest of his old gang to once again establish himself as a force in the underworld. But things have changed, turf is harder to come by in Yokahama, and a previous ally is firmly set in place where Gunji once ruled. So, Gunji and his six gang members relocate to the American-occupied island of Okinawa, where the yakuza presence is not as strong. Starting with the small-time whiskey trade, Gunji's gang soon makes a name for itself as a tough-as-nails fighting unit that is a formidable opponent of gangs that are much larger. As their influence grows, so does the outside pressure of larger rival gangs until finally, their old enemies from Yokahama march into town to take things over. All this conflict builds up to a bloody climax at the end of the film.
One of the things I picked up on early in the film is influence, the influence other films had on Fukasaku as he made this film, and the influence this film had on others that would follow it. The film reminded me of some of the film-noir and crime films of the 30s and 40s. Most of the story is told through the eyes of Gunji, using voice-over narration throughout. Also, there is practically no police presence in the film, leaving the gangs completely to their own devices. If there is any single film that influenced Fukasaku during the making of Sympathy, it is Sam Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch. A great deal of the story points are similar: a group of aging outlaws are still trying to make their living while facing a bigger, stronger opponent. They eventually decide to defend their honor and go out swinging in a final bloodbath; the parallels between the end scenes of both these movies is evident. This film is a very clear influence on Quentin Tarantino. A lot of the stylistic choices, quick freeze frames, soundtrack, and use of on-screen lettering, can be seen quite a bit in Tarantino's work (I'm not implying that this is the only source of influence for Tarantino, as he draws a lot of things from many different genres, but this certainly had to have some effect on him). I think the same can be said for a lot of Guy Ritchie's work as well, and perhaps even Chan-Wook Park's Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, which begins with the central character just being released from prison and searching for retribution for things done in the past.
Despite all this influence on both ends of the spectrum, Sympathy for the Underdog prominently stands alone as a unique and awesome film. Koji Tsuruta as the main character Gunji is a total badass, one who would rival Eastwood's Man With No Name as a fiercely intense, yet completely calm gunslinger. The dynamic of Gunji's gang is very interesting. Fukasaku manages to establish unique character traits for each of them so that they function as a unit, a tight-knit family. The family bond is furthered through calling each other "brother," a term not widely used by the other gangs who are more focused on profits and extending their reach than protecting their own. I generally stray away from most action films, especially the modern crap that is put out now, because they are all about bigger explosions and more insane stunts while completely ignoring decent plot and character development. Underdog certainly doesn't lack in the action and violence category; the end scene alone is enough to put it in the ranks of some of the best. The film also creates dynamic and interesting characters, making it a much more solid and well-rounded film than a lot of other action films out there.
I really have no complaints about the film, but there are two things about it that I could see potentially scaring off a less committed viewer. First off, the film is VERY 70s. From the soundtrack to a lot of the club scenes, you can just tell that it was made during that time. Some people may find that annoying, but I thought it was very interesting. I am acclimated to American 70s cinema, but rarely get a glimpse into the time in other countries. This films was especially interesting because it focuses on an area of Japan still occupied by American forces. The main characters are Japanese, but this does not feel entirely like a Japanese film. There are minor white and black characters, along with the native Okinawans, who seem to be almost a different race to the mainland Japanese. Another point that might scare people away is you really have to pay attention to the film. There are a lot of characters introduced in the first 15-20 minutes of the film. Add that to following along with the subtitles (if you watch any foreign movie dubbed, just leave now), and the film can sometimes get confusing. Do not expect to just pop this on and turn off your brain for some mindless action. You are going to have to work to follow this one, and if you are not prepared to do that, you probably won't enjoy it. But if you are like this, you are just plain lazy.
I feel confident in giving this 5 out of 5 stars and would suggest it to anyone who likes gangster/action movies.
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