FIRST LOVE, the latest movie I've seen from the incredibly prolific Japanese cult director Takashi Miike, sees the director on fire with a film which is filled with the usual perversion, quirkiness and high energy hijinks. The first half an hour is rather confusing, introducing as it does a jumbled tapestry of characters and their links to each other, from brutal Chinese Triads to a Yakuza boss straight out of prison, a corrupt cop, a treasonous Yakuza, a drug addicted prostitute and a lonely young boxer. Gradually you get drawn into their complex story and at this point the film becomes a thrill-ride of romance, action, danger and suspense. There's the usual gory death, blacker-than-black comedy and weird stuff going on, alongside some very fine performances and likeable characters. It's definitely one of my favourites of the director's work.
Review of First Love
