The Most Dangerous Game (1978)
I got “The Game” trilogy as a cheap impulse buy, as the concept of a gritty Japanese neo-noir sounding compelling. It definitely delivers in the gritty department, if not outright dirty and filthy. The main character looks kinda like Sylvester Stallone, at least while wearing sunglasses, and he acts like Dirty Harry. While both Stallone and Eastwood can be brutal and cynical, there is still a little bit of compelling personality to their characters. Matsuda here is just an unsympathetic brute and all around terribly misogynistic. Frequently hits and treat women like garbage, and on one occasion initiates rape just to get information.
I think I like the style and film techniques used more than the actual movie. I was especially impressed with the use of very long takes, letting dramatic violent scenes unfold without the usual rush and fast editing. The plot premise also had some unfulfilled potential with some very shady government business deals that could have been more developed.
Rating: 2.5