# Versus - Jap-action at it's best? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 29, 2003, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/versus-jap-action-at-its-best/191740 "2003-07-29T20:42:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TheRealJohnPeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TheRealJohnPeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheRealJohnPeat)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/versus-jap-action-at-its-best/191740/1 "2003-07-29T20:42:56Z")
I rented this yesterday without really knowing much about it - I’ll be really honest and say I really, really liked the cover - but watching it was an experience-and-a-half. I’ve actually seen it twice now - simply cos I couldn’t really grasp what I was seeing first-time around - it’s just mind-blowing… OK - it’s low budget but the acting is top-notch. The action is visceral - the fight scenes are as well-done as I’ve ever seen. The gore-level is excessive - but then the director throws in this ‘Raimi style’ slapstick which I assume is to say “don’t take this too seriously”. I’ve heard of films which leave you ‘breathless’ - but this is the first time I’ve seen one. So - if you’ve not seen it, can I direct you to your local Blockbuster - and if you have, please tell me what else I’ve been missing 🙂 TTFN JP ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/versus-jap-action-at-its-best/191740/2 "2003-07-29T21:17:56Z")
Please tell me that the name of the film is “Versus-Jap” and that you didn’t just actually say “Jap-action film”? ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/versus-jap-action-at-its-best/191740/3 "2003-07-29T21:44:06Z")
Easy there, **Chefguy**. I’ve seen the word “Jap-animation” instead of anime. The OPer was probably just basing the title off of that. ---
**Author:** ![TheRealJohnPeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TheRealJohnPeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheRealJohnPeat)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/versus-jap-action-at-its-best/191740/4 "2003-07-29T22:31:19Z")
The term ‘HK-action’ is used a lot so ‘Jap-action’ seemed appropriate - no pun intended 🙂 I didn’t think “Versus - Japanese action films at their best?” was quite a snappy you see 🙂 It’s origination isn’t as important as it’s style tho 😉 TTFN JP ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/versus-jap-action-at-its-best/191740/5 "2003-07-29T22:32:16Z")
it’s playing at the Asian film festival here next month and i may check it out. ---
**Author:** ![hazel-rah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/73ab20/32.png) [@hazel-rah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hazel-rah)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/versus-jap-action-at-its-best/191740/6 "2003-07-29T23:29:22Z")
it’s incredibly entertaining, but drags a bit in the second half. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2003, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/versus-jap-action-at-its-best/191740/7 "2003-07-30T05:39:55Z")
Yup, definitely one of my favorite action films. And short of the Evil Dead series, probably my favorite “just for fun” action movie. Sure the second half lags a little (the bits where they’re babbling on about prophecy and all that), but everything before and after those bits make up for it. ---
**Author:** ![sirtonyh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@sirtonyh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sirtonyh)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2003, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/versus-jap-action-at-its-best/191740/8 "2003-07-30T06:55:46Z")
I liked it, but the second hour did drag on a bit. If you like outrageously excessive gory movies from Japan, try and find a copy (preferably the 128 minute uncut version) of Ichi The Killer. That is a movie filled with sequences that make you think “holy shit, what the hell happened there” or “F\*\*k me, I can’t believe they put that in a movie and the family values group haven’t all had heart attacks”. You may also want to check out Visitor Q. Not a “gore” movie per se but definitely a jaw dropper. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Elvis_Rojo)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2003, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/versus-jap-action-at-its-best/191740/9 "2003-07-30T13:49:30Z")
**Versus** is a really fun movie. The whole concept of the forest was great (what it did AND what it was used for). I think my favorite bit though was **The Matrix** tribute. That was hilarious. Great fun! ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2003, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/versus-jap-action-at-its-best/191740/10 "2003-07-30T15:17:07Z")
This is definitely on my “DVDs to buy” list. My last order, I had to pick from three Japanese zombie flicks: **Junk** , **Wild Zero** , and **Versus**. All are blind buys for me, and I ended up going with Junk. I’ll get all three eventually. I’m torn whether to buy **Ichi the Killer** blind. My only exposure to Miike was **Audition** , which I did not like at all. Not because of the violence per se (I can handle that), but because I felt like Miike cheated on the plot, and all the goings-on at the end were just an excuse to throw something in the viewer’s face. Anyway, my Asian DVD collection grows and grows. ---
**Author:** ![sirtonyh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@sirtonyh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sirtonyh)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2003, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/versus-jap-action-at-its-best/191740/11 "2003-07-30T15:40:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by divemaster \* > \*\* > I’m torn whether to buy **Ichi the Killer** blind. My only exposure to Miike was **Audition** , which I did not like at all. Not because of the violence per se (I can handle that), but because I felt like Miike cheated on the plot, and all the goings-on at the end were just an excuse to throw something in the viewer’s face. > \*\* I understand what you mean about Audition. Ichi The Killer is based on a manga comic book whereas Audition was based on a novel. The plot in Ichi is actually not as important as the development of the 2 lead characters. The plot is really just an excuse to develop two polar opposite characters (a pure sadist and a pure masochist). The plot does however allow Miike to let the blood flow. I read in an interview with him that he doesn’t differentiate between love, sex and violence in his movies and that really shows through in Ichi. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Elvis_Rojo)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2003, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/versus-jap-action-at-its-best/191740/12 "2003-07-30T15:42:44Z")
**Divemaster** , I’m hoping you already own **Bio-Zombie**! As fun as the other films on your “to buy” list are, none of them are anywhere NEAR as fun. **Junk** is interesting, but be prepared for **Wild Zero**. I own a copy of it, and I love zombie movies and Guitar Wolf, but it is kinda slow and disjointed, so you may want to watch it first before you decide to buy. **Versus** should do nothing but please. ---
**Author:** ![TheRealJohnPeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TheRealJohnPeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheRealJohnPeat)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/versus-jap-action-at-its-best/191740/13 "2003-08-04T22:49:38Z")
Apologies for waking a sleeping thread - but I took up the recommendation and sought-out a copy of Ichi the Killer Now that was a seriously damaging film, I got all the sadist/masochist stuff and it brings new meaning to ‘visceral’ for sure - but was it just my imagination or does Ichi not actually exist? (e.g. there is no pure sadism - only pure masochism?) or was I just making that bit up? JP ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/versus-jap-action-at-its-best/191740/14 "2003-08-04T22:57:12Z")
Bio-Zombie was pretty fun. Versus and Ichi are both going to be during the Asian Film festival here. i have to balance work and classes to see all the films i want to see, i need to get to making a flowchart ---
**Author:** ![sirtonyh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@sirtonyh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sirtonyh)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/versus-jap-action-at-its-best/191740/15 "2003-08-05T05:59:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TheRealJohnPeat \* > \*\*Apologies for waking a sleeping thread - but I took up the recommendation and sought-out a copy of Ichi the Killer > > Now that was a seriously damaging film, I got all the sadist/masochist stuff and it brings new meaning to ‘visceral’ for sure - but was it just my imagination or does Ichi not actually exist? (e.g. there is no pure sadism - only pure masochism?) > > or was I just making that bit up? > > JP \*\* Interesting idea. I’d never though of it in that way but it does kinda make sense given the final 2 or 3 scenes. I’ve seen quite a few of Miikes films and I’d always figured he just put it in to screw with your head as he seems to do that quite a lot. If you came to that conclusion about Ichi, I’d be interested to hear your take on the ending of Dead Or Alive (another Miike film with an 😕 ending)