BOILING POINT (1990)
Directed by Takeshi Kitano
Starring: Yuurei Yanagi, Minoru Iizuka, Takeshi Kitano
Genre: Yakuza/Comedy
Running Time: 98mins

Rating:

After a run in with a local Yakuza, Masaki enlists the help of an ex-yakuza turned baseball coach as a mediator to prevent vengeance from being sought upon not only himself but also the owners of a mechanics at which he works. After the failed attempts to calm the situation, the almost silent Masaki along with his friend Kazuo drift towards Okinawa with one simple purpose - to purchase a gun from renegade yakuza Uehara (played by Kitano as a sadistic, bi-sexual maniac) with the aim of returning home to calm the situation in the only way he thinks possible - through violence.

From the above synopsis you would be excused for believing that Boiling Point was another of those treasured hard-boiled yakuza thrillers from Kitano, but behind the power struggle storyline is an offbeat comedy that has divided fans and critics alike.

Upon first viewing Boiling Point I admit I was disappointed, I felt that it was a mess of a film. I felt that it was poorly constructed, lacking any excitement and with no real hook. And the reason why I hated this film that first time round, was purely my own fault.

Without realizing it, I had pigeon-holed Kitano as a yakuza director, I assumed his talents were for making yakuza films and nothing else.

And so, when it came time to re-watch Boiling Point for a second time, I was amazed to the point that I would have sworn I was watching a totally different film. Much like the critics who found Kikujiro too much of a shift in tone from Hana-Bi I too experienced the discomfort with Boiling Point being the third film I had seen after Violent Cop and Sonatine.

The humour is as black as it gets, most of which comes from the intense, psychotic behaviour of Kitano's - Uehara, a sexually deranged character who uses and abuses his power over his passive colleagues in situations that are as funny as they are frightening. The comic timing of the editing here is perfect, by cutting straight from the prologue to the punchline of a joke, the jokes come thick and fast all the while contributing to the plot of the film which keeps ticking along in the background.

But the one thing with Boiling Point that is most likely to divide audiences is the complete lack of emotion in the film. Seeing as both Masaki and Kazuo are continuously surrounded by violent, hate filled characters, there is never a true connection to anyone in the film - Masaki's almost silent presence further separates viewer from character, while Kazuo (though likeable) is never really developed enough to eek out the sufficient sympathy.

All in all, Boiling Point serves as laughter first, plot second, and when watched in the right frame of mind is a very satisfying film indeed. Not in the same league as Kitano's Sonatine, Hana-Bi or Kids Return - Boiling Point is best viewed with expectations below the norm for Kitano fans.