- Film
The Exit 8
Release date Thu 9 Apr
Year
1989
Language
Japanese spoken, English subtitles
Director
Okawa Toshimichi
Duration
69 min
Supercop Joe and his bandana return for the first of two sequels, which was released just a few months after the first film. This time, he takes on the rogue cop Cash, who developed Stockholm syndrome during an undercover mission, turning him into a dangerous criminal.
As in the first part of Crime Hunter, the plot follows a somewhat predictable action story. Joe (who is called Joker here) takes on his superiors and a laundry list of villains. Here, too, uncertain alliances – in which good and evil are constantly intertwined – provide welcome ambiguity, but the action scenes are the real gold. They are stronger than in the first film. For example, the iconic scene with a call girl firing an M202 four-barrel rocket launcher perfectly embodies what makes early V-Cinema so fascinating.
Actors from the first part return in different roles. This reinforces the feeling of a closed universe, which continues into the third and final part. Cultural boundaries also remain vague, as evidenced by the strange contribution of Eric Douglas (Kirk's other acting son) in the role of Cash.
Focus: V-cinema
The Japanese direct-to-video phenomenon V-Cinema emerged in the late 1980s and left a lasting mark on contemporary film culture. V-Cinema was created in response to the rise of video rental: filmmakers began making films that would not be released in cinemas. This approach allowed directors to work quickly, on a small budget and with a great deal of creative freedom.
With this Focus programme, IFFR is turning its attention to V-Cinema films, a combination of early works by established names and films that have rarely been shown outside Japan. In the Forum, you can see a selection of films from the Rotterdam programme.
Agenda
There are no new dates planned (yet) for Crime Hunter 2: Bullets of Betrayal.
IFFR in Groningen
The International Film Festival Rotterdam is coming to Groningen!
From Wednesday February 4 to Sunday February 8th.
IFFR in Groningen is the perfect opportunity to explore unknown, international gems or to discover the special titles of the upcoming film year.
