In my never ending search for close quarters combat and gun fu I came across Hydra. In some reviews, I read that the combat was out of this world. And it is, but not in the way you think.
It takes the film to almost take a whole hour to show this supposedly amazing combat. And while it certainly looked stellar, it just didn't do it for me. I was expecting an action flick with mostly action and a plot to advance the action. For whatever reason, the plot is focused on this secret crime fighting organization, where nothing is what it seems. Trust me, it wasn't as compelling as they want you to believe.
While I wasn't in for the plot or the characterization, I did like some of the characters that were set up. Masanori Mimoto as Takshi Sato is certainly the highlight of the film. He is socially awkward. People in the bar he works at don't really know how to act around him. The film does reveal some plot points that give some explanation on why he is what he is and does what he does. I just wished we got to see him fight some more. The two brief fights in the end aren't enough to satisfy my simple action needs. And once the film is over, you do feel like you have been cheated.
Overall, Hydra, is nothing what some people have advertised, and I for one, am not going to stand for it. Director Kensuke Sonomura has made Ghost Killer and from what I have seen in the thriller it is going to offer more of what I want. So I am looking forward to that one. Unfortunately, I can't recommend this. It's just too lacking.
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