Junk: Shiryô-gari (2000)

Director:

Atsushi Muroga

Writer:

Atsushi Muroga (writer)

Release Date:

22 January 2000 (Japan)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

Everybody fights

Plot:

A team of jewel-thieves fight for their lives in a zombie-infested factory.

Plot Keywords:

Scientist | Abandoned Factory | Yakuza | Person On Fire | Topless Woman

Cast

Nobuyuki Asano	...	Jun
Shû Ehara	...	Akira
Tate Gouta	...	Ramon
Yuji Kishimoto	...	Nakada
Miwa	...	Kyôko / Zombie Queen
Natsuki Ozawa
Kaori Shimamura	...	Saki
Koutarou Tanaka	...	Toraji
Deborah Joy Vinall	...	Sharon (as 'Debolar Joy Vinall')

Also Known As:

Junk (USA)

Runtime:

USA:83 min (uncut version)

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese | English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Germany:18 | Japan:R-15 | UK:18

Company:

Japan Home Video (JHV)

Pleasing, if minor Japanese lowbrow zombie fun

I remember when I first saw this, I got it in a double set with Wild Zero, and on the way home I was thinking Wild Zero was going to be great and Junk was going to be just that. When I actually saw them both I was surprised by how disappointing I found Wild Zero and how much I dug Junk. Watching it for the third or so time last night it stands up reasonably well though it certainly isn't any classic. Its problems mostly come down to some niggling features that distract from the overall experience. For example, though it appears quit early on that the way to fell the zombies is with the classic bullet to the head, there are a number of scenes where they are felled by non specific shooting that clearly doesn't result in the brain destruction that any zombie film buff knows is crucial to taking them down. I wouldn't mind the zombies being downed by generalised blasting but at times they are clearly shown unmoved by hits to the chest and I like films to play by the rules they set up, not just make it up as they go along. Also, one character seems to recover remarkably quickly from a nasty foot wound. I don't get too bothered by lack of realism normally but I found it somewhat grating that the guy wasn't bothered at all by it ten minutes odd after it happened. As well as these lapses, we also have some groaningly bad acting from the English speaking contingent in the film, and some bad dialogue. All this aside, I still like this film. It has a quick pace and seems very clearly to be aspiring to the level of Italian zombies trash with its quick pace, use of dumb military personnel, and cheap but fun gore. The opening is much like the beginning of Zombie Flesh Eaters 2 (the one with some Fulci work but mostly Bruno Mattei and Claudio Fragasso) and the whole thing pans out with a great nostalgic feel. There are good head shooting, some neck bites, some relatively brief but still engaging gut and flesh munching, lumbering, groaning zombies and wildly implausible moments. Director Atsushi Murogi keeps everything bustling along, and though there's little style to be seen, the film does have a nice dingy atmosphere. So, flaws aside I can't help but feel a certain warmth toward this film. It may not expand genre horizons or provide much in the way of fear or surprises, but it works like a warm cup of tea on a cold winter evening, comfortable, pleasant and ever welcome. Worth a look if this sort of thing appeals.