Anthony, a half-American/half-Japanese technological businessman in Tokyo, discovers after the cold-blooded murder of his son, when his anger towards the man responsible fuels a reaction he couldn't possibly have prepared for, that he has "android DNA" causing his body to slowly metamorphose into a machine. Director Shinya Tsukamoto also stars as the villain who runs over Anthony's son Tom with a car—what's his motivation? More story here—as Anthony learns a startling secret about his mother, attempts to console his grieving wife who wants revenge for the death of her child, and tries to keep from continuing to evolve into a metal monster—than one might expect from a Tetsuo film. Too bad Tsukamoto's camera work and editing is so chaotic and epileptic you can't see a damn thing, hoping to actually decipher what is essentially incomprehensible on screen. Lack of budget perhaps? Whatever the case, I found this to be a frustrating experience. Strong story on the power of love and family, however, did surprise me, I must say. Anthony reads of a scientific project on creating human androids, found in the notes of his father's underground office, which is where he learns the horrifying truth of what he actually is. Erick Bossick is Anthony, Akiko Monô is Anthony's wife, Yuriko, with Stephen Sarrazin as Anthony's father, Ride. Included in the film is a group assigned to eradicate Anthony and Yuriko so that the dangers of an android killing machine rampaging through the streets, a potential threat which might bring blame to those behind Ride's project, would be silenced. Too bad their mission doesn't succeed; in fact, it fails miserably. It seems that Tsukomoto's mysterious predator wants to encourage the anger of Anthony so that he will continue to lose control, ending in a climax possibly threatening global catastrophe. A loud industrial rock soundtrack accompanies the maddening presentation.
Review of Tetsuo: The Bullet Man
