The first three "Female Convict Scorpion" movies, which are the only ones directed by Shunya Ito, are part of the same series but are entirely different entities structurally. The first one is a fairly straight-forward 'women in prison' flick, the second is a piece of great avant-garde film-making, and the third is a slow paced character study. In fact, for most of the movie it is pure Japanese drama, especially the first half, and most viewers would be hard pressed to pigeonhole the movie with just calling it an exploitation film.
Not to say it is completely separate from the other two. Matsu is still her usual quiet self, albeit with a few more lines than normal, and the men are still complete scumbags. She's still running from the cops and using any pointy object she can get her hands on, but she is also keeping a steady job sewing, which is a strange sight to see for any fan of Matsu's previous exploits. She soon finds herself in a situation defending herself and two prostitutes against a local gangs, and violence obviously ensues.
So is it actually any good? For most part, yes, yes it is. The pacing is definitely slower but works well with its new rhythm. It just that it really does not go anywhere with all its character development that fills the first half, and the carnage that ensues does not the fun spirit of its predecessors. Its still a very colorful and stylish film, with some really memorable scenes, but it leaves you wondering why such an otherwise energetic trilogy had to end on a period, and not the exclamation point that its avid fans had all been expecting.
6/10
