Electric Dragon 80,000V (2001)

Movie Rating NR Contains: Violence

Director: Sogo Ishii Movie Genre: Cyberpunk, Action Country: Japan Electric Dragon 80,000V Score Card The following scores are based on a 0.0 to 10.0 rating scale Hover your mouse pointer over the name of each scoring category below for a description Direction: 7.0 Writing: 6.4 Acting: 6.0 Cinematography: 8.0 Sound and Score: 9.0 Functionality: 7.2 Presentation: 6.8 Genre Comparison: 6.4 General Comparison: 6.8 Overall: 7.1 Reviewed 2006-07-20 02:22:56

Electric Dragon 80,000V from Japanese cyberpunk pioneer director Sogo Ishii is a movie about Dragon Eye Morrison, a man who, after an accident while climbing an electrical tower, gains power over electricity and an uncanny bond with reptiles. Dragon Eye works as a reptile investigator. He uses his attunement to reptiles to find lost pet lizards. When he is not working, he tries to find an outlet for his explosive energy. His searches eventually lead him to playing the electric guitar. Dragon Eye finds out that the power of rock and roll is an excellent way to channel his overwhelming impulses.

Unbeknownst to him, Dragon Eye is being stalked by a mysterious electrician by the name of Thunderbolt Buddha. This man wears half of a metallic Buddha mask over half of his face. Thunderbolt Buddha is obsessed with electricity, technology, and other forms of power. Thunderbolt Buddha feels that he must eliminate everyone whose power even comes close to his. Eventually Thunderbolt Buddha's search leads him to Dragon Eye Morrison and the two men battle to the death.

Electric Dragon 80,000V has a style all its own. This movie is equal parts science fiction, music video, and cyberpunk action movie. Since Dragon Eye uses his powers for rock and roll, music plays an enormous role in this movie. The industrial punk rock soundtrack performed by Mach 1.67 is perfectly suited to the hyperactive mood and spastic, music video style editing that has made Ishii famous.

The acting in this movie is also top notch. The performances by Tadanobu Asano and Masatoshi Nagase do a wonderful job of enhancing the overall appeal. Asano's Dragon Eye is a frustrated character, who is not ashamed of his gifts but still has trouble coping with the way his abilities set him apart from society. Nagase plays Thunderbolt Buddha as a power hungry maniac who does not fully understand his gifts but will stop at nothing to prevent any threats to his powers.

Electric Dragon 80,000V is definitely a cyberpunk movie. Unlike the early works of Shinya Tsukamoto and Shozin Fukui, there are no scenes that are in place solely to disgust the audience. Instead, this movie focuses on the good-natured fun and raw power of rock and roll. The 55 minute running time may leave a few viewers feeling let down, but with a movie as energetic and fast paced as this, a longer film with the same amount of intensity would just be gratuitous.