TIFF 2014: Tokyo Tribe Review

While TIFF last night may have opened with a few high-profile films such as The Judge and Clouds of Sils Maria, I doubt any were as fun as Sion Sono's hip-hop musical brawler, Tokyo Tribe. From the opening crane shot to the final brawl, Sono kept the energy up and the bass pounding for much of the film's two-hour runtime. About twenty minutes in, it is clear that Sono is not interested in ever sticking to one character's story for too long nor should we really have to care about anyone involved in the all-out gang war that will inevitably commence in the film's last quarter. I came to accept the madness pretty quickly, but with so many characters popping up left and right, spouting their (sometimes catchy and always exposition heavy) rhymes, the film could get overwhelming or even tiresome for some as it storms forward.

Part of the fun of Tokyo Tribe is seeing that all the actors (many of which are real rappers) and crew are game for the entirety of the production. Riki Takeuchi, one of the film's leading baddies, relishes in his overacting and opportunities for cannibalistic carnage. I'll admit that, in a film that is already so over the top, I felt the extent of his performance could have been toned back a tad. This is, however, a minor complaint. The production design is as gloriously ridiculous as you would expect (some highlights include a van with chandeliers on the hood, a brothel hallway filled with "boob-balloons", not to mention each tribe's distinctive hangout). Another part of the fun comes from seeing the film with the right audience and one could not ask for a better audience than the Midnight Madness crowd.

This is certainly not a movie for everyone with the aggressive and abrupt transitions between scenes, tonal shifts, and sheer excess of the production. With that said, audiences who read the film's description will have an idea of what they're getting themselves into. Those who go with it will be in for quite the ride and the film is guaranteed to reach cult status once released outside the festival circuit.

Regardless of the faults the film has, I don't think I will be seeing anything like this again in a long time, nor will I see a musical as entertaining as this. All I can do is recommend the film for those familiar with Sono's work or those even somewhat intrigued by a film that could be described as The Warriors mixed in with a healthy dose of hip-hop and a bit of Noboru Iguchi's gory perversions (Machine Girl, RoboGeisha) for good measure.

8/10