Golgo 13: The Kowloon Assignment (1977)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 1977
	Director: Yukio Noda
	Actors: Shin'ichi Chiba (Kill Bill, Bullet Train), Lun Chia, Etsuko Shihomi
	Country: J, HK
	Genre: Action, Polar
	Conditions of visioning: 26.05.2013, DVD, 11" computer screen
Synopsis: Golgo 13 (Chiba), the best assassin in the world, is hired by the syndicate to kill a drug kingpin. After some initial killings, Detective Smith (Chia) is put in charge of the case and intends tracking down the killer.
Review: I acquired this movie in the same box-set as Virus and The Bullet Train that I have also watched recently. I have learned after watching the movie that it is adapted from a famous manga, actually the oldest still in production. This movie is actually the second adaptation, after a simply entitled Golgo 13 which was not starring Sonny Chiba. The franchise deals with this super-assassin of unknown origins (reminding me a bit of another manga: City Hunter), especially famous for his impossible sniper shots. We do see a few in the movie, in particular the last one which is particularly unrealistic. I was surprised that most of the story of this James Bond ersatz takes place in Hong-Kong, and Chiba is one of the few Japanese characters. Indeed it was disturbing to see American spies and the Hong-Kong police dubbed in Japanese, as I watched the movie in its original release language! The story is not really special. The only interesting aspect I found is the character of Golgo 13 a.k.a. Duke Togo, hired by the Syndicate (the Mob) but having a sense of honor (defending women and the weak...). He is played marvellously by Sonny Chiba, sparsely speaking but having what is rightfully described in the movie as Razor eyes. In this movie he has the lead role unlike in Virus of The Bullet Train, and I can understand what Tarantino loved in him and wanted to offer him a role in Kill Bill. He also fights well and there are a couple of good fight scenes throughout the movie.
Rating: 5 /10