Since seeing VERSUS I have wanted to see every
Kitamura Ryuhei film, though too many of them are unsubtitled, but I finally managed to see a subtitled version of Alive. I am fan of Kitamura’s films which while not always having the best storylines (acceptable always for me) they always have great visuals, great cinematography and spectacular over the top action, usually with a good deal of gore, really the kind of action film I would like to make. So no wonder I like it. This time Kitamura did with small claustrophobic locations that suit the story very well, and add to the tension of the film as you really are along for the ride finding out what the hell is going on. I highly recommend this film for all action film fans.

REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS…

The film stars Sakaki Hideo (the villain from VERSUS) as Tenshu, a man condemned to death for murder, who is given a choice to die there, or go into an experiement and live. He choses to live. He is put in a sealed room with a serial killer of women who was also given the same choice. The two are at loggerheads, with the killer wanting to kill him, but not being able to get the upper hand. They are allowed whatever clothes and leisure activities (cards and booze) though Tenshu only takes the clothes and food. When the 2 haven’t killed each other a window opens to a beautiful witch who says the one who kills the other will get her, but again the killer can’t get Tenshu, and Tenshu strangely sees her as his dead girlfriend who he couldn’t save… Eventually the killer is allowed in with the girl while Tenshu watched, and the witch kills him, and then he is let in. He realizes the witch has 2 personalities, a girl who was possessed by a strange thing that gives her power and won’t let her age, but kills, and then can move to some with a blood rage that is stronger, as it did from her father to her when she killed him years before. Her sister is one of the researchers and is obsessed with saving her sister, but the military come in and kill everyone but her and the director and take over when the entity moves to Tenshu, as they want him, but he kills all the guards who come to get him, being instantly able to use the power. He decides to get the witch to help him get out, and the sister comes to stop him, but then the military guy comes with a super soldier made from another of the entities and they must fight it out, with Tenshu already shot multiple times by the sister it is a hard fight, but he learns to use the power and has a special effect filled battle with the strange looking soldier. He wins and the military boss kills the soldier but is killed by the scientist who kills himself. Tenshu makes a decision to not let the thing in him jump to someone else, so he takes the sisters gun, and goes out to see the sun once again, and then shoots himself in the head, going to meet his dead girlfriend, who he had avenged after getting raped, but who he wasn’t the same too so she killed herself.

I have heard people complain about this film, but I really enjoyed it. It is enjoyable to watch and has fun action, even if it doesn’t have so much of it, and beautiful women, and secret government agencies. Good enough for me.