The Guard from Underground (1992)

recommended

Gripping story with well-crafted characters

Disturbing yet enthralling

Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

I noticed some places on IMDb this is referred to as a slasher movie or a homage to slasher films. Well, I wouldn't say that as this isn't exactly a slasher film AND because it's better than just mindless killing to entertain teenage audiences. However, I am not saying it was an especially brilliant or must-see movie.The film follows a young female employee as she begins a job at the Akebono Corporation. I am sure they picked the name of the place to capitalize on the name of one of Japan's top sumo wrestlers at that time, Akebono--especially as the killer is supposedly an ex-sumo wrestler. However, I was a bit confused by this, as the guy was not at all fat--just very tall--and looked very little like he'd ever been in sumo. But no matter--the guy who was just hired as a security job this building was apparently the same guy who some time ago ripped his girlfriend and another wrestler apart in a rage! And, this very menacing and creepy guy starts to do bad things through the course of the film. Oddly, however, the film seemed to have a bit of a sense of humor and even karma, as the folks being killed early on were, in some ways, deserving of it. But later, humor and any reason to kill all seemed to vanish and the film just became a mindless psycho killer film--and it's a shame, as it seemed for a while like a very good movie due to its excellent moodiness and creep-out factor. Overall, not a bad movie but not an especially great movie either--a time-passer for those who don't mind some mindless violence.

Kiyoshi Kurosawa, who gave us Doppelganger, Pulse, and Cure, shows that he is a master of suspense and horror.Some describe this as an homage to 80's slasher films, but I felt a more honest description might go further back to film noir. There was a slow pace and a steady creepy musical score throughout until towards the end when the bodies start really piling up.To describe it as slasher is a slight misnomer as he usually uses a pipe.It is almost a Godzilla-like thriller as the killer is huge. He is a sumo wrestler, but not in the usual way you think of them. He is extremely tall instead of being round.The creative use of a locker may cause panic to all the geeks who got locked in one in high school.And, you may not want to work overtime after seeing this.

Kiyoshi Kurosawa was blacklisted for four years by the Japanese film industry powers that be after turning in a film that was intended to be a nudie sex romp, but conveniently left out the nudie sex. The producers were not pleased.THE GUARD FROM THE UNDERGROUND was his first venture on return from his exile. I've read that "GUARD" is Kurosawa's homage to early 80s American slasher films. I think this does the director, who also wrote the film, a disservice. I think saying "GUARD" is merely an homage neglects a great deal of Kurosawa's unique style and talent that is evident throughout the film. He manages to take a fairly straightforward story; a killer on the loose in a building filled with trapped employees, and makes it stylistically interesting. There is humor, some social commentary, and more then one intriguing death scene.I know I'm reading more into the film then is probably there, but "GUARD" seems to touch on the styles of many films and genres. With the protagonist being trapped in an unfamiliar environment with a menacing hulking man stalking the halls, I was reminded of the old Universal horror films, most notably, FRANKENSTEIN. I think pushed a little further, and if shot in black and white, "GUARD" would have made a unique homage to that film period. Also, I thought of Dario Argento when the slow moving killer would make his appearances. Like Argento, Kurosawa is slow to reveal the face of the killer, even though his identity had been established early on. There are also many close ups of hands and shoes as the stalking menace makes his way to each victim. Unlike Argento, however, there is relatively little graphic violence and most of the killings involve the thuggish creature clubbing his victims to death. An exception to this is a unique scene involving a locker. I thought it was inventive so I won't reveal the exact nature of how the locker is used so as to not spoil it.I think fans of Kurosawa will appreciate GUARD and enjoy seeing some of his earlier more mainstream work. The film shows indications of a style he would expand upon in his later projects. Non-Kurosawa fans might find GUARD a little slow paced and might enjoy some of his later work, like PULSE, as a good starting point, or the exceedingly brilliant CURE.Kurosawa is one of those rare directors who always seems to present something interesting in his films no matter what the genre or subject. THE GUARD FROM THE UNDERGROUND, while not one of his best, is certainly another example of what a talented director can achieve with a fairly simple storyline.

One of the contemporary masters of Japanese film, Kiyoshi Kurosawa here fashions a dark tale that is both a sharp satire of corporate life and a B-movie thriller. A former sumo wrestler (and here, the Western viewer is surprised to discover that not all sumo wrestlers are huge ponderous guys) now working as a security guard goes on a murderous rampage in the company that's employed him.How did he snag the job with a prior charge of murder? How is it that the only way a surviving employee can get help is by telexing New York City? As well, the juxtaposition of world-renowned art in commerce (i.e., how much can I buy and sell this Cezanne for?) with the obviously crude and horrible activity the guard engages in that dominates the story, give this film a unique feel.Though not as well crafted as the astoundingly brilliant "Kyua (Cure)", this is nevertheless an interesting film.