Death Trance
Death Trance is a buddy movie featuring Grave, a kick-ass Samurai, and a simple monk making their way… No that’s not it. Death Trance is a post apocalyptic martial arts fantasy film where… Hmm, still not quite right. Death Trance is a story of Good vs. Evil where the “chosen one” must do battle with the goddess of destruction. Nope not even close. Death Trance is an extended music video set to industrial metal music where break-dancing ninjas fight against… Sigh, however you describe it, Death Trance is one trippy movie and that’s alright by me.
This is the directorial debut of Yuji Shimamura’s and the basic plot revolves around the legend of a coffin. Legend has it that whoever takes this coffin into the forbidden forest will have all their wishes come true. So Grave, the warrior, takes the coffin from its protected temple and makes his way to the forest, fighting all sorts of ninja-mutants along the way. Following along behind the coffin is a cute little girl, but we’ll get back to her later.
Meanwhile, a naïve monk, the lone survivor of the temple, has been given the task of delivering a special, funky handled sword to Grave. There’s kind of a Japanese – Excalibur thing going on with the sword, because only the “chosen one” will be able to pull it out of its scabbard.
Along the way, the monk meets Sid, another guy looking for the coffin. Sid sports a silly looking Mohawk, but since Sid is packing some serious heat, no one gives him too much grief about his choice in hair styles. Sid is played by Kentaro Segal. Notice that last name? Yes, this is Steven Segal’s son and guess what? Unlike dad, he can act. There’s a scene where Sid pulls out a bazooka and shoots a heat-seeking missile at a one-eyed Ninja – whoa, you don’t see that everyday!
As our heroes make their way to the forbidden forest they fight all sorts of unusual ninja-mutants. From ninjas with machinegun tonfas, (traditional martial arts baton weapon) to spider ninjas, and zombie ninjas with a thing for big floppy hats, there’s some funky fighting going on in the forest!
Of course, the story about having all your wishes come true is really just a trick. You see, the coffin is actually home to the dried-up old bones of the goddess of destruction. Eventually the coffin is brought back home to the forbidden forest and the cute little girl climbs inside and out comes the goddess of destruction and as the ever lovin’ Thing used to say, “It’s clobberin’ time!” (Sorry, mixed genres there.)
After beating a not-ready-for-prime time “chosen one”, the goddess ascends into Heaven and starts hacking and slaying with abandon. What we see are angels, with bits and pieces of their wings chopped off, falling out of the sky. Pretty cool. Finally the “chosen one” figures out what he’s supposed to do and pulls the penis-sword out of its scabbard and goes after the goddess. The final fight scene between the “chosen one” and the goddess seems somewhat sexual. “Are you going to kill me with that sword or are you just happy to see me?”
This is a visually interesting and quirky martial arts film. Even though the plot is pretty simple, there is still a lot going on, so pay attention or you just might miss the stop motion “Island of Misfit Toys” little creatures that show up in the forest.
2 ½ tripped out Ninjas out of 5
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