Dead or Alive 2: Birds is a film about two disconnected childhood friends that grew up to be hit men. After an assassination of a Yakuza boss, which they were both involved with leads to a massive gang war. They cross each others paths when they find themselves returning to their roots on a small island where they grew up together. Whilst laying low from the cops and Mafia they begin to reminisce on their childhoods growing up together.
This film has absolutely nothing to do with the original film other then carrying similar thematic elements, and it can be watched separately (which I would recommend). And just like Miike's Black Society trilogy I found the sequel again to be vast improvement over it's predecessor. Just as Miike did with Rainy Dog, he dramatically tones down the over the top silly antics that he's built his reputation on, and instead delivered a mellow, nuanced character piece. Although that's not to say all the violence he's known for is absent because it's not. What the film does is show the consequence of violence and how one act of violence can start a chain of events that spiral out of control.
Miike also does an excellent job developing his two lead characters, they both have distinct personalities and reasons for why they do what they do. By the end of the film I even started to care for them, which isn't something I can say for many of Miike's characters.
Dead or Alive 2 is easily one of Miike's best films, the plot and characters are all well thought-out, and whilst it does teeter on the edge of silliness towards the end. Miike manages to reign himself in and deliver an excellent crime drama.
This film has absolutely nothing to do with the original film other then carrying similar thematic elements, and it can be watched separately (which I would recommend). And just like Miike's Black Society trilogy I found the sequel again to be vast improvement over it's predecessor. Just as Miike did with Rainy Dog, he dramatically tones down the over the top silly antics that he's built his reputation on, and instead delivered a mellow, nuanced character piece. Although that's not to say all the violence he's known for is absent because it's not. What the film does is show the consequence of violence and how one act of violence can start a chain of events that spiral out of control.
Miike also does an excellent job developing his two lead characters, they both have distinct personalities and reasons for why they do what they do. By the end of the film I even started to care for them, which isn't something I can say for many of Miike's characters.
Dead or Alive 2 is easily one of Miike's best films, the plot and characters are all well thought-out, and whilst it does teeter on the edge of silliness towards the end. Miike manages to reign himself in and deliver an excellent crime drama.