Riki-Oh: Okay, WHO Let This Movie Happen?! (And Why Did I Love It?)

Alright, folks, I just finished Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky. I went in blind because a friend said, "Rachel, you HAVE to see this. It's...something." And, boy, were they right. Genre? I honestly don't even know! It's like a fever dream of Hong Kong action, prison drama, and...splatterpunk comedy? I mean, the sheer commitment to the gore is astounding. Like, the guy's fist goes THROUGH another guy's stomach levels of gore. It's so over-the-top it loops back around to being hilarious. I'm not even sure who to credit with the 'performance' of the century here. Fan Siu-Wong as Ricky is stoic and strangely endearing, even when he's literally punching someone's brains out. And the Warden? Oh my god, the Warden. The man's transformation from seemingly reasonable to full-blown, demonic villain was…a choice. A beautiful, terrifying choice. I have to give props to the actors for committing so hard to the ridiculousness. But truthfully, the sets and the stunts were really amazing as well. I cannot even IMAGINE the amount of work that went into the sets. So many details! I especially loved the scene when Ricky discovers one of the boss's pot farms through his knowledge of martial arts!! Like what. I will say that I am also not sure what this movie is trying to say? Is it just about a hero fighting for justice? If it is, I think it is very cheesy. Look, I'm not saying this is Citizen Kane. I'm pretty sure Orson Welles would have been profoundly confused. But if you're in the mood for something completely bonkers, gloriously violent, and unintentionally hilarious, Riki-Oh might just be your new favorite thing. Just…don't eat beforehand. Or maybe do eat beforehand. I don't know, I'm still processing.