Often eclipsed in Western eyes by the more volatile Takashi Miike and the eclecticism of Takeshi Kitano, Japanese director Rokuro Mochizuki is slowly filtering across this divide, quietly stunning his growing number of adherents. Consciously eschewing most artistic conventions, his yakuza films give a frank treatment to the brutal violence they depict, but turn upon subtly-drawn characterizations, with stories that rely heavily on the intricacies of relationships. After cutting his teeth in the pink film industry (or Japanese porn), Mochizuki imbues his depictions of sexuality with great importance, but never in an exploitative way; instead, sexual relations are used to provide depth to the story. ONIBI picks up many of the themes seen in the director's previous work, most notably 1995's ANOTHER LONELY HITMAN, describing the alienation of a yakuza mobster upon his release from prison. Kunihiro has vowed to go straight after 27 years in prison, but of course has difficulty separating entirely from his old lifestyle. He takes on a job as a driver only, but soon begins a downward spiral as his true nature begins to resurface. When an old friend buys a woman for him, Kunihiro finds himself falling in love with the beautiful piano player, who comes with some baggage of her own, although ultimately the reluctant yakuza turns out to be his own worst enemy. Excellent performances are turned in by the seasoned cast, which includes Mochizuki perennial Kazuki Kitamura (COWARD, LEY LINES) as Kunihiro's flamboyantly gay roommate.
