The Worst Film Ever

Sadly Over-hyped

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

This obscure Japanese thriller would seem to have a very good reputation among cult fans; and while I can see the appeal of the film, I do have to say that I'm surprised by all the praise it gets as aside from the odd memorable moment; the film is a mostly flawed piece. Black Lizard is directed by Kinji Fukasaku; the director who would go on to direct the seminal masterpiece Battle Royale in 2000. The film is basically a heist movie; although it often gets labelled as a comedy and that is mainly down to the thick layer of absurd comedy emanating from the central villain; although anyone going into this film expecting to laugh will be disappointed. The central character is named 'Black Lizard' - a thief with a penchant for jewels. She sets her sights on a diamond named "The Star of Egypt" and in order to get to it, kidnaps the owner's daughter and asks for the jewel in ransom. The detective on the case is named Akechi; and after a card game together, the two develop a mutual respect; and Black Lizard falls in love with the detective.The most bizarre thing about this film is the casting of transvestite Akihiro Miwa in the lead role. Initially, I was sure that the central character was a transvestite; but as the film went on, it seemed to suggest more that the character is actually a woman, although there are some suggestions that maybe that isn't the case. The actor's performance would have been quite good if the character was meant to be a man in fact; but he really doesn't convince as a woman, and while I appreciate the idea of putting him in the lead role; I don't think it was a very good one. The plot has rather a lot to it and moves very quickly considering the running time of the film which is definitely to it's credit; although at times it does move a bit too quickly and the film does not have time to really put forward all of it's ideas. This is mainly at the expense of the characters; as we are not made to care about anyone in the film, which leaves the whole thing feeling a bit cold. There's some good style on display, however, and that's one of the main positives. Overall, this film might be of interest to some but I wasn't very impressed with it!

I just don't get the positive comments this film gets. I've seen about a dozen Fukasaku Kinji movies, and this by far is the worst in the bunch. I was really looking forward to watching this, as I really enjoyed other films from this director, but this one sadly is a big disappointment.The plot is so incredibly predictable it's almost laughable, and I have no sympathy whatsoever for the main characters, especially the "black lizard" which is one of the worst villains I've seen in a film so far. She's such a cliché she could easily star in an Austin Powers film! Also, the dialogs between the main detective and the "evil-rich-megalomaniac" Black Lizard, which some people seem to appreciate (judging from other reviews on this site), to me sounds empty and lifeless. To sum up: no action, incredibly predictable story, boring dialog, and not enough 60s kitsch to make us forget how bad the whole thing is...If you want to see great Fukasaku films, watch the Yakuza Papers instead!

I was fortunate enough to see "Black Lizard" at our local art cinema upon its very special U.S. release way back when and have searched high and low for the film on VHS, laserdisc and DVD ever since. The film is amazing, and I'm surprised it hasn't received that much attention amongst film buffs. Those of us who have seen it know what a wonderful film this is and I suggest that anyone who wants to see it again, at least on home video, should go to the logical source for a film like this - The Criterion Collection. Send them messages through their site telling them how special and important this film is and maybe, just maybe, they'll do something about it! I've already sent my request, so give it a shot. The more people request it, the better chance we have of seeing it get a DVD release! Long live "Black Lizard"!

The most purely entertaining and amusing film I have seen in a long time. The dialogue between the two antithetically engaged principal characters reflects their exactly opposite ethics, and at the same time, their clearest view of each others thinking. Their well matched genius creates plot, foil, and counter-foil, throughout the film. I almost never watch a film twice. This one, I can't wait to see again.