VeteranLight I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

TrueHello Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

AnhartLinkin This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

Invaderbank The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Yashua Kimbrough (jimniexperience) A cop prone to assaults and illegal detainments gets dragged into a case involving assassins and drug-pushers .. With his badge he must play by the rules , but without it he's a loose cannon on a missionFirst Kitano Film --- Rumor has it no members on the set had scripts , everything is Improv! Excellent job too!

economically_deficient I admit, I have fallen prey into appreciating, respecting, and even loving the style of Takeshi Kitano. With "Brother" being my first Kitano film, it was slightly difficult for me to get into his awkward directing methods. Long takes of characters moving (or sitting, or standing) lifelessly, sudden bursts of graphic violence, occasional humor, strange editing techniques, etc. It took me a while to fully appreciate his way of telling a story and developing his characters. Eventually, once I realized how it was meant to be I simply got hooked. Kitano has definitely set a name for himself as a respected filmmaker in Asian Cinema and film-making itself.All the ass-kissing aside, I decided to check out his early stuff to see how it all started. And I must say, Violent Cop came out as a disappointment to me.In fact, if it wasn't for a few interesting scenes and the Kitano flavored direction, I'd say it was downright HORRIBLE.So where do we go from here? Well, I've barely seen any of Kitano's usual comedic routines in Japan, so I was able to take him seriously in this film. That's a start.I'll try summing up what I think went wrong with this film: Kitano got a hold of a director's position for the first time, but got too excited and smeared the whole film (nervously) with his own style.That's how it feels like watching Violent Cop. It tries too hard to be different (not saying being different is a bad thing, but it certainly feels forced in this one). I understand this was Kitano's very first effort in directing (he even acknowledges in an interview that he truly dislikes this film), but if you're more into his recent work (or anything after Violent Cop really), there's a high chance you'll be disappointed."The Cons": The BIGGEST issue I have with the whole film isn't the direction (it's not bad at all), it's the freaking script. The story almost goes nowhere. I had a hard time telling why many scenes were in the film (especially by the second half). It feels like they were there for the sake of being there. Maybe I'm wrong, or I don't grasp the whole "art" behind it, but it certainly felt very sloppy in this one. Don't get me wrong, the story has its moments, and it's not much confusing, but there's too much focus on the most unnecessary of things."The Pros": Now that I've vented my frustration with the film... The presence of Kitano's direction make up for the whole messed up script. I find the opening shot to be bizarrely riveting, and traces of the Kitano directorial spice which eventually evolved into much better films are to be found in Violent Cop. The characters were quite believable (Kitano does shine as always with showing very little emotion-besides rage, of course), some were creepy, some just really messed up (I felt truly sorry for the main character's daughter), all in all a decent acting effort. The violence was pretty satisfying, too. Also, the film contains probably the single most awesome foot/car chase I've ever seen (don't get your hopes up, though); seriously, as these mainstream films try their best to make it "breathtaking", Kitano captures it beautifully in this one. The slow music, the way we see them running from the strangest angles, the whole scene lasts over ten minutes, and it's simply really damn cool! In the end: Check it out, it won't hurt. Though, if you've seen any of Kitano's other films then prepare to be somewhat disappointed. If you're starting out with him, I suggest you seek out a different title instead (perhaps Sonatine or Brother).

Witchfinder General 666 There is no doubt in my mind that Takeshi Kitano is one of the greatest cinematic geniuses alive, and his nihilistic 1989 directorial debut is a fantastic proof for that. "Sono otoko, kyôbô ni tsuki" aka. "Violent Cop" is one of the rawest, most uncompromising cop films ever made, and, at the same time, arguably one of the most promising debut films ever delivered. Due to its 'unorthodox cop' premise, the film is often compared to films like the "Dirty Harry" series or "Bad Lieutennant". The stone-faced and irascible copper Azuma (brilliant performance by director Kitano, under his acting name 'Beat Takeshi'), is ten times dirtier than Harry ever was and incomparably more ruthless than the Baddest New York Lieutennant. Azuma could even give the ultra-unorthodox coppers in 70s Italian Poliziotteschi flicks a lesson in police violence. At least most violent cops in 70s exploitation cinema did what they did to protect society from scumbags, whilst Azuma does it out of anger, and he does not even bother asking questions before beating confessions out of criminals. Honestly, "Violent Cop" beats everything in the copper-flick field in its incredibly nihilistic premise, and yet it finds the time for slower moments, and Kitano's typically absurd and ingeniously black humor.Detective Azuma (Kitano), and irascible homicide detective hates the criminal as he hates the crime, and he does not attempt to hide this attitude. His unorthodox methods, which include the severe beating of suspects, have caused him trouble with his superiors in the past, but Azuma does not seem to care. When ruthless Yakuza gangsters make things personal, they have to realize that they might have made an enemy whose relentlessness easily equals theirs... I would love to further discuss the film's ingenious plot, but I do not want to spoil anything, as every true film lover should be able to experience the greatness of "Violent Cop". Unlike Kitano's other films, for which Kitano himself wrote the stories, this film is an adaptation of a novel by Hiashi Nozawa. Kitano's work, however, is ingenious, as screenwriter, director and leading man of this film. There is no other director who is capable of combining brutal nihilistic violence, tragedy and (black) comedy as effectively as Kitano does. Asked about the violence in his films in an interview, Kitano himself has once stated that nobody could possibly want to reproduce the violence seen in his films, simply because it is painful to look at. And it is true, hardly another director makes the pain caused by the violence as obvious as Kitano does. Kitano has a unique stamina when showing violence, which makes the viewer almost feel the pain. I don't want to spoil anything by giving an example - see this film and know what I am talking about. At the same time Kitano always has moments that are absurdly comical. As all Kitano protagonists, Azuma, even though an irascible and violent man, has a very odd sense of humor. His response to a barmaid's question what he does for a living is just one example for that. Also in a typical Kitano-manner, the film takes the time for slower parts in-between, like Azuma crossing a bridge for example. Kitano is as great as leading man as he is as director here. His stoic performance as Azuma is brilliant. The stone-faced copper always has a poker face, but it is nonetheless obvious that he is boiling in fury - how many other actors could be predestined for a role like this as Kitano is. No one, in my opinion. It is Kitano's performance which carries this film, and yet the other performances are also excellent. Hakuryu is particularly excellent as a sadistic Yakuza hit-man. Maiko Kawakami is also very convincing as Azuma's mentally disturbed sister. The rest of the cast includes several great character actors who have since become regulars in Kitano's films, such as Ittoku Kishihe as a Yakuza boss or Makoto Ashikawa as Azuma's young colleague. Lovers of Italian cult-cinema, by the way will be delighted to see a scene in which Kitano brilliantly pays tribute to Sergio Martino's Giallo "La Coda Dello Scorpione" (1971). "Violent Cop" is greatly shot and accompanied by an insanely brilliant score. Kitano's use of music in his films is another part of his brilliance, and really has to be experienced instead of explained.All said, "Violent Cop" is a unique cinematic experience that must not be missed. Ultraviolent, nihilistic, sometimes slow in detail and more often fast and incredibly raw, brutal, sometimes tragic and sometimes oddly comical, this is the uncompromising masterpiece that marks the beginning in the cinematic career of one of today's most brilliant filmmakers. And, apart from his unmatched 1997 masterpiece "Hana-Bi" (aka. "Fireworks"), Kitano's debut still ranks among his greatest accomplishments. A true must!

gridoon What is "Violent Cop"?A: A boring, ridiculous B-movie (bang-bang, you're dead) masquerading as "art"?B: A pathetic attempt to jolt the viewer out of his lethargy by repeated shots of graphic violence (mostly heads splattered)?C: A test by Kitano to see how long he can keep his camera still on his expressionless face, without giving us any insight into his character (apart from the fact that he's a cop, and he's violent)?D: All of the above?The choice is yours. But one thing is for sure: by the time (SPOILER WARNING) Kitano gets hit by the 15th bullet or something and still doesn't fall down, it was clear that my second experiment with his films (after the equally awful "Brother") will probably be the last.For a couple of good scenes (the foot chase and the confrontation on the roof of a building), I give "Violent Cop" *1/2 out of 4.