Takashi Miike’s first Crows Zero flick is the very definition of a masterpiece. The success of the film was not lost upon Miike and the producers of the film, as they almost immediately jumped on the success of the first film and began working on a sequel. The speed with which this production was made should have been my first indication that the movie wasn’t going to be anywhere near as great as the first film. Crows Zero II, while still a solid movie worth watching, has nothing on the first film. You can see where the haste with which the film was made impacted Miike’s trademark style and watered down the creativity of the picture… leaving it somewhat bland and unexciting.

The film picks up almost immediately after the events of the first film. Genji, the tough ass dude who conquered Suzuran High, is now focused on uniting the school. A rival school comes into play, and soon an interschool brouhaha is in the works. Genji must overcome his newfound emo shit and figure out a way to unite all of the different factions within Suzuran, or else the school will suffer the ultimate embarrassment. It’s definitely not an action-packed storyline, and most of it involves watching Genji brood and sulk throughout the film.

Whereas the first film was a delightful film full of brutal but fun fighting and heartfelt moments of male bonding, Crows Zero II almost feels like a political film, full of infighting, posturing, and tons of people yelling at each other. It lacks the spirit and the energy of the first film, but it’s not completely terrible in its own right. Of course, the two hour and twenty minute runtime doesn’t help matters any. Perhaps if the film was trimmed by half an hour, it would work better.

Takashi Miike is not at the top of his game with this film, and you can tell that he was not totally behind creating a sequel. His shot selections are still better than most Hollywood directors, but the sense of style that permeated the first film is gone, replaced by a blandness and a rehashed tone that just doesn’t sit well. The pacing is somewhat disappointing, and the end product suffers because of it. Miike’s film looks crisp, but nothing ever comes together the way it should.

Crows Zero II is significantly less interesting in the fight department. It’s not even really fighting as much as it is a bunch of random people running at each other, being way too serious, and then knocking each other out with single punches and kicks. The confrontations between the best fighters in the gangs are disappointing at best. Crows Zero II definitely could have used an upgrade in the fight choreography, but it’s still good enough to entertain, even though you may not find your jaw dropping.

I wanted to love this movie, simply because the first film is amazing. But not even Miike can capture lightning in a bottle twice. Crows Zero II isn’t a complete disaster, but if you are intent on comparing it to the original flick, then it will seem like it. Taken on its own, it’s a solid flick of harmless gang fighting and boys trying to become men. It has a few cool moments… and a couple of whiny sounding Japanese pop songs that will have you reaching for your remote. Honestly, the most enjoyable parts of the film are the opening credits and the end credits… which feature killer performances from The Street Beats.

Final Synopsis: Crows Zero II isn’t bad, and if you liked the first one, then you can probably stomach this one. Just don’t expect the same quality. It’s still enjoyable, just not epically classic.

Points Lost: -1 for a weak story, -1 for Genji being a little bitch for most of the movie, -1 for a lame side story involving Ken, -1 for fights that aren’t nearly as good as the first film, -1 for lame Japanese pop songs

Bonus Points: +1 for the opening and end credits featuring The Street Beats.

Lesson Learned: In Japan, being in high school doesn’t mean going to class.

Burning Question: Do you think they will make a third one of these?

Crows Zero II
6/10

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Tags: 2009, foreign, foreign action, gangs, gangster, high school, japanese, japanese action, latest movie reviews, recent3, sequel, shun oguri, takashi miike