Sakigake!! Otokojuku

While the title might lead an unwary viewer into thinking this might be related to the Cromartie High School anime and film, it isn't. There are resemblances especially the school setting and the Elvis haircuts but this is based on another manga.

The film, which takes place in the present day, follows several young men as they enter as first year students in a secret Samurai School that trains the elite of Japan's society. The students are tormented as part of their training and any defiance against the teachers is punished by weird tortures. Some of the people in the school have incredible powers, one for example can cut stone in two from a distance with his sword. Several of the new students start to create a bond with other when an expelled student from the past returns with an army of super-fighters who defeat all the older students and several of the teachers. It leads to a death match where only the new students are left to defend the honor of the school.

As much a spoof of Japanese stock characters as about Japanese notions about "being a man", the film is fun and moves along at a good pace. The production is very good looking and the actors are all over the top. The action is decent and the humor works for this westerner. It's a little over long as the final battle starts to resemble a TV wrestling match where the fighters are hamming it up for the audience but you might like it.