There's next to nothing in terms of the visual brilliance he would later show, but Miike's film is a solid, exciting Yakuza/martial arts hybrid that moves along at a snappy pace and never outstays it's welcome.
Junpei, a low-level Yakuza, steals 500 million yen from his boss. While he's being interrogated, a stroke of good luck saves his life and lands him in prison for five years. Upon release, he hires invincible professional bodyguard Kiba to escort him to the hidden loot, so he can find his girlfriend and escape forever. Every step of the way the two are ambushed by angry Yakuza, and even angrier students from a rival Dojo who are mortified by Kiba's alleged comments that his Karate is more effective than theirs.
It's a fun ride, with plenty of action and neat twists. The plot allows for both martial arts and gun-play, so there's something for everyone to get their teeth into. The two main characters, Junpei and Kiba, have great chemistry, and they form a tenuous bond - Miike's brotherhood theme raising it's head, although it's explored better in later films.
Thoroughly enjoyable.
