Composer Fukamachi Jun was having an absolute ball. With keyboards, theremin, and juicy electric guitar all over the place, the music both atmospheric and upbeat distinctly recalls contemporary Pink Floyd in all their psychedelic, meandering glory, with some additional influence from funk and otherwise prog rock. Why, I wouldn't mind tracking down a copy of the soundtrack here for my collection, and I barely listen to music any more. Yes, the tunes in 'Wolf guy' are a blast. And that's good, because the first impression that this flick makes is that the music will be the most consistent highlight. That's hardly to cast aspersions on the remainder, but the direction feels a tad loose from the outset, and the cinematography overzealous in a manner seen all too often in subsequent years that's intended to swap out the earnest impact of stunts and effects for, if you'll pardon me, "Whoa-oa-oa! Look at this camera, just flying all over the place!" Plot development is also decidedly brusque and clunky, and sometimes all but incohesive, accentuated by that moment when our first female character is abruptly introduced and then, oh, I guess we're in a sex scene now. When the progression does come across as a tad more lucid, it's almost as if the filmmakers suddenly realized in the midst of the shoot that there was an actual narrative they were supposed to be imparting, too.
Don't get me wrong, I know what type of film I sat to watch. Or at least, I understood very quickly after I pressed "play." I've seen the exploitation flicks and low-budget, low-grade fare churned out by the likes of Jesus Franco and Jean Rollin; I've seen one-shot OVAs that just forged ahead and told their story, nevermind judicious sense or care. Director Yamaguchi Kazuhiko, cinematographer Nakajima Yoshio, writer Konami Fumio, producer Yoshida Toru - well, they were just here to have a good time, weren't they? This title cares about flavor and style, not function or substance, and by Jove, if you're in the audience, you had best be on board with that ethos. A lot of action violence, something something supernatural, and all the stunts, effects, blood, gore, and physical, spirited acting you could want to bring these to bear: and that's a movie! Sure, there's a plot here, too, and apparently it's an adaptation of a manga. And it's fine. But the plot is almost beside the point in this corner of the medium, isn't it? Likewise for characters who are only here either to die, or to be painted with broad ideas. The plot is duly compelling such as it is (if not completely satisfying as it presents), and the scenes are vibrant in providing the fuel for the cast and crew to bring the seedy tableau to life. Maybe, after all, this is all that 'Wolf guy' needed to be.
If you want action, you'll get it, including one brief late sequence that's straight out of Eon Productions' James Bond franchise. If you want skin, you'll definitely get some. If you want a sordid tale of crime, violence, drugs, and women, you'll get it. If you come here for the suggested element of horror, you'll sort of get it, in scattered bits and pieces, and of course more so as the length draws on. For the record, though, the name of the piece, and a supposed core trait of Sonny Chiba's protagonist, doesn't meaningfully come into play until late in the runtime, and even then, not in the way one would assume from the outside looking in. In fairness, taken in and of itself the story is solid, and there are excellent ideas in here ripe for genre cinema. It's just that this feature, as it exists, is far less concerned about that story than it is about the violence, gnarly imagery, and rip-roaring entertainment for which the foremost ideas could be a vehicle. And it shows, again and again. Perish the thought of balance or earnest, careful plot; exactly how much one will get out of the viewing experience will vary greatly from one person to the next. For my part I did enjoy 'Wolf guy,' and I think it's worthwhile on its own merits even if it didn't really meet its full potential; it's also likely best left to watch on a quiet day when you're having a hard time deciding on something else. Take that as you will.
