Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects

With more holes than a sunken U-boat, and more cheese than a medium pizza, Kinjite still manages to entertain those who are fond of Bronson, or those who are fans of the more gritty action films of the era. The film has strong moments, but it also suffers at times from overly lazy dialogue, direction and overall storytelling, and it's hard to forget the painfully bad 80's music in this film. The fight scenes are also far from great, however there is enough grit, sleaze and action to make the film a worthy watch for many. The film is undoubtedly a fairly confused morality tale, or perhaps a morality tale within a confused society is the better way of describing it? In the end, the film does rely on a sort of karmic justice to satisfy it's audience, and to a decent degree, it works, at times however it just leaves us asking some very strange questions. There are a few parts that don't really make sense. Of other note, there is an early but very small appearance by Danny Trejo in the film, as well as a decent performance from a very young Nicole Eggert, as well as a strong performance by the little known but hard to take your eyes off of Amy Hathaway. Worth a look for some, but not to be touched with a ten foot pole by others. My rating... 5.5/10.

When great director/actor combinations are talked about the team of J. Lee Thompson and Charles Bronson is not usually mentioned. Probably because the output of nine joint ventures between the two of them runs the gamut from the really good action entertainment to the mediocre. Unfortunately Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects falls in the latter.

That's sad because Kinjite could have been a whole lot better. But for the life of me I don't understand why it was necessary to make the father of the missing Japanese girl, a guy used to getting some cheap jollies because the romance in his marriage has run out. That might have been good for another film altogether, but it served no purpose here.

A straightforward cop drama with Charles Bronson as a vice cop who's seen a bit too much in his line of work and has a strong prejudice against orientals. That part could also have used a little explaining as well. But he's going to have to overcome it if he and patient partner Perry Lopez are going to locate a captured Japanese school girl.

Bronson's time in the vice squad have told him exactly where to look for the kidnapper. A stylish, murderous pimp played by Jaime Fernandez is the guy and he and Bronson have some history. In fact in the film's best scene, Bronson made him eat an expensive rolex watch and set his car on fire.

At one point Fernandez happens to spot Bronson and Lopez in an all night delicatessen and this being after his rolex snack, he sprays the place with an Uzi killing everyone, but Bronson and Lopez. I really think that little incident would have had more than a couple vice cops from the LAPD after Fernandez. But that's another terribly big hole in the plot.

Still there is a very rough justice in the end for Fernandez. I wish the whole film had been better though. This was the last film of the Bronson-Thompson team and J. Lee Thompson's last as a director. He should have gone out with something better.

Repugnant Bronson thriller. Unfortunately, it's technically good and I gave it 4/10, but it's so utterly vile that it would be inconceivable to call it "entertainment". Far more disturbing than a typical slasher film.

Lt. Crowe is a no nonsense aged cop who almost goes over the edge after his daughter is molested by an unidentified Asian male. As he battles to curb his anger and racial prejudices, Crowe knows he must focus on the job at hand, the safe return of a kidnapped child, and the arrest of a child prostitute pimp...........vengeance and duty are about to become an uneasy alliance.

Showing his aged years and looking frazzled around the edges, this is actually one of Charles Bronson's best performances. Casting Bronson as Crowe now looks like an inspired decision, Crowe is a man getting old as the world around him changes its ideals and principals, with Bronson stepping into character and grasping the irony of his career overview. Not that there is anything remotely sad about the work here, it's a Bronson film with Bronson kicking arse, his character's conflicting beliefs allowing Bronson put some emotional blood into Crowe's sinewy veins.

Personally, what i find most engaging with Kinjite is its duality centre, we root for Crowe as he thunders on in pursuit of the vile bastards who exploit children for their own and monetary ends, yet the confusion reigns as Crowe's racist slant towards Asians reaches fever pitch. It's safe to say that a lot of Bronson pictures are beef for beefs sake, but this really isn't an excuse for just throwing punches, or a Bronson working for food scenario. Don't get me wrong here, i would be a liar if i said this wasn't seeping with 80s sweat, it so is an 80s movie, but it's got balls the size of Bronson himself and perfectly captures the point of change for society and leading man alike.

Underseen, undervalued and most definitely worth a look, 6/10.

This thrilling picture titled Kinjite (which means "to forbid" in English) contains suspense , noisy action-packed , intrigue , thrills and lots of violence . The meaning and relevance of this movie's title is that it refers to subjects such as sex, child molesting, prostitution which are forbidden topics in Japanese culture . It deals with the cop Lt. Crowe (Charles Bronson , he was about sixty-seven years of age) who takes on a pimp (Juan Fernandez) and a slimy hoodlum (Sy Richardson) whose speciality is recruiting adolescents including the daughter of a Japanese business man (James Pax). The lieutenant married to Kathleen (Peggy Limpton) has a teenager girl (Amy Hathaway) and is helped by another policeman (Perry Lopez). He then stalks the baddies and takes the law into his own hands , acting as judge , jury and executioner ; searching vengeance on crooks , pimps making the neighborhood safer and bumping off delinquents and street scum.

This standard Bronson movie is full of action , thrills, and disturbing scenes . Bronson in his usual stoic acting displays efficiently his weapons such as ¨Harry the Dirty¨ and killing mercilessly nasties . This is the last movie Charles Bronson made for Cannon Films and it represents the tenth and final of ten teamings between producer Pancho Kohner and star actor Bronson . It's certainly thrilling , though the morality may be questionable , even in this time, as the spectators were clearly on the Lt. Crowe Bronson's side . Disagreeable scenes and loathing theme as abuse of children with terrible end . Screen debut from Baywatch's Nicole Eggert as a teen prostitute and Danny Trejo as an inmate in a final brief appearance -almost extra- . Unappropiated and anti-climatic musical score composed by means of synthesizer .

The fare was badly directed by J. Lee Thomson , in his last one , he previously had a nice track record in the English cinema from 1950 until 1961 , directing good Western (McKenna's gold , White Buffalo) and all king genres as Sci-Fi (Conquest and Battle of planet of apes), terror (reincarnation of Peter Proud, Eye of the devil), adventures (Flame over India ,Kings of the sun, Taras Bulba , Tiger Bay) and Warlike (Guns of Navarone, Von Braun , Chairman , The passage) . His two biggest successes turned out to be ¨Guns of Navarone¨and ¨Cape Fear¨. Thereafter , the filmmaker's career subsided in a morass of slickly realized but middling films . He moved into the field of international spectaculars , at which point his filmmaking seemed to lose its individuality . J. Lee Thompson working from the 50s in England, finished his career making Chuck Norris (Firewalker) and Charles Bronson vehicles (Caboblanco, Evil that men do , Messenger of death, Death Wish 4 : Crackdown, Caboblanco, St Ives). Rating : Below average . Lousy results for this disagreeable thriller that has many depressing failures.