Ika resuraa

Totally wacky pro-wrestling/sci-fi spoof. Giant squid crashes championship match & steals title belt.

Just too goofy, it's simply silly enough to keep you giggling till the end.

The low-tech costumes are perfect for the tone of the movie. Excellent performances by the human cast, well sorta. The fight scenes are hilarious, the squid is joined by an octopus & a Squilla(some kinda giant shrimp)... again the goofy costumes work great here, as wel as in in the scenes of sunsets and romance ;-) Then when it wasn't getting weird enough, there's an appearance by a boy-band.

After seeing this delightful little film, the only way I can think of to describe it is as a Santo (Mexican wrestling) movie set in the weird, weird world of a Japanese cartoon sushi menu. In fact it follows the typical Santo film formula to a T: orphans, love interest, entertaining the children, fighting for the glory of the sport of wrestling. Only the wrestler is a giant squid.

Oh, and the Squilla Boxer is a Mantis Shrimp, and they really do have a punch as fast as a bullet. The biology is surprisingly accurate, such as pointing out that invertebrates are naturally good wrestlers because they can get out of any hold. I guess that shouldn't be surprising coming from a Japanese film, though.

If you love sushi, cephalopods, magical realism and wrestling, this is the film for you! (if you can find it)

Charming, and very, very odd.

It's surprising that this idea wasn't done earlier. Given that your average Japanese "Kaiju" TV show is all about guys in monster suits wrestling with each other.

A giant squid (in wrestling boots) humiliates the champion wrestler of Japan. The only recourse is a rematch but how can a human wrestle with a giant talking invertebrate? There are no bones to grapple. Is the squid a reincarnation of the previous champion and who is the squid's mysterious trainer? How far is the champion willing to go to defend his honor? Will his fiancé fall in love with the squid?

A delight to watch. The entire cast is having a great time, one actor can't keep a smile off his face. The first half hour is brilliant, the remainder great fun. Lots of jokes that translate well into English. The fights are silly but not much sillier than your average pro wrestling match.

Interestingly, the rubber monster suits wrestling in a ring has been done here in the US for quite a while by the crazy performing group "Kaiju Big Battel", look them up.

Recommended, especially to wrestling fans and Japanese monster fans.

I have previously reviewed a couple films by Minoru Kawasaki and found both of them to be completely bizarre...as well as worthy additions to my "you ain't seen nothing' yet" series of reviews of strange films. Executive Koala is a strange murder mystery starring a guy dressed up in a koala costume and Rug Cop is a hilarious film where a weirdo group of hero cops, and a smart toupee, fight evil! Here in Calamari Wrestler, Kawasaki has crafted yet another ultra-strange film...a film about a professional wrestler somehow reincarnated as a giant squid!!

When the film begins, Taguchi has just been crowned the king of Japanese wrestling. However, as he raised his new championship belt to the heavens, it's snatched away....by a six foot tall squid!! And then the squid proceeds to beat the crap out of the champ. No, this is not a cartoon...the filmmaker has a guy in tights wearing a squid costume! Sounds pretty weird...well, it only gets weirder from here!

At first, Calamari Wrestler has a hard time getting a re-match with Taguchi. After all, the big shots in charge of wrestling don't want the invertebrate to be a hero and will only arrange a match if Calamari agrees to throw the fight! Undaunted, he goes on a campaign to win the love of the Japanese public and soon the fans are demanding the fight takes place...and Calamari be allowed to try his best to win. However, when the big match is just about to begin, a huge surprise takes place....Taguchi has learned how to transform himself into a giant fighting octopus!!! Who will win this battle of the titans? And, what other incredibly strange surprises are in store for the audience when they see this film? And trust me...it only gets stranger!!

This film is very enjoyable because it never takes itself seriously and is great for a laugh. It certainly ain't sophisticated entertainment, but it IS entertaining and fun. Quality-wise, I still prefer Rug Cop, but Calamari Wrestler is still one delightfully strange film and a worthy addition to Kawasaki's list of bizarro films!

I never thought that a film set in the professional wrestling arena could be so entertaining on so many comic levels. From slapstick to irony, the artful deadpan acting and the multi-faceted script filled my livingroom with laughter.

Every time the reliance on the costumes began to irritate my sensibilities the intentional ambiguities and incongruities of the characterizations fractured my funny-bone.

Love is a many-tentacled thing for the lovely girlfriend who can't make up her mind and the comedy comes at the viewer from all directions: Love and loyalty, character and competition,fathers and sons, winners and losers, biology, gastronomy and sport-tainment are all satirized.

I think that this film should appeal to fans of wrestling, "The Iron Chef", "Finding Nemo", "Rocky", sci-fi and anyone who appreciates that humor knows no international boundaries.

The film is suitable for all audiences. Anyone who gets a fraction of the gags will be entertained. It would be a great Saturday night comedy for the whole family. An English language dub would eliminate the only barrier to the film's mass-appeal.