The Violence Action (2022) Review – A Japanese Action Film About Hope and Dreams

 

The Violence Action (Original title: Baiorensuakushon) | 2022 | 1h 51m
Genre: Action/Comedy/Crime/Drama | Country: Japan
Director: Tôichirô Rutô | Writers: Renji Asai, Itaru Era, Tôichirô Rutô
Cast: Kanna Hashimoto, Yôsuke Sugino, Fumika Baba
IMDb: 4.8
My Rating: 7/10

Kei is a finance college student living a double life as a hitwoman for a secret organization. After completing a mission to assassinate one of the Yakuza leaders, her life changes when she unknowingly gets caught in a power struggle that puts her own life at risk.

 

Warning:

Violence, suicide, strong language

 

Synopsis:

Kei lives a double life. Behind her daily routine as a college student, she works as a hitwoman for a secret organization. Her gentle appearance doesn't reflect her deadly profession at all, making her one of the organization's most dangerous assassins.

One day, Kei is assigned to kill one of the Yakuza leaders under the orders of Kinoshita, who is trying to seize power. The mission is successful, but without realizing it, Kei is pulled into a much more complicated conflict.

On the other hand, Terano, the right-hand man of the Yakuza's top boss, is determined to avenge the death of his colleague, who was shot by Kinoshita. To eliminate the threat, Kinoshita once again orders Kei to kill Terano. However, Kei and Terano's relationship turns out to be far more complicated than that of an assassin and her target, forcing Kei to face a difficult choice.

Will Kei carry out her mission, or will she choose to save Terano?

 

Review:

Everyone needs a reason to keep living. For some people, that reason can be as simple as having a dream they want to achieve. That idea lies at the heart of The Violence Action (2022), a film adapted from the Violence Action webcomic by Renji Asai and Shin Sawada. Beneath its story about a hitwoman and a Yakuza power struggle, the film is really about the hope that keeps people moving forward when life starts to lose its direction.

The film opens in a unique and engaging way. Kei is introduced as a college student with a simple yet eye-catching appearance, thanks to her pastel pink hair, backpack, scooter, and stylish outfits. Not long after, viewers are immediately shown her other side through an intense fight scene. The contrast between Kei's gentle appearance and her abilities as a hitwoman creates a strong first impression. Her character also remains fairly consistent throughout the story.

The introduction of the other key characters is also handled neatly and naturally. Kei's first meeting with Terano flows smoothly without feeling forced, while the appearances of the Yakuza executives help viewers understand the main source of the conflict. Every character has their own role, making the story easy to follow despite the many competing interests within the organization.

The most prominent conflict comes from the external storyline. The struggle for power within the Yakuza, the various missions Kei must complete, and the way she unintentionally gets dragged into a conflict she never wanted all keep the action escalating. However, beneath all the fights, the film still presents a fairly strong internal conflict. Each character carries their own doubts, losses, and dreams that become the reason they keep moving forward.

The ending is presented through an open ending accompanied by an interesting twist. Kei's character development becomes one of the film's most touching aspects. A person who always separated her emotions from her work slowly begins to change after everything she goes through. The change isn't exaggerated, but it's enough to leave the impression that experiences can change the way someone sees life.

Although the film remains entertaining as a light action movie with comedic touches, it's understandable why some viewers may feel unsatisfied with the depth of its story. That may be one of the reasons it only earned a 4.8 rating on IMDb. The backgrounds of the characters, especially Kei as the main protagonist, aren't explored deeply enough, making her character development feel incomplete. As a result, the dialogues and messages about hope and dreams—which are actually the heart of the story—don't leave as strong an impact as they could have.

There is still plenty of room to explore each character further. Diving deeper into their pasts, motivations, and relationships could have created a much stronger emotional connection with the audience. Even so, I think a 4.8 rating feels too low because the film still has many positive qualities, especially its meaningful dialogues about hope and finding reasons to keep living.

The cast delivers fairly natural performances. Kanna Hashimoto does a great job portraying Kei's cute personality and everyday life. However, when she has to transform into a feared hitwoman, her presence doesn't feel entirely convincing. It's not because her action performance is lacking, but her expressions, body language, movements, and even the way she handles weapons don't fully capture the image of a professional assassin. Compared to Akari Takaishi, who has appeared in more action films, the difference in experience is still quite noticeable.

The film's biggest strength actually comes from its technical aspects. The cinematography is handled with great attention to detail, especially during the fight scenes. The camera movements, shot composition, and scene transitions feel creative, such as using a character's movement to connect one location to another. It's clear that the storyboard planning and visual design were carefully thought out.

There are still a few scenes that feel less convincing, such as when the characters are inside a moving car while the background outside the windows doesn't look realistic, making it seem as though the car isn't actually moving. However, this flaw doesn't significantly affect the overall viewing experience.

The soundtrack is another strength of the film. The transitions from fast-paced action music to cheerful tracks during comedic moments are smooth, making the changes in tone feel natural. The combination of action, comedy, and drama gives the film a rhythm that rises and falls like a roller coaster, yet remains enjoyable to follow.

Although the film ends with an open ending, there is still no information about a continuation of the story. If a sequel is ever made, it would be much more interesting if it focused on exploring each character's background, especially Kei's. That way, viewers could better understand the reasons behind her mindset, dreams, and the decisions she makes throughout the story. Such character development has the potential to create a much stronger emotional connection than the first film.

In the end, The Violence Action isn't just a film about a hitwoman. Beneath its action and comedy, it reminds us that everyone needs a reason to keep living. Sometimes, that reason doesn't have to be something big. A small dream is enough to make us choose to keep moving forward.

 

Memorable Scene:

Daria says that she has nothing she truly owns in life, so she has never been afraid of losing anything. Her words reveal how she has gradually lost hope in life. Hearing that, Kei suggests that Daria should have a dream. According to Kei, no matter how small that dream is, life becomes more meaningful when we have something we want to achieve.

Often, people feel that their lives have lost meaning after going through countless hardships. In moments like that, a dream can become a reflection of the hope that still remains. It's not because every dream will come true, but because having a goal gives us a reason to keep moving forward. Sometimes, something as simple as a small goal is enough to help us keep going.

 

Memorable Dialogue:

"But I'm trying one thing at a time to figure out what I could do."

 

Ending:

Open Ending

 
Recommendation:

Worth to Watch

(Aluna Uwie)

 Has been published on Alunauwie.com