Broken Rage

A conceptual gem realized with effervescent flair.

Based purely on what my brain can understand, it’s a decidedly patchy affair. Which isn’t to say that it’s not charming. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Starting from a drier deadpan before rebooting into unbridled absurdity, Broken Rage is a concise lesson in parody, creating a simple form and then breaking it with the subtle force of a mallet smashing a watermelon.

The whole package may be slight, but it's often sublime.

We live in a world where Mr Beast's show gets more respect from Amazon Prime Video than Japanese icon Takeshi Kitano's new film.

At a tight 67 minutes, and with such glorious irreverence embedded within its form, Broken Rage doesn’t even need its goofs and gags to get the audience rioting.

For Kitano, humour and violence have always been inextricable, and the insouciant self-parody is as much the 78-year-old’s late-career summation of his dual personality.

Despite Beat Takeshi’s reputation as a titan of crime drama and Japanese comedy, Broken Rage’s high-concept attempt to bridge the genres is a setup that isn’t worth the payoff.

One can admire Kitano’s intentions without liking – or fully understanding – the movie. But it’s ultimately too nutty for its own good.

“Broken Rage” obeys two important showbiz adages: always leave them laughing&#59; and always leave them wanting more.