Mikadroid: Robokill Beneath Disco Club Layla (1991)

There is something about this movie that put a smile on my face. The acting was horrible, the special effects were atrocious, but what pulled this film out of the quintessential gutter was the imagination that was poured into this film. There are scenes that just stood out, moments that made you question the validity of the pre-story, and stunning images of a modern-day 1990s Japan. For these three simple reasons, I am proud to introduce this film into the Cinema Underground cannon. Can I suggest it to everyone? Nope, but those who enjoy non-stop action, an unbelievable story, coupled with characters who care nothing about development just for their safety, than this is the film for you.

The story of an old cyborg program that was shut down after WWII, only to have a disco built on top of it, begins to destroy again when a power short awakens the sole cyborg from below. Armed with a machine gun and a samurai sword, it takes the idea of parking-lot death to a whole new level. Without ever going to the actual disco, this cyborg would never stop its car destruction if it weren't for two random 1/2 man, 1/2 cyborg flunkies that cannot die unless their trio of friends are reunited once more. Sound intriguing? I know I am pulling you deeper into this film. Needless to say, there is no romance, only full-fledged bro-mance and two unsuspecting people caught in the middle trying to escape. That is the appeal of this film. It is a no-brain-er film that doesn't need tons of special effects to be fun. It is a simple film, with a great point A-to-B-to-C direction that makes cinema just feel refreshing. Again, this isn't for everyone - but with a couple of beers, "Mikadroid" transforms from bad to decently well put together.

Found in my new book "The Encyclopedia of Japanese Cinema", I am eager to see what happens next. I went from a horror biography in "Rampo" to this shlock of sci-fi//action//adventure in "Mikadroid". I couldn't be happier with this book. While the upcoming seem difficult, I am eager to see where this string of cinema will lead me. As you may not have guessed it, this is getting a green mark with blue stars. I cannot wait to add this to my collection and have others enjoy the 80-ish minutes that this film offers. Impressive.