Part of the expansive Japanese splatter underground, director Takao Nakano has offered plenty of work expanding the scope of high-concept, creative Japanese exploitation cinema as writer and director. His last directorial offering before departing for the Ultraman saga and adapted from Rei Mikamoto's manga of the same name, Kyonyû doragon: Onsen zonbi vs sutorippâ 5, the original title for the film Big Tits Zombie (or Dragon depending on the country) carries on that tradition nicely with a really enjoyable release.
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Tired of their line of work, Lena Jodo (Sora Aoi), Ginko (Risa Kasumi) Maria (Mari Sakurai), Nene (Tomayao), and Darma (Io Aikawa) a group of dancers hate their lives in a low-rent strip-club. After a backstage accident, they discover a strange occult book in their club and begin passing the time reading the passages within. However, they end up finding themselves in the middle of a zombie outbreak through a curse inscribed in the book and must battle the unleashed creatures in order to get away from the city alive.
This ended up being one of the more enjoyable zombie cheese-fests. Most of the film's charm lies in that this one is so unashamedly intent on opting for the cheesy side of the sleaze-riddled storyline. The entire film is quite apparent in this overall look and feel, from the whole environment of the club where they work to the way they behave waiting for their shifts to start. However, the main fun of this one is the ease with which it goes for exploitation in the storyline. This never resists a chance to showcase their physical attributes by shoving the camera into their privates, gawking at or remarking about their figures or forcing them into skimpy costumes for their risqué dance routines. Likewise, this also has them constantly engage in topless wrestling matches filled with comical sound effects upon the appearance of nudity, which really gives this a quite cheesy yet sleazy feel throughout the film.
This is suitably carried over into the frantic second half where they accidentally unleash the zombies. These scenes are quite varied and range from the rather chilling ritual space down in the secret room where the different relics and body parts are found, to the chaotic sequence involving their interrupted performance where they realize the patrons are resurrected zombies. This is a great ability on Nakano to be able to shift the tone so easily, as the film fits in both styles rather well. The scenes are creepy and chilling when they need to be yet the action confrontations are fast-paced and energetic. Not only are they fun, stylish and engaging, but they manage to provide plenty of over-the-top visuals and scenarios as a result.
There's not a whole lot here that doesn't work. The main element at play is Tsuyoshi Kazuno's visual effects, which starts from the 3D work that is so low and barely there, it's not worth it. Only a few objects get thrown into the camera for the process to work, and the CGI splatter is really obvious. Atsushi Tomera creates a few solid molds for practical effects-work, but they're not on-screen often enough compared to the focus on CGI that pushes it aside. As well, the film's focus on exploitation makes this exceptionally limited in its appeal. The excess skin and gross-out gore won't offer much enjoyment for some, and even exploitation fans might be turned off by the low-budget look here. .
In no way shape or form a competent film, “Kyonyû doragon” manages to offer a fantastic amount of enjoyable sleaze that packs in plenty of likable elements.
