As a rule, any film that relies on a glut of special effects and noisy action set-pieces to try and detract from the fact that its plot is either non-existent or virtually indecipherable will receive a critical mauling from me. However, Cutie Honey is an exception to this rule for two reasons: firstly, it is so absolutely, unashamedly, ridiculously over-the-top that it's almost impossible not to enjoy (despite the increasingly difficult to understand story); and secondly, its star, Eriko Sato, is incredibly gorgeouscall me shallow, but the inclusion of a great looking Japanese babe in a series of sexy outfits really helps me forget about trifling details such as a decent narrative.
In this hyper-stylised manga-based movie from director Hideaki Anno, the stunning Eriko plays a super-powered android (equipped with nano-technology), who is capable of transforming her appearance at will. Keen to have this technology for herself, Sister Jill, leader of the evil Panther Claw organisation, sends her minions to kidnap top scientists, but eventually sets her sights on trapping Cutie Honey herself, whom she hopes to assimilate.
Opening with an insane action-packed sequence in which our sexy heroine battles the nasty Golden Glaw and umpteen black-clad henchmen, the film immediately establishes its cartoonish day-glo style; the next hour-and-a-half is a mind-boggling display of visual inventiveness and cheap titillationperfect entertainment for those who like their action demented and their women seriously tasty.
Sato is excellent as Cutie Honey, perfectly capturing the innocence of her character whilst simultaneously turning up the heat by wearing a variety of revealing get-ups which include her superhero outfit (pink spandex with a strategically placed heart shaped hole to reveal her ample cleavage), a halter-neck/mini skirt combo, and, once or twice, just her underwear.
The action, which starts out crazy and gets sillier as the film progresses, includes the initial encounter with Golden Claw, who is equipped with prehensile hair, an encounter with a scuttling vampiric creature (Cobalt Claw), and a battle atop the giant drill-shaped Panther Claw HQ (which emerges from beneath the Tokyo Tower) against Scarlet Claw and Black Claw (who inexplicably performs an impromptu song-and-dance number mid-fight).
The ending is a bit of a damp squib (some incomprehensible rubbish in which Cutie nearly turns into a plant and love, once again, saves the day), but with so much fun preceding it, this movie still gets a very reasonable 7.5/10 from me, rounded up to 8 for IMDb.
In this hyper-stylised manga-based movie from director Hideaki Anno, the stunning Eriko plays a super-powered android (equipped with nano-technology), who is capable of transforming her appearance at will. Keen to have this technology for herself, Sister Jill, leader of the evil Panther Claw organisation, sends her minions to kidnap top scientists, but eventually sets her sights on trapping Cutie Honey herself, whom she hopes to assimilate.
Opening with an insane action-packed sequence in which our sexy heroine battles the nasty Golden Glaw and umpteen black-clad henchmen, the film immediately establishes its cartoonish day-glo style; the next hour-and-a-half is a mind-boggling display of visual inventiveness and cheap titillationperfect entertainment for those who like their action demented and their women seriously tasty.
Sato is excellent as Cutie Honey, perfectly capturing the innocence of her character whilst simultaneously turning up the heat by wearing a variety of revealing get-ups which include her superhero outfit (pink spandex with a strategically placed heart shaped hole to reveal her ample cleavage), a halter-neck/mini skirt combo, and, once or twice, just her underwear.
The action, which starts out crazy and gets sillier as the film progresses, includes the initial encounter with Golden Claw, who is equipped with prehensile hair, an encounter with a scuttling vampiric creature (Cobalt Claw), and a battle atop the giant drill-shaped Panther Claw HQ (which emerges from beneath the Tokyo Tower) against Scarlet Claw and Black Claw (who inexplicably performs an impromptu song-and-dance number mid-fight).
The ending is a bit of a damp squib (some incomprehensible rubbish in which Cutie nearly turns into a plant and love, once again, saves the day), but with so much fun preceding it, this movie still gets a very reasonable 7.5/10 from me, rounded up to 8 for IMDb.