Movie Review: Wolf Guy: Enraged Lycanthrope (1975)

You know, I’m sure there are some normal Japanese movies out there, but I certainly haven’t seen them. This is a low-budget action-packed yakuza werewolf film that’s every bit as crazy as you’d want.

It’s got martial arts, it’s got plenty of nudity, and it’s got Sonny Chiba kicking some serious ass.

He’s really compelling as Akira Inugami, basically a werewolf superhero that solves crimes and takes on Japan’s biggest gangs. I like him best when he’s playing it pretty straight. He manages to be threatening and awesome virtually all the time.

The funky soundtrack is pretty great, too. It almost feels like a blaxploitation movie, just without black people.

This movie is a pretty great example of how exploitation movies can be a lot of fun. The story doesn’t matter, the acting doesn’t matter (though I do like Sonny Chiba here). What matters is making a fast-paced, fun film. And director Kazuhiko Yamaguchi pulled that off.

Rating: 6/10