This is an extremely violent and well made martial arts movie--the final in the trilogy based on the life of Masutatsu Oyama--actor Sonny Chiba's instructor in Kyokushinkai Karate. I enjoyed the first two films and at first thought they were totally fictional (after all, who would stage a fight with a bear or a bull), but was shocked to find that for the most part the details of the story were more or less true. However, in this final movie, there is so much killing and extraordinary action that I again wonder what is true and what is exaggerated in the movie. Web sites about Oyama's life weren't all that helpful and I enjoyed the movies enough I might just try to find a biography of this incredible man.

What made the real life Oyama amazing was that like Bruce Lee, his brand of martial arts was made up of whatever techniques worked and this style emphasized winning the fight as quickly as possible. So when you see Sonny Chiba portraying Oyama, it was realistic that he dispatched many opponents with one blow or used lethal-style attacks. However, if you add up all the people he killed in the trilogy, Oyama would have probably killed a hundred or more people and I seriously doubt that Japan would have allowed him to run free!! But, for a film, showing this style of brutal fighting is great because all the silly frills and silly crap that often accompanied SOME martial arts films is gone. Instead, it's stripped down to the bone--just raw and brutal fighting. Chiba is amazing in this film (as well as other films such as the STREET FIGHTER series) because his style is intense and forceful--it's easy to imagine him really being such a dangerous fighting machine. So, for raw fighting power, these films are very similar to the Bruce Lee films. In fact, towards the end, there's an obvious homage to ENTER THE DRAGON where Oyama fights the leader of the baddies in a mirrored room.

For fans of martial arts films, it doesn't get much better than this. While not a perfect film, it is among the very best and highest rated I have seen--earning a 9 through sheer brute strength and technique.

Fearsome master karate fighter Masutatsu Oyama (Sonny Chiba in typically intense and intimidating form) finds himself ostracized by the Karate Society of Japan for his past fights with both a bull and a bear. After working as a bodyguard for local thugs, Oyama agrees to battle in the ring against professional wrestlers in fixed games alongside judo expert Fujita. However, Oyama winds up in hot water with the mob when he refuses to lose in the prearranged matches.

Director Kazuhiko Yamaguchi gets things off to a cracking start with a fantastically thrilling set piece in which Oyama pulverizes a hundred students and their sensei in a dojo (they try to cheat by pouring oil on the floor, but Oyama outsmarts them by stepping on the battered bodies of his fallen opponents!), maintains a serious tone throughout, and keeps the story moving along at a brisk pace. Masahiro Kakefuda's outrageous script not only has fun taking potshots at the intrinsic cartoonish absurdity of wrestling, but also blatantly lifts the stirring hall of mirrors sequence from "Enter the Dragon" for the rousing climactic confrontation between Oyama and a major crime syndicate kingpin. Moreover, it's a real brutal treat to see Chiba vigorously mix it up with such legendary ring rats as Mr. Chin, Snake Amami, Rip Tyler, and Eddie Sullivan as well as endure assorted savage wrestling moves that include the bear hug, neck hanging, and the airplane spin. Yoko Natsuki contributes an appealing turn as a browbeaten and downtrodden young lass with tuberculosis who Oyama comes to the aid of. Yoshio Nakajima's dynamic widescreen cinematography offers lots of funky whiplash pans and cool occasional use of freeze frames. Essential viewing for Chiba fans.

The one Thing i can say is WOW! This movie kicks some butt and then some. It's the conclusion in the Oyama trilogy. Sonny Chiba reprises his role as Oyama in this terrific actioner that brings the saga to a close. In this actioner, Oyama has joined an outfit as a bodyguard and is going around japan challenging all schools that his karate is better than thiers. At this one school, Oyama kicks the crap out of 100 students and their teacher but not before he gouges his one eye out. Later, Oyama is offered some big bucks to go to Okinawa and participate in pro wrestling. If Oyama wins, he'll be paid handsomly. Only later does Oyama find out that the matches are fixed and he's supposed to lose. Oyama is very hot at this and he goes on fighting in the ring only to win and this angers the local mafia. With the mafia gunning for him, Oyama declares war. The movie is almost a copycat of Enter The Dragon except the director has a more visual eye than Robert Clouse. The fight scenes are brutal and bloody and Sonny Chiba is in top form in the last outing of Oyama. ****