Review of Story Of Ricky: aka Riki Oh

Introduction

This film has gained almost legendary status for its much talked about ultra-violence and high levels of gore. Based on a piece of Japanese Manga (often well known for lots of violence), it`s one of those films that has suffered at the hands of censors over the years. In our new "enlightened BBFC" era, we finally get to see it uncut. Was it worth the wait?

The film was made in 1991, and was set in the future that we now call the past - 2001. In this vision of the future, prisons were privatised (it may still happen you know!), and the prison that Ricky finds himself in is run by a corrupt boss, with 4 criminals ruling the roost in each of the four wings of the prison. Ricky stands up to the evil ones and much blood and gore follows.

Video

A 1.78:1 anamorphic transfer, which appears to be slightly cropped. I believe that the film was shot at 1.85:1, and there are a few occasions when it appears that there are little bits missing around the edges. However, this is more of a minor annoyance than a massive problem.

The print itself looks remarkably clean, with a pleasing lack of dirt and dust. Detail levels are pretty good, there`s only a bit of grain at times, and the colours look nice (apart from all that fake blood, which looks totally unbelievable).

Audio

A pair of DD5.1 remixes, Cantonese or English. I went for the Cantonese, but it`s worth dipping in to the English as it just makes you laugh out loud even more at times. This is a reasonably subdued remix, with most of the work being done by the front 3 speakers. The rears get to do a little bit now and again, but mainly for atmospherics. The bass does seem a little bit over the top at times.

Features

The usual pack of extras starts out with a commentary track. No Bey Logan this time, instead we get Jude Poyer (a stuntman) and Miles Wood (flim critic), who cast their eyes over the film. It`s an interesting track, and covers the history of the film, its run-ins with censors around the world and plenty of information about the people on screen. Worth a listen.

There`s also an interview with Fan Siu-wong (half an hour, and presented in widescreen!), a short demonstration of martial arts, and a pair of trailers for the film.

Conclusion

Oh dear. As with many films that gain cult status over a number of years, you sometimes feel rather let down when you finally get to see them. This was definitely the case here. The violence and gore are just utterly laughable, with fake blood and rubber prosthetics the name of the game. The acting is non-existent, the fight scenes aren`t great, and it rapidly loses what little plot it has and just sprials downward quickly. Maybe it will appeal if you`re having a drunken lads night in or similar, but if you`re looking for a gore-fest, Braindead is a much better bet, as it`s a much better film!

The DVD itself is pretty good, with a good (but slightly cropped) print, reasonable sound and a few extras. If you`ve seen the film before and enjoyed it, then the disc is for you. If you`ve not seen it then I strongly recommend a rental first, otherwise you might feel as let down as I did!