Sgt. Kabukiman NYPD

Lloyd Kaufman/Michael Herz, USA 1996, 104 minutes

Tough and slobbish New York Police Sergeant Harry Griswold acquires mystical powers after witnessing the killing of a Japanese spiritualist in a Kabuki Theatre. Soon after he starts to notice strange transformations as he turns into a Kabuki Super hero (this is definitely a case of dumb and dumber)... . He finds himself garbed out in Japanese Kabuki attire, acquiring lethal chopsticks, powerful projectile parasols, suffocating sushi rolls and fatal flying footwear... as well as the obligatory penchant for raw fish and Japanese beer...

The story stars Rick Giansi as Kabukiman, accompanied by beautiful and mystic Lotus (Susan Byun), who helps him hoan his powers to defeat the "Evil One."

Sgt. Kabukiman is perhaps the most mainstream of the Troma stable (bar the obvious Toxic Avenger) who gave us such titles as Surf Nazis Must Die!, Rabid Grannies, Fat Guy Goes Nutzoid and of course Class of Nuke `Em High...

There are some truely gross scenes in this film, and for those of you who know nothing about Troma, they make highly formulaic GROSS OUT movies (usually satirising Super hero comics and films) and are reminiscent of early John Waters films (The "Pope of Trash" himself).

Troma is highly watchable though you are advised to leave your brain outside the theatre...

Still, the jokes are done well and even though they, as with most Troma, get a little stale after a while, there are enough quirks in the film to keep the viewer's interest for the duration.

Though this will never be featured in the best 100 films of the century, it is still highly watchable and good at what it does.

Take it at that, and appreciate those transformations and lethal chop sticks...

Review by Stephen J Brennan
Taken from EUFS Programme 1997-98