GOLGO 13 (1973)

Golgo 13, Gorugo 13 (1973)
Directed by: Jun'ya Satô
Written by: K. Motomitsu, Takao Saitô
Starring: Ahmad Ghadakchian, Dariush Asadzade, Jalal Pishvaian, Jaleh Sam, Ken Takakura, Pouri Baneai, Siamak Atlassi, Yadolla Shirandami

GOLGO 13 (1973)
Directed by Jun’ya Satô
Japanese Language with English Subtitles
Available on Blu-Ray from Eureka Entertainment

Duke Togo, a hitman also known under the alias Golgo 13, is hired by a government agency to locate and take out a mobster by the name of Max Boa. Having already sent out four operatives, all of whom have wound up dead whilst out in the field, they hope that hiring the infamous Golgo will allow them to finally get rid Max Boa who they suspect has been responsible for the disappearance of a number of beautiful women in different countries across the world. Having located Boa in Tehran, Golgo must fly to Iran and track down the crook, but with no real positive ID on the man, he must outwit the enemy before they get to him first.

Starring the terrific Ken Takakura as the titular Japanese assassin, GOLGO 13 is a live-action adaptation of a manga series from the late 1960’s, which sees the hitman for hire traverse the capital of Iran on the hunt for enigmatic Max Boa. Not much is known about Duke Togo and he prefers it that way. Though his reputation as Golgo proceeds him and is feared by many criminal across the globe. Cool-as-ice and always alert, he takes his job seriously. Even the allure of women cannot distract him from the task at hand. He always seems to be one step ahead in the cat and mouse chase as he finds himself the target of not only Boa’s goons who are trying to protect their boss but the local police force too. However, even Golgo is at risk of dropping the ball at times. He is only human, after all.

For what is a mean thriller, it’s surprisingly not short on humour. The villain of the piece, known as Max Boa, for the majority of the movie is as much of a mystery to the viewer as he is for Golgo. Whenever he’s on screen, the audience only sees the back of his head, as he’s sat down on his couch in his luxurious home with his pride and joy, pet parrot Julie, perched on his shoulder. Occasionally we’ll see him talking on the phone, brought to him by his mistreated mistress, Yvonne, who clearly plays second fiddle to the parrot. Boa’s adoration and preference for his feathered friend is quite comical, considering he’s meant to be the mastermind of an international hostage and trafficking ring. With many nasty men working for him though, Boa is not one to be easily messed with and Golgo has his work cut out to get through them to reach Boa.

As a crime thriller, GOLGO 13 is distinctly different to the other films produced by Toei. Stepping outside of Japan with Takakura as the lead sees the story take on a more international flavour as the bulk of the action takes place in the Middle East. The film takes advantage of its setting by showcasing the Iranian location to great effect. Golgo stalking the sun-soaked streets of Tehran, as he attempts to find Boa’s hideout, is fascinating to watch, as is a shootout at a desert ruin location, with the characteristics of the environment adding to the performances from those involved. Being a Japanese man in a middle-Eastern country also makes Golgo an easier target for the bad guys as there’s not that many foreigners walking around matching his description. It all adds up to be an exciting thriller that comes packing the heat with shoot outs, car chases and explosions!

What I loved about this film is that it ain’t all rosy. Sometimes you have to pick your battles and sometimes the bad men win. This bleak outlook is quite refreshing and brings a realism to the story, even if some elements of the film can be a little fantastical at times.

Slick, brooding and action-packed, there’s never a dull moment in GOLGO 13 – a film that packs a punch and relishes every moment delivered on-screen.

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