Story of Ricky

"The Story of Ricky" is one of those so-bad-it's-good movies. It is enjoyable to watch, with terrible effects, terrible writing, and terrible acting. Watch this if you want to see people punching through each other's stomachs and a person who keeps mints in his glass eye. This should be watched for entertainment purposes only, it's not a work of art whatsoever.

My friend brought over this film and popped it into my DVD player as an endurance test. He said we would watch as much as I could possibly stand, and would turn it off the second I said I wanted to. First we watched the trailer. Then he started to play it with English dubbing. I lasted 10 minutes and 34 seconds. He then insisted that we watch his favorite fight scene. I asked a question about a scene in the trailer and to answer it we also watched the very very very end. Here be spoilers(minor): *A man gets knocked into a plank of wood full of nails, which stab him in the eye, and accuses the guy who did it of "picking" on him? It's not like Ricky teased him and ran his underwear up the flagpole. That's quite a bit more major then picking on someone. *The assistant warden keeps MINTS in his glass eye? Ewww. *Okay, I have to say it. "You got a lot of guts Oscar" may possibly be the dumbest line EVER IN A MOVIE! *If there is going to be graphic violence, at least make it look real. It looked like clay statues were getting stabbed. Here be spoilers(major): *If Ricky could punch a hole in the wall and escape, WHY DIDN'T HE DO IT THE SECOND HE REALIZED JUST ABOUT EVERYONE WANTED HIM KILLED????? Show some brains Ricky-Oh. All in all, bad dialog, bad effects, and a script that makes no sense leave for a very dumb time. Probably only entertaining when drunk or high. Intelligent people, walk away now or you'll be running away screaming later, possibly with the desire to clean both your brain and your corneas with a Brillo pad.

source: Story of Ricky

This movie was awesome! The absurdity of the violence is gut-splitting, both literally and metaphorically, yet very intriguing considering the time frame. The directing was much better than I had imagine it would have been, as was the movie as a whole. The young man that played Ricky was perfect. Good lord, was he ripped! The make-up was great. The intestine scene was not only creative as hell, it was very realistic in an exaggerated way of perceiving. Overall, i was thoroughly impressed. I do not know if it was the goriest movie of all time (Dead Alive, a.k.a. Braindead? Ichi the Killer?), as I had been told that it is, but it was definitely one to be easily remembered. Friggin' awesome. Long Live Kubrick!

In the near future, prisons have became commercialized and became franchises by the government. A young man named Riki-Oh is imprisoned for manslaughter as he discovers that his new home called prison is literally hell with some of the wicked wardens, drug smugglers and a powerful gang want to push him around. He does have superman-esquire superhuman strength that can destroy a human power in seconds with a punch or rip as he must use his powers and martial arts to battle his way to the prison to expose the truth behind the Warden and assistant warden. This Hong Kong/Japanese Sci-fi action fantasy import is one of the craziest, goriest and most over-the-top movies ever. It's also one of the most hilarious around! this is based on a Japanese Manga as this movie has built a huge cult following over the years including me being one of them as i loved this since i rented it on video in high school in the late 90's. The acting and English dubbing is quite laughable but the martial arts and gore effects here are just outstanding yet stomach churning at the same time even with the use of an instestine to struggle someone's neck or even the infamous exploding head which was shown on "The Daily Show". Definitely a favorite among Quentin Tarantino and fans of exploitation, gore, action, Sci-fi and manga should check out this excellent and fun blood-feast as it's one of my personal favorites ever.

It's almost inane for me to give a film such as Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky a rating of 10/10, but why carp? This kind of film reminded me, in a sense, of what Mel Brooks once said regarding his films "I rise below vulgarity". Mark my words, folks, you'll rank this as one of the five most (pointlessly) violent films ever made. That it is also one of the funniest kinds of flicks to see with a bunch of friends either laughing out loud or grinning at how over the top it gets adds to the appeal. In a way you have to look at this as being an homage of those anime series like Fist of the North Star (indeed, this is one of many, many films made from Magma comics). Because as its protagonist IS like one of the kinds of characters of that film I mentioned, where there were completely unexplained though somehow permissible scenes of graphic decapitations, holes punched randomly through people's heads and body parts, shredding (i.e. LOTS of gore), you got to let things slide IF interested. And wouldn't you know it, it's also a political statement as well! Boy have those Capitalists done a lot in the ten years time between the film's release (1991) and when and where the story takes place in the movie (2001, under complete prison rule). It's brutal and sadistic, and only the ultra-powerful and practically immortal Riki-Oh can save the prisoners from the Warden and his torturous, barbaric ways. Basically, you watch a film like this- as with Brooks- to see how far it might just go. It's really go-for-broke as far as the action goes, or maybe (from their point of view) the sky's the limit as far as cheap, amazingly outrageous sequences go. There is also one of the funniest mid-sections of a film you may ever see, if you're a fan of the genre; as Riki-Oh has to face his first real challenge in the prison, saving a man chained to a cross, and almost entangled in his enemy's intestines! In short, this is really nothing more- and it certainly doesn't pretend to be anything more- than a true cult-classic where everything is taken so seriously, and the effects are so unbelievable while still being completely obvious, so that it's sure for a good time. Just know what you're getting into it (they used to play a clip of one of the goons heads getting smashed years ago on the Daily Show).

STORY OF RICKY is a really fun, gory mix of kung-fu action, horror and comedy all in one. The deal: Ricky is sent to prison after he kills the guys that murder his girlfriend. Ricky gets on the wrong side of the corrupt prison guards and inmates that run the prison when he champions the causes of the weaker inmates...But little do the enemies know that Ricky is a comic-bookesque beast of a fighter - and he proceeds to prove his skills in several gory (and oftentimes hilarious) fight scenes. The acting is ridiculous, the Fx are mostly cheesy, the English language dub is so horrible it's hilarious (and honestly one of the best parts of the film...), and an ending that is completely retarded, STORY OF RICKY is just plain fun. Plenty of the red stuff to keep the goreheads happy, and anyone who enjoys B-movies should really appreciate this one. definitely recommended 8 1/2 out of 10

If you hate blood and guts (literally) stop reading now this movie is in no way for you. On the popcorn scale of fun brain removed films this is on the top rung for laugh out loud enjoyment. The plot has Ricky, a kid with super strength being thrown into prison for killing the man responsible for the girl he loved. This is a corrupt privatized prison of the future where the prisoners are nothing more than cheap labor. Ricky instantly gets under the skin of the wardens, the guards and the leaders of the prison population. Cartoon violence with bloody gory consequences ensue. Body parts go flying as Ricky fights to stay alive and help his fellow prisoners. This is one of the bloodiest movies I've ever seen. Think Python's Salad Days sketch but for 90 minutes. There is blood and limbs everywhere. The effects run from very good to god awful, with most just okay. None of it is really "real".There's no way you could do this film realistic, assuming the plot allowed it, with out having the audience throwing up all over the place. I'm assuming they are done the way they are for effect, we see the effect of the violence and laugh at the silliness of it all while keeping our lunches. And as the film spins more and more out of control, with plot holes that are more like stellar voids, you find your self staring and laughing at it all, disbelieving that grown people put this together. Its a 12 year-old's action figure dream come true, but some how it all works on an adult level since the film makers seem to be winking and nodding at those watching it. High camp? Low brow? There is nothing in this film that seems to be serious except for the way that pretty much everyone plays it dead nuts straight to wonderful tongue through cheek effect. Not a movie you want to see on a first date (or any date) this is a movie to watch with some loud friends with strong stomachs and a great sense of the absurd. Its not a great film as such and I doubt it was ever intended to be, however on the throw your mind out of the car on the way to the video store scale this film rates at the top. And I can't stress enough this film lives up to its rep for blood and guts. If you don't like to see them flying in every direction stay away stay away stay away.

"Riki Oh" is a frightening piece of work. Some of the bizarrest stuff ever put on celluloid to my knowledge. Every single frame is bursting with insanity and confusion. Don't even try to understand it, you might as well try to divide large numbers in your head for an hour and a half. Riki is a very hunky prisoner in a future where corporations control everything. I know this information because the producers felt it necessary to put this in TWO different captions at the start of the film. Just so we know. Young Riki gets into a lot of trouble both with the guards and his fellow inmates. This allows him to rip his shirt off a lot and expose his flexed chest (Seriously, the guy takes his shirt about once every thirty seconds. He puts it back on just so he can take it off again.). Somehow Riki was given supernatural powers that really help in a prison riot. You see Riki can punch through just about anything, be it animal, mineral or vegetable. He punches through walls, desks, pipes, bars, and lots of human bodies. Yes that's correct, he punches through people. Their arms, legs, stomachs, and sometimes heads. This excessive violence lends the film to excessive gore. We're talking spilled jugs of Kool-Aid excessive. And you get to see it all; although the worst gore is rarely on screen for more than a split second. Still you get to see a guy eat razors, a person explode like a balloon and one guy get put in a huge meat grinder. Yummy! The copy I saw was dubbed, and that only added to the fun. I recommend this movie, solely for goofing on it. Otherwise, it is a very bad film. Only for those with a good sense of humor. You have been warned.

A man jailed for getting his revenge on those who (indirectly) killed his girlfriend gets sent to the prison of the future. While in prison, he discovers an opium greenhouse (not cleverly hidden) and fights plenty of guards, inmates and the warden. I gave this film a ten, not because it is a cinematic masterpiece... but because this film stands alone as something that can never be equaled. You will not walk away from this film the same person. Its kiss is like jackhammer; when it is through with you, you are changed. The violence is excessive to the point of being funny -- walls and body parts exploding. It was hard to tell if this film was supposed to be a comedy or action because while the plot is serious, the action is outrageous. And sometimes you can too easily tell that a body part is a model or that walls are being pulled apart by strings. The dubbing is really funny, and the use of multiple subtitles (in both British English and American English) is amusing. The film probably deserves a decent transfer and better subtitles, but that might take something away from this film's immense cheese factor. The characters are pretty interesting -- a warden who can transform into the Incredible Hulk and his assistant with one eye and a hook for a hand (who has a wall full of pornographic videos). If you liked the gore of something like "Terror Firmer", you will find this to be in a similar vein (though, in my opinion, far less offensive). If you do not like blood in your movies, you want to run away from this as quickly as possible. But heck, this is seriously something you cannot go through life without seeing. Highest possible recommendation.