GOLGO 13:QUEEN BEE
The truly evil murder with style
Review by: Craig “The Jackal” Norris
Length: 60 minute movie
Genre: Action, drama
Watched: All, subbed
I must admit, I have always had a secret admiration for really good assassins. Their motives and lack of ethics aside, the very cautious, thorough, and methodical way in which they approach killing is almost refreshing in a world filled with street violence and military conflict. I certainly can’t think of anyone who personifies what it means to be an assassin better than Golgo 13. I also can’t think of anybody who does his job better. The Mafia should take notes on this movie; this is how you go about disposing of your enemies.
Plot synopsis: Vice presidential candidate Thomas Waltham has hired Golgo 13 to assassinate the leader of the Comnerro Liberation Front, a woman who goes by the name Queen Bee, who seeks to kill Waltham’s running mate and Democratic presidential candidate, Thomas Hardy. Hardy’s hard-line stance against drugs threatens to hinder the Comnerro Liberation Front, whose major source of income is cocaine trafficking. However, Golgo 13 feels that the motive is too cut-and-dried, and seeks to unravel Queen Bee’s past so he can be sure of exactly who he’s dealing with.
Artwork: The animation for this movie is a big step-up from the first film. It improved what Golgo 13: The Professional did well, and got rid of what it did visually wrong. That means nary an overlapped frame or a single second of really bad CG is to be found here. Some corners were cut on action scenes, as still-frames and swooshing-line backgrounds are used liberally. On the whole, the animation is among the better examples of mid-1990s productions.
Music: The music selection for this movie was pretty basic, focusing mostly on smooth jazz and a few standard synthesizer riffs. The opening song was very good, reminding me of some of Michael McDonald’s better solo projects. The rest of the soundtrack was rather nondescript, but it sounded alright. The music for the film was good, and that’s about it; not worth remembering, and certainly not worth plunking down the money for.
Characters: Don’t you just love it when there are absolutely no good guys? When the cast includes a corrupt politician, a drug lord, a psychotic former marine, and a radical cocaine smuggler and terrorist, it lets me root for the contract killer with a clear conscience. Then again, it’s difficult not to appreciate someone as thorough and ruthless as Golgo 13. He can kill someone with a sniper rifle from hundreds of yards away, or up close and personal with a knife, and all points in between. And when he makes up his mind to kill someone, there is nothing that can stop him except the death of his target. Despite all this, he still gets unbelievable amounts of tail. In this case, it’s from a woman who knows that he’s out to kill her! Let’s see Hugh Hefner top that! As for Queen Bee, who also goes by the name Sonia, she is quite a conundrum. On one hand she is a battle-hardened mercenary who thinks nothing of killing betrayers and ships cocaine as easily as if it were coffee beans. On the other hand, she values her life and the lives of her associates, and is beloved by her followers. She is also a major nymphomaniac, and has “personal” relationships with many of her subordinates and business partners. Robert Hardy appears to be a charismatic shoe-in for the White House. However, he is racked with his own personal problems, and is essentially nothing more than a front man for Thomas Waltham. Waltham is the mastermind who has been running the show from day one, and he is determined not to let anything stand in his path to political success, even if he has to resort to some rather unsavory methods to ensure it. As with the first movie, the cast is filled with some rather shady characters, and it’s really up to the viewer to decide who is worthy of sympathy, if anybody.
Plot: I really enjoyed the simplicity of the plot. Whenever politics are involved in an anime, it has a tendency to get very long-winded and convoluted. This time, however, the political element was kept to a minimum, focusing on only a few key issues, and delving into human aspects as opposed to the bureaucratic ones. Also, the plot twists quite a bit for a movie that only lasts an hour, but there aren’t so many that the movie gets bogged down with shocking developments. The flow, excellent pacing, and satisfying conclusion make watching this movie an hour well spent. Oh yeah, and when the walking aphrodisiac that is Golgo 13 splits screen time with a nymphomaniac, expect lots of sex. Nothing graphic, but it isn't exactly implied, either.
CHICKS!: Only one chick to be had here, but she is hot and promiscuous, so that makes up for a lot. Morale among the troops must be high when their gorgeous commanding officer wants to sleep with each and every one of them. And her relentless appetite for sex seems not to be a mental disorder so much as a manifestation of her genuine concern for her men’s well-being and happiness. Still, don’t take her lightly or she will mercilessly slaughter you. Treat her with respect, though, and you’ve got an excellent leader who doubles as a booty call. If the US Army hired drill instructors that looked and behaved like Sonia, I guarantee that the recruitment rate would jump through the roof in a matter of months.
Overall: I don’t condone the slaughter of human beings in any way, and certainly not for the sole purpose of collecting a big paycheck. However, I feel that indulging in a little bit of the old ultra-violence is okay every now and again. Not only will this movie quench your lust for senseless and gratuitous bloodshed, it also offers a genuinely good story to enjoy. If you find such material objectionable, just keep reminding yourself that it’s all animated, and you should be able to appreciate it on some level.
IN A NUTSHELL
+ Very good animation
+ Simple but satisfying plot
+ Golgo 13 is still the man!
+ Complex and interesting characters
- American politicians are portrayed as dicks
- The portrayal is 100% correct
Rating: 9/10
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