Golgo 13: Queen Bee
| Year: | 1998 |
| Director: | Osamu Dezaki |
| Producer: | Hitoshi Yoshimura |
| Writer: | Takao Saito |
| Cast: | John DiMaggio |
I loved the original Golgo 13 film, but this was a big letdown. It deals with an assignment Duke gets to take out a beautiful young woman who runs a South American rebel force. She's somehow connected with a politician set to win the presidency thanks to a slimy handler steering his rise from behind the scenes.
Of course, he shags the flame-haired heroine - as does everyone else, which is what the Golgo 13 franchise is mostly about. And he realises he's drawn into a web of deceit that means a lot than an everyday job is at stake. And of course, Duke takes it all - including the many injuries, shootings and shagging - without breaking a sweat.
But where the original had genuinely scary villains in Snake, Gold and Silver, this film only has a psychotic Vietnam veteran you know is no match for Golgo. Where the original had a sweeping plot that encompassed a billionaire industrialist and his influence with almost every US law enforcement and spy agency, this one is just about a corrupt politician with a shady past.
Where you fell in love with the women, cheered for the heroes and hated the villains of The Professional, this time none of them have a similar impact and it all feels over too soon. When the climax comes, you're expecting a lot more and suddenly the credits start to roll.
Now 10 years old as I write this, and only the second film in the series, there's definitely a place for more Golgo adventures.
In a bizarre piece of trivia, who knew the guy who does bender in Futurama did Golgo's voice in the English dub version?
Of course, he shags the flame-haired heroine - as does everyone else, which is what the Golgo 13 franchise is mostly about. And he realises he's drawn into a web of deceit that means a lot than an everyday job is at stake. And of course, Duke takes it all - including the many injuries, shootings and shagging - without breaking a sweat.
But where the original had genuinely scary villains in Snake, Gold and Silver, this film only has a psychotic Vietnam veteran you know is no match for Golgo. Where the original had a sweeping plot that encompassed a billionaire industrialist and his influence with almost every US law enforcement and spy agency, this one is just about a corrupt politician with a shady past.
Where you fell in love with the women, cheered for the heroes and hated the villains of The Professional, this time none of them have a similar impact and it all feels over too soon. When the climax comes, you're expecting a lot more and suddenly the credits start to roll.
Now 10 years old as I write this, and only the second film in the series, there's definitely a place for more Golgo adventures.
In a bizarre piece of trivia, who knew the guy who does bender in Futurama did Golgo's voice in the English dub version?