1946. Martial arts master Doshin So (Sonny Chiba in fine fierce form) returns home to Japan after serving as an undercover spy during World War II. Doshin soon establishes himself as a protector of homeless orphans, opens a Shaolin martial arts school, and declares war on a nefarious black market racket.Director Noribumi Suzuki, working from a tough-minded script by Isao Matsumoto, relates the gripping story at a steady pace, maintains a harsh gritty tone throughout, doesn't skimp on the bloody'n'brutal violence, and stages the karate fights with savage aplomb. Moreover, this film offers an interesting depiction of the tattered mess of post-World War II Japan. Naturally, Chiba handles his chopsocky duties with characteristic ferocious brio: Sonny breaks limbs, cuts a rapist's offending weapon off and feeds it to a dog (!), and, of course, takes out dozens of opponents all at once. Better still, Chiba even gets to show a more tender and caring side in several touching scenes with both the orphan kids and a down on her luck prostitute. Recommended viewing for Chiba fans.

My rating of 8 is strictly for the English dubbed version of this Sonny Chiba film. That's because like many martial arts films dubbed in the 1970s and 80s, the dubbing was very poor--with words like "kempo" mistranslated as "shao lin" and the title of the movie being "The Killing Machine"--a concept in direct opposition to the teachings of Doshin So (and about whom this movie is based). With subtitles, it probably rates a 9.Considering that Sonny Chiba's films about Masutatsu Oyama were great (though not exactly literal) martial arts biographies, I made it a point to see his film about Doshin So--the founder of another style of martial arts (both in which, by the way, Chiba earned black belts). And, like these other films, this one is very exciting and features exceptional martial arts techniques. In fact, as the philosophies of the two masters were similar in some ways and they lived during the same period, the films have many, many similarities--especially the main character's reliance on justice for "the little guy". However, unlike the Oyama character, So seemed a bit more purposeful in his life--not wandering about during many of the post-war years looking for trouble. In fact, considering that much of THE KILLING MACHINE was spent beating up mobsters, the film is almost like the merging of the Oyama films with the Zatoichi films (where master Ichi enters a town full of Yakuza and leaves after having killed them all because of their abuse of the common people).About the only trouble with this film is its high level of violence. It was about on par with Chiba's Street Fighter films (which received X ratings for violence when they were released in the US in the 70s). Compared to modern films, the scenes aren't that bad and fortunately the rape scene was cut short before it became too brutal to watch. But, when the rapists then have their "nether-regions" cut off by So with a pair of scissors, it's a bit tough to see--especially with all the blood and watching a dog pick up the penis and run away with it! These punks DID have it coming, but this is certainly NOT a film for kids!!Overall, it's yet another fantastic martial arts film for Sonny Chiba--an amazing martial artist who probably comes the closest to the legendary Bruce Lee in style. His martial artistry is less elegant but far more brutal than modern actors like Jackie Chan and Jet Li. These newcomers are great fun to watch, but Chiba's characters are just concerned with killing blows instead of style--yikes! FYI--One reviewer seemed to feel that this film was overly sympathetic to the Japanese and their role in starting WWII. While I agree that the Japanese film industry has largely ignored their country's responsibility in the war, I don't think this film is trying to paint the Japanese as victims. Yes, some of the fight scenes involve Chiba fighting against American G.I.s, but he also fights with many Japanese Yakuza AND stops Japanese soldiers from raping a woman when the film begins. Additionally, the average poor Japanese citizen did feel rather disenfranchised and lost after the war because their way of life ended so abruptly.Also FYI--Throughout the film, So and his followers wear a dobok (a martial arts uniform) with a swastika on them. This is an ancient Asian symbol commonly used in India, China and Japan (among other places). It denotes luck or well being and is NOT an endorsement of Nazis--so relax and just enjoy the film!!!!

That's right every man and woman hero its 1946 and the war is over. Japan is all messed up and so he defends the poor well kids anyway and a prostitute he fights and badly hurts two Americans and he is said to be put to death.The warden likes our hero tells him to leave Osaka,Japan.He does and starts up a dojo where he teaches show Lin karate anyway this is a great movie lots of fighting good acting and at times really sad and gory.Chibas character cuts off a bad guys balls dislocates allot of limbs his buby gits stabbed to death and a student/friend gets his arm cut off I have the movie in a 3 pack Lethal Chiba it includes this and The Executioner one and two if your a fan go get this DVD easy to find and its cheep at Best Buy only paid 16 bucks for it!!Let action begin!!!

"The Killing Machine" undoubtedly did not make the short list for foreign films up for Oscars in 1975, but for Chiba fans, this is pure gold.It's 1945, and Chiba is a spy in the Japanese Imperial Army, one of the many "disillusioned" young men after Japan's unconditional surrender. The story takes him from the poor streets of post-war Japan, taking care of homeless kids, to founding a karate school which provides a bulwark of purity against corrupt drug traffickers.The campy hokeyness is best exemplified in the first scene, when Chiba is spying on Chinese commanders in a nondescript house at the front. He is discovered, fights his way out, and in the split second change in scene, stumbles into a Japanese office, like it was located in the very next room (hey, do you think the two sets were side by side????).But this film contains some great fight scenes. Back kicks, devastating punches, spurting limbs, and genitalia severed with scissors and fed to the local stray dogs abounds. In my fav scene which really exemplifies Chiba's style, he lays waste to an opponent by bending his arm back and breaking it, and it flops backwards at a grotesque angle. Then, as though this wasn't enough, he takes the time to turn the guy over and break his other arm! Classic!!! who can argue with this type of genius!!Definitely, definitely see this, if possible with some beers and a bunch of friends with the same taste in campy 1970's martial arts films.