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Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D. More at IMDbPro »

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8 out of 9 people found the following review useful:

One Of Troma's Best

Author: Crap_Connoisseur from Australia
28 March 2006

Sgt. Kabukiman NYPD is one of my favourite Troma movies. In fact, it's one of my favourite cult movies - full stop. Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz really hit a home run with this opus. Rarely have either of these great men been responsible for something so lovingly crafted or effortlessly winning.

In my opinion, Sgt. Kabukiman NYPD proves once and for all that Kaufman and Herz are highly skilled filmmakers, not the hacks they promote themselves to be. These men should be feted at film festivals around the world as film gods instead of being reduced to approaching perverts in public toilets for funding. This film is extremely accomplished. The direction is stylish, the pacing is brisk and the action sequences are well staged. Moreover, the film is startlingly original, seamlessly blending action, fantasy, horror, comedy and kabuki.

The quality that sets Sgt. Kabukiman NYPD apart from many Troma films for me is its sense of whimsy and good natured humour. This is possibly the funniest movie Kaufman and Herz have ever made. Much of this is due to Rick Gianasi. Gianasi is by no means a great actor, but his charismatic yet clueless persona is perfect for the role of Harry/Kabukiman. Harry's transformation into Kabukiman and his encounters with Reginald's henchmen are hilarious and visually impressive. It takes a unique mind to come up with death by chopsticks and sushi paper. The special effects are great, with the emphasis being placed more on humour than gore. The scene in which Kabukiman is flattened by a truck never ceases to make me laugh.

Kaufman and Herz not only created a great hero in Kabukiman, but also an excellent sidekick in Lotus. Susan Byun plays the role with a po-faced sincerity that is hysterical. I also found the romance between Kabukiman and Lotus strangely endearing. Forget those losers balancing on the end of the boat in "Titanic", the most romantic moment in cinema history is Kabukiman flying over New York City with Lotus on his back (that is before he gets airsick and hurls). The flying scenes deserve a special mention, this is the kind of B-grade special effect that got me hooked on cult movies for life.

Sgt. Kabukiman NYPD is a very special film, which I would recommend to anyone. Cult movies have rarely been so original, entertaining and lacking in pretension. It is surely time for Lloyd to start pimping out Mr Herz in order to raise funds for the sequel.

7 out of 8 people found the following review useful:

Quite, quite brilliant

Author: Untamed Aggression from Leeds, England
5 June 2002

I was very surprised by this flick.

The first Troma flick I saw was Terror Firmer, which was just wall to wall sex and violence. Not that that's a bad thing.

With Kabukiman, however, the sex and gore is reduced considerably, and a lot of the humour is quite witty ("Nice dissolve, huh?"), with only a bit of gratuitous nudity(If it wasn't for the attempted rape bit this film could've got away with a 12 rating) and cartoon violence. I really enjoyed this movie, and it definitely makes my all time favourite list.

11 out of 16 people found the following review useful:

Joeseph Campbell-esque metaphor on Society: A Smash of a Hit!

Author: cliffking from Lord Bafford's Manor, England
9 August 2004

There are few artistic achievements that our race as a whole have produced, especially in the field of motion picture, that truly resonate within our psyche, leaving us profoundly altered. This film, Sgt. Kabuki Man, NYPD, is one of those achievements. It is a pure lancet of truth and hope that slices through the gossamar chains of society's current state of disrepair, a beacon in the fog for lost souls to reclaim there lives. Using the classic Joeseph Campbell idea of 'hero' and 'quest', this novel script shows that anyone, even one as societally dominated and oppressed as the protagonist Harry Griswold, possess the ability to totally revamp their lives into something meaningful and worthwhile. And indeed, it is the brilliantly woven script (by freshman writer Robert Koffey) that keeps the plot taunt and titillating, steeped in rich metaphors and symbolism. For example, during the initial kabuki transformation sequence after the goons have shot up the theater and the explosions have gone off, the main character can be seen frenching an old guy and then eating some worms. This is a perfect microcosm for the greater ideas that directors Michael Hurtz and Lloyd Kaufman feel we need to come to grips with in our own lives- suffer embarrassment and pain to feel redemption. Thank you, noble angels. I only hope your genius-work finds a receptive audience in the vapid teenage wasteland of suburban America.

8 out of 11 people found the following review useful:

Kabuki-man san!!!

Author: bjerho from Stockholm, Sweden
29 March 2002

Harry Griswold is a clumsy New York cop who one night decides to go to the theater and watch Kabuki. Suddenly guys with machineguns start shooting at the actors on stage and kills the oldest Kabuki-actor.

Harry draws his gun and shield and start shooting at them. When he gets up on the stage, the dying elder Kabuki-actor grabs him and gives him a sloppy kiss. When he does that, he transfers the old Kabuki-spirit to Harry. This is where his problems begin. The old mans daughter, Lotus must now teach him to master his Kabuki-powers to stop the evil one from ruling the earth.

This is the best Troma-movie that I have ever seen. Lloyd Kaufman is one of the coolest directors ever. Funny, violent and silly. It's full of make-up, kimonos, blood, worms and crazy villains. It also has a funny soundtrack. I saw it on the new DVD-release which has a lot of extra features.

If you love Troma-movies you will love this one. I give it a 10/10.

10 out of 15 people found the following review useful:

I love Troma!!!

Author: Condor_conrad (Condor_conrad@yahoo.com)
5 August 2001

Yes... Troma, the longest lasting indipendent film studio ever... And this film is one of there MANY pieces of art. This film is really silly, but really funny. "Oh great, first I got kissed by a man, now I'm wearing a dress." GREAT quote! Troma is the best studio ever made! I don't know why people hate this movie. If has so many classic scenes...

10/10 AWESOME!!!

4 out of 5 people found the following review useful:

The Least Graphic of the Troma Team Releases

Author: gavin6942 from United States
3 April 2007

After being kissed by a kabuki master, Harry Griswold (police detective) transforms into the superhero Kabukiman. Harnessing his new kabuki powers, he faces corrupt businessmen, drug-dealing ministers... and must prevent the monkey from riding the jaguar.

I first watched this film years (2000?) ago at my friend Jason's apartment and loved it, as I love all Troma releases. Today I watched it for the second time after picking up the DVD at Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors in Chicago 2007 from the director himself, Lloyd Kaufman. The movie was everything I remembered it being and more.

The humor is cheesy and full of bad puns, the acting is decent but not Oscar-worthy, and some scenes are just not politically correct (though by far much less gross than any other Troma movie ever made). We get the first instance of the legendary car crash scene and some good fights. Heck, even the flying special effect is tolerable. Though after seeing "Puma Man" pretty much all flying scenes are tolerable.

Troma is known for their anti-capitalism views, and it shows here (though more subtle than in "Troma's War" or "Terror Firmer"). I mean, the villains are a business tycoon and a reverend! This is a strength for the films, I feel, because it really helps the target audience rally around the hero. If you're watching these films and enjoying them, clearly you like independent films, which makes you a natural for being opposed to huge organizations. Or maybe it's just me.

So, yes. Cheesy plot and acting. A little gore (but not too much). Some bare breasts for no good reason. It's everything you expect from Troma, though more tame and with a little more plot. You really ought to see "Toxic Avenger" first, but if you like that one, this is a great follow-up.

4 out of 6 people found the following review useful:

A fun film from legendary Lloyd Kaufman!

Author: whammy666 from United States
14 October 2005

I bought this flick after hearing, good, bad, and something in the middle. I thought it was pretty fun and had a few hilarious scenes. Kabukiman is one of my favorite superheros now, he is better than superman, batman, spiderman, and so on. JUst not as good as the Toxic Avenger. The main problem with this film is it lacks the gore and nudity Troma is famously known for, but it works for this movie for the most part. It is more of a "family" troma flick if that is possible. It still has some blood and some nudity (if you watch the UNRATED director's cut) but not as much as say...Terror Firmer. Not near as much. It has a scene of Troma's famous barfing however. Overall a fun film and definitely worth a watch. Recommended!

1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:

Holy flying chopsticks!

Author: sgtking from United States
1 September 2013

In 1984, Lloyd Kaufman introduced us to a different kind of superhero. Whereas most still look human, Toxie started as one and became a mutant thanks to a bath in some toxic waste. The film and character didn't catch on with the mainstream the way Batman and Superman have, but so what? A question many fans may have been asking was, "Is that all you've got?" Fast forward 6 years later and enter a film with a superhero even more bizarre. The film that surrounds him isn't too bad either.

Pros: Lively performances. Fun score and main title theme. Some nicely done practical effects. Tongue in cheek attitude. Quick paced for most of the running time. Inventiveness up the wazoo, starting with the superhero himself. Nice production design.

Cons: Some poor editing. Runs on a few minutes too long. Dated visual effects.

Final thoughts: For such a troubled production, 'Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D.' turned out to be one fun flick. Troma has made better ones, but this one is nowhere near the bottom of the heap. It's zany enough to please fans of classics like 'The Toxic Avenger.' How could one not enjoy a movie with flying Japanese footwear, a guy buried in wasabi mustard and a monkey wearing a suit and top hat?

My rating: 3.5/5

1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:

Hilarious!

Author: Prolox from Canada
12 October 2005

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

SGT. KABUKIMAN N.Y.P.D. has got to be one of the best & funniest TROMA comedies around! it's so silly that you can't help but enjoy it, as a cop becomes a colorfully dressed superhero after receiving the powers of the Kabuki, so instead of arresting the street scum terrorizing the city, he beats them up instead & with the help of LOTUS his female companion, he must stop an prophecy from being fulfilled that will bring about our destruction. Amid layers of bad acting & a somewhat disheveled look to the picture, SGT. KABUKIMAN N.Y.P.D. is a real treat for Troma fans, sure it's not as gross or outlandish & not as violent as their TOXIC AVENGER series, but this is still a fun film & worth owning if you can find a copy of it anywhere. The Kabukiman character later turned up in, CITIZEN TOXIE: THE TOXIC AVENGER PART 4

**** stars

Crazed superhero nonsense from Troma

Author: Leofwine_draca from United Kingdom
14 December 2016

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Another offering from the Troma stable, and it's as you would expect: dumb all the way and packed with crude vomiting jokes and the like. However, I did find this film to be a bit better than other Troma films because the idea of a Japanese superhero is quite an appealing one, and I did like the costumes, transformations, and silly sound effects of the heroic, magical crime fighter who uses deadly chop-sticks on the villains.

Otherwise, it's business as usual, with a gang of moronic thugs beating people up and getting beaten up themselves; corrupt business men getting their just desserts; and lots of slapstick and pratfalls. They even include a fight between Kabukiman and a big, slimy rubbery monster at the end. Basically this film is just a comedy variation on THE TOXIC AVENGER, except done in a lighter, less gruesome way. Saying that, the usual ingredients are all there, so this isn't a film for kids. Worth a look just for its curiosity value and the sheer offbeat and crazy nature of it, and because it's a bit funnier and more aware than rubbish that Troma distributed like CHOPPER CHICKS IN ZOMBIETOWN.

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