‘City Hunter’ (2024) Netflix Movie Review - Ryohei Suzuki Keeps You Watching

Ryo (Ryohei Suzuki) is an exceptional shooter and detective. But we mainly watch him engaged in the former activity. How exactly does he investigate a case, how does he find leads, and what is his entire process - these are some questions that City Hunter doesn't bother answering. It merely tells us to accept Ryo as a competent private eye. His aim is so flawless that his bullet hits its target even in a crowded setting. Ryo also seems to have an almost preternatural instinct that helps him dodge bullets, punches, and kicks from his enemies. His sharp senses (call them Spidey sense) make him aware of the presence and exact position of the bad guys.

But even this talented superhero-like man has a weakness. Girls are Ryo's kryptonite. He practically becomes a simp in front of them. Cleavage can make him say yes to anything. His enemies use this fact to distract him, though they don't actually end up doing significant harm or destruction through this strategy. Then again, City Hunter, directed by Yûichi Satô, never becomes too depressing. The tone is always light, which means the sad scenes don't leave you with teary eyes. Some might perceive this as a flaw, while others may see it as a feature. From the opening scenes itself, I attuned myself to City Hunter's fluffy frequency. I understood what kind of film this would turn out to be, so I really didn't mind the fact that the serious portions didn't register very strongly.

You don't watch a film like City Hunter to "care about the characters." You want to have a good time. Satô unleashes a cool, easy-breezy energy and almost sustains it throughout the runtime. He gets help from the lead actor, Suzuki, who completely surrenders himself to lunacy. As Ryo, Suzuki sheds his clothes and becomes a pervy puppy with a heart of gold. I laughed at his Mokkori Show, and it's so much fun to see him at a cosplay event with a horse between his legs that appears like a phallic symbol. It's here you discover that Ryo can also save women from pervy photographers.

"It's all so expected, huh?" remarks a villain at one point. He might as well be talking about this film. City Hunter doesn't have solid surprises, and the bad guys are all unremarkable. As a result, there is no sense of urgency in the narrative. The story could have definitely used some tension. And it would have been nice if the movie had told us more about its main character. How did he become this person? Does he have any parents or siblings? Who taught him all these terrific moves? City Hunter goes for Plan B to avoid answering these questions: It produces a swift, exciting momentum. When this fails, it launches Plan C: Make Ryo perform excellent stunts or make him do naked activities. What can I say? The plans work successfully.

Final Score- [6/10]
Reviewed by - Vikas Yadav
Follow @vikasonorous on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times