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Baoh
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Title Info
- alias: Baoh Raihousa
- type: movie
- grade: watchable
- genre: magic_war
- made: 1989
- Review created: Sun Oct 1 14:05:19 EST 2000
- mod: none
This could be a short review. Both because this is a short movie and because there are precious few suprises in it. The title literally translates to `Baoh the visitor', although I still have no idea what that means. In this movie Baoh also refers to a medical process (sort of) that an evil science group just loves to perform on orphaned kids and puppydogs. This medical process turning them into super powered engines of death and destruction as is pretty standard with anime `mad science'. In this case, largely through the actions of a young psychic girl, they lose control of a young man who has received the Baoh treatment. Fearing his power they try to kill him, both directly and through his ties to the girl. But as everyone knows from the very first frame, if you've made a teenage mutant super-weapon...don't annoy it.
Likewise, from the first frame, you know what's in store. Blood, gore and power moves resulting in more blood and gore. This really revels in the detail, with literally buckets of blood, melting flesh and popping organs a plenty. If watching super-human monsters, on both sides, wreaking havoc doesn't appeal to you then don't bother with this. On the other hand, while being pretty unimaginative, it's not too bad. Baoh is pretty boring, but the little psychic girl is pretty cool and the interaction between them quite good. There's even a little bit of drama and dialog, before the action starts again. On the down side the sub-titles and freeze frames for each power move, or an observer yelling it out, is pretty cheesy. The concept of what Baoh is, once we find out, is likewise pretty silly. So while this is nothing more than a formulaic super powered action fest, if that is what you're in the mood for, then you might enjoy this.
Actually it wouldn't suprise me if the special attacks are to please those who've read the manga. In any case some of the set piece action is not too bad. Sure, Baoh is such a super dude that we don't fear him losing, but there some nice movement and impressive acrobatics to enrich the experience. Some of the fights, especially against the firms military, even have a touch of atmosphere. As I mentioned above there are liberal quantities of gore and gallons of blood, as is expected. Baoh's design, while illogical, looks bestial and deadly enough. You also don't have to worry about too much bragging, as Baoh appears to be mute when transformed (nice touch). The voices are reasonable and the ambient sound quite good. Considering this isn't new it's aged fairly well, possibly because it is doesn't try anything too fancy.
Words by Andrew Shelton, Web by Ticti, Last Compile: Wed Aug 5 12:39:15 WST 2009