Bad City is a solid action film with cop/investigation angle, it brings some new ideas to the table with a solid cast and some well-shot sequences, may they be fights or not.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Sep 21, 2023

Simply put, this is a killer slice of low budget action cinema.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Aug 4, 2023

If you can dig a film solely for its choreographed action stunts, you will go bonkers over this messy flick.

Full Review | Original Score: B+ | Jul 30, 2023

Some of the most blood-pumping/fist-bumping brawls I’ve ever seen.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Jul 28, 2023

Plotting is kept fairly simple to leave room for the sprawling fights and some spectacular action set pieces.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Mar 21, 2023

A reminder that when it comes to extreme and exquisite violence, Asian cinema is still the standard bearer.

Full Review | Mar 7, 2023

All the nuance is in the grace of the fight scenes, as lovingly choreographed as a production of Swan Lake.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Feb 28, 2023

At one point, Torada deploys a police megaphone to impressive effect while beating up a bunch of yakuza goons. That’s typical of the messy and improvisational nature of the film’s fight scenes, which are frequently electrifying to watch.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Jan 27, 2023

Bad City delivers everything one expects from an action-thriller – a compositional rhythm that engages the spectator, many bursts of crude fighting that feel cool, and a violent finale with some unexpected twists.

Full Review | Oct 19, 2022

... is far more self-assured, delivering an engaging narrative and the kind of stunt-work that provides the cast opportunities to shine.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Oct 7, 2022

Bad City marks a major improvement for filmmaker Kensuke Sonomura; an engaging throwback to the Japanese crime thrillers of yore and a wonderful showcase proving that Hitoshi Ozawa is one of the greats. The action scenes are all electrifyingly top-notch.

Full Review | Original Score: 4.5/5 | Oct 7, 2022

A gritty action film that has inspired fight scenes that are thrilling, but it's eventually sabotaged by an overly complicated plot.

Full Review | Sep 29, 2022

Sonomura’s fight work is so lightning fast, so clear in its execution, so technical, and so thrilling, you genuinely feel like you’re seeing something new emerge.

Full Review | Sep 26, 2022

Numerous bodies fall, many bones are broken, and much blood is spilled before the credits roll. ... I wouldn't want to live in Bad City but it's a great place to visit.

Full Review | Jul 9, 2022