Hydra (2019) - A Review

 

Hydra is an amazing action movie!

Hydra is a martial arts/crime movie released in Japan in 2019, and stars Mimoto Masanori, Miu, Nagase Tasuku, Nishina Takashi, Nomura Hironobu, Aoyagi Takaya, Tanaka Yoji, and Sonomura Kensuke. Hydra was choreographed and directed by Sonomura Kensuke.

Takahashi is a man of few words... and a serious aptitude for kicking butt!

In Hydra, Mimoto Masanori plays Takahashi, a quiet, somewhat awkward chef who works at a bar called Hydra. The owner of the bar is Rina (played by Miu), a young woman who inherited Hydra after her father disappeared. Another young man works at the bar, Kenta (played by Nagase Tasuku), who has a crush on Miu and is kind of uncomfortable around Takahashi.

One day, an older gentleman, Hasegawa (played by Nomura Hironobu) drugs the drink of a woman he is talking to in the bar. Takahashi sees Hasegawa drug the drink, and ends up helping the woman out of the bar when she becomes intoxicated. It seems Takahashi is always there to stop such incidences from progressing further. Hasegawa then tries to drug Rina, and Takahashi is able to save her. He warns Hasegawa to stay away from Rina, but lets him go. Little does Takahashi know, someone was watching his altercation with Hasegawa...

Rina under duress. Little does the guy know, he made a huge mistake!

The next day, Takahashi meets up with his former colleagues, who inform him that Hasegawa is dead. They want him to come back to their organization. It turns out this organization assassinates evil people; corrupt cops and politicians. Takahashi refuses to join back up with them, even though they tell him there is a new group of assassins who is going after them as well as the corrupt cops and politicians. As you can imagine, this new group is after Takahashi, and they know how to draw him out. Takahashi has to face off with the top assassin (played by Naohiro Kawamoto) of the new group to end this problem...

I shared the trailer for Hydra on this blog, and ever since then I've been on the lookout for it, because the trailer blew me away when I saw it. So imagine my surprise when I found it on the free streaming site Tubi a month ago! As you can imagine, I've been desperately wanting to watch this movie, but I had to clear out some time and get things done before I could do it. I finally watched it and... it was worth the wait! This movie is so good! It is dark and moody, stylish, and has amazing fight scenes. I am surprised not that many people know about Hydra; it is really an underrated gem.

The fights in Hydra kick so much butt!

The first ten minutes of Hydra has no dialogue, and that sets the tone of the movie. We see an assassination in these first ten minutes (and it is a messy one, I've never seen as assassination done like that in movies). There is also this amazing synth score that plays throughout the first ten minutes. From there we meet Takahashi, Miu, and Kenta, and we see how they relate to one another. It is a bit awkward, but it is humorous as well. Mimoto Masanori as Takahashi is a man of few words, and even fewer emotions. Great performance by him, it must be tough to not show any emotion, especially when the other actors in the scene are saying and doing funny things. Miu as Rina and Nagase Tasuku as Kenta are likable in their roles as well.

As the movie goes on, we find out why Takahashi is the way he is, his former occupation, and why he left it. We find out what happened to Rina's father, and we find out the motives of the new assassination group in town. You realize what an awkward situation and relationship Takahashi and Rina have. Some people prefer the bar scenes with Takahashi, Rina, and Kenta; while others prefer the assassin groups storyline. I liked them both. It provides a contrast in who Takahashi is now and who he used to be (but still is, deep down). There is some depth to Hydra.

The fights are fluid and fast!

There are only two major fight scenes in Hydra, but don't worry; these fight scenes are amazing! They go fast and hard during the fights! Naohiro Kawamoto, who plays the villainous assassin, is a monster! His speed and fluidity is incredible. In his first fight, he destroys the unlucky assassin who faces off with him. In his second and final fight with Takahashi, it is a battle to the death! They use knives, strikes, and grappling to take each other down. The final fight, is quite frankly, exhilarating! Great stuff! Mimoto Masanori as Takahashi also shows off his incredible martial arts skill in Hydra. We see Takahashi assassinate targets in his prior life, and we see he is a resourceful fighter. He uses his surroundings and random objects as lethal weapons. Takahashi is also fast and fluid as a fighter, so the final fight is a sight to behold! There are are other small fights and assassinations in Hydra, and they are also well choreographed. The two main fights are definitely worth the price of admission.

If you are an action movie lover, or a martial arts movie enthusiast, I highly recommend watching Hydra. It may be low budget, but the story, characters, and action make Hydra a must see. The end of the movie seems to set up a sequel, and I hope one gets made; there is so much that can be done with these characters (and I want to see more of Mimoto Masanori as Takahashi in action). I can't wait to see what director Sonomura Kensuke can do with a larger budget!

Reviewed by David Williams