Toyama Masamichi (Ogata Ken), owner of a metal factory, is in trouble. His wife wants a ring for her birthday, but he can’t afford it: he is deep in debt to the Ogoshi Yakuza. The Yakuza think he has waited long enough to pay his debts. They rape Toyama’s wife and that drives her to commit suicide. They beat up Toyama and he can think of nothing else but revenge and the beautiful ring. In the meantime, the Gonin, five women each with their own reasons to hate society and men in particular, are planning to rob the jeweller’s shop where Toyama saw the ring. When the Yakuza beat them to it, the gang of five decide to set off after the Yakuza. And Toyama after the Gonin and the Yakuza, and the Yakuza after Toyama…Ishii is a celebrated manga author who transcends Western directors influenced by comic strips. His talent in letting the pictures tell the story is unparalleled. That was clear in Gonin,screened last year at the festival, but with Gonin 2 he goes a step further in his graphic flair and visual terror. For a mainstream director, Ishii is very perverse and confrontational in his approach to subjects such as sexuality and conforming to social norms.
