“I’m like a car going down hill with no brakes. I can’t be stopped.” This line comes in the last third of Massacre Gun but it aptly describes the movie as a whole. Yasuharu Hassebe’s stunning and violent tale of how life in the mob can quickly spiral out of control is nothing short of a masterpiece.

Kuroda (Jô Shishido) is the top hitman for the mob. One day he gets an order to kill his girlfriend. Although he’s not happy about this he obliges without question. Kuroda understands the choices he’s made and the life that he lives. Moments like these just come with the territory of living the mob life. Once you’re in, you’re in. There is no turning back.

Kuroda’s brothers, Eiji (Tatsuya Fuji) and Saburô (Jirô Okazaki), don’t quite see things that way. Eiji is especially upset about Kuroda’s most recent hit. Eiji is quick to anger and a bit similar to Kuroda in that he has a shady past. Saburô is the youngest of the three brothers and the most innocent. Saburô just wants to be a boxer. He has no real interest in the mob life but this is where our real problem occurs.

The mob has their hand on everything, including boxing. It doesn’t matter how good you are, the mob controls when you go from mere sparring partner to legit boxer. Sure, there’s other gyms you can train with but good luck with that. Saburô decides he’s tired of being just a sparring partner for other boxers on the rise. He confronts the mob boss and tells him he’s leaving for another gym. The mob lets him go but not before breaking both his hands.

This is the moment that turns Massacre Gun into an all out mob turf war. After breaking his brother’s hands and ruining his promising boxing career, Kuroda knows he can no longer work for the mob. Kuroda informs the mob of his decision to quit and because of his years of service they let him leave without incident. Kuroda understands that this isn’t the end but rather the beginning. The mob will come after him and his brothers. Since they are severely outnumbered the only hope the brothers have is to strike first.

The two feuding sides begin to attack each other indirectly. Rather than going at each other right away, a power struggle ensues over who can take over more of the city. Poor shopkeepers suffer the brunt of this violence and this is where Massacre Gun gets its most fascinating to me. Kuroda and his brothers are essentially the good guys throughout the film. We root for them. Yet are they any better than the mob? They violently beat business owners who don’t willingly comply with their wishes, same as the mob. If Kudora and his brothers win its good for them, but as for the people of the city nothing really changes. They just report to a new ruthless leader.

The movie has a really cool and somewhat unexpected Jazz soundtrack throughout. When I say unexpected it’s just because it’s not what I typically expect when watching a Japanese Yakuza thriller, but it actually works quite well. The middle brother, Eiji, actually owns a Jazz club where good chunks of the movie play out so the music is woven into the story nicely. It’s a nice touch that sets the movie apart from similar films.

I’m not sure what the death count is in Massacre Gun but I think it’s probably quite high. Probably not as high as it feels, most likely just in the double digits, but it certainly feels much higher. This probably has to do with the number of rounds fired in the film which is definitely well into the hundreds. One scene, maybe my favorite, has some serious overkill and it’s awesome. This was definitely more violent than other films from the time.

Massacre Gun is beautiful yet brutal. The black and white cinematography from Kazue Nagatsuka is breathtaking. You have these scenes of people being beaten to a bloody pulp that are photographed so elegantly. The last shootout in particular is handled fantastically. Everything is staged so well resulting in one of the more epic conclusions you’ll find. The final frame of the film is perfect. This shot is the epitome of what the mob lifestyle is all about.

Arrow once again delivers with a spectacular release. This is the first Blu-ray release ever for Massacre Gun and it’s limited to just 3,000 copies so I would definitely recommend picking up your copy now if you want one. The packaging comes with new artwork from Ian MacEwan that is the perfect representation of the film. Still if you’re old school and prefer the original art you can just flip the cover around as it is reversible. The packaging also includes a booklet with an essay from Japanese cinema expert Jasper Sharp and more new art from MacEwan to go along with some original archive stills.

As for the discs themselves you get a 1080p Hi-def Blu-ray along with a  standard DVD. The transfer looks phenomenal. Watch the trailer for Massacre Gun online and then watch this Arrow release. The work they do is absolutely stunning. They even have newly English translated subtitles. Just a win all around. The bonus features include a couple of interviews including some with Shishido. The interviews with Shishido are really great. He talks about a variety of things but what stood out to me is when he talked about his childhood. He mentions how he used to run around and pretend to be a samurai. You see his face light up. It’s a really sweet moment and a different side than we’re used to seeing from Shishido in all of his genre roles.

If you want to watch an exciting Yakuza flick ripe with violence but handled with the care of a delicate piece of art you’re not likely to find a better option than Massacre Gun.

Massacre Gun is now available on Blu-ray from Arrow Films via MVD Entertainment Group.