Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects

Though it boasts an expectedly compelling performance from Charles Bronson, Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects never quite becomes the enthralling piece of work one might’ve expected based on its subject matter – with the meandering storyline ultimately exacerbated by an almost excessively deliberate pace. It certainly doesn’t help that screenwriter Harold Nebenzal spends an inordinate amount of time focused on the exploits of a Japanese family that’s just arrived in Los Angeles, as the seemingly pointless nature of these scenes results in a hopelessly uneven vibe that inevitably negates the film’s overtly positive attributes (although, to be fair, the relevance of this subplot eventually does become clear). The movie – which follows grizzled cop Lt. Crowe (Bronson) as he attempts to shut down a vicious pimp (Juan Fernandez’s Duke) who deals exclusively in underage girls – is subsequently at its best when focused exclusively on Bronson’s surprisingly misanthropic character, with the actor’s hard-edged, unflinching performance often elevating the proceedings above its humdrum sensibilities. (In addition to his ongoing battles with an angry captain, Crowe, at various points within the narrative, sodomizes a perp with a dildo, forces Duke to swallow his own gold watch, and murders Duke’s right-hand man by tossing him off a balcony.) It’s entertaining stuff that ultimately can’t quite compensate for the pervasively lackluster atmosphere, with the thoroughly anticlimactic showdown between Crowe and Duke cementing Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects‘ place as a disappointingly erratic entry within Bronson’s filmography.

** out of ****