Fighting Express: Battle Run (2 Stars)

This is the first film in the Fighting Express trilogy. The premise of the film is so ridiculous that it sounds like a comedy, but it's played completely seriously. The film is about an express courier service which specialises in delivering parcels when there is severe opposition to the delivery. The couriers are martial arts experts who are able to battle with anyone who gets in their way. For instance, in their first mission they have to deliver papers to a court within an hour, papers that are needed to prosecute a corrupt politician. As the courier cycles across Tokyo he has to defend himself against gang members who want to destroy the papers.

As if this weren't ridiculous enough, the company's owner is a schoolgirl called Yuki. She sits in the school playground coordinating the couriers as they work.

Unfortunately, the film doesn't offer much in the way of action or titillation. Things are made worse by poor quality subtitles. Usually it's only bad grammar, so it's possible to guess what is meant, but in a few scenes I was confused. I doubt I'll watch the other two parts of the trilogy.