BIG MAN JAPAN (Dai-nipponjin) opens in limited release in LA and NY this weekend. The movie was a crowd favorite when it premiered last summer as part of the NY Asian Film Festival and Japan Cuts: Festival of New Japanese Film. Magnolia Pictures is giving BIG MAN JAPAN a slow American rollout starting with the Nuart Theatre in West Los Angeles and Cinema Village in New York City. Throughout May and June, BIG MAN JAPAN is supposed to roll out to other theaters across the US.

What’s BIG MAN JAPAN (Dai-nipponjin) all about?
When duty calls, Daisato steps into a pair of oversized purple briefs and is electrocuted to become a “Dai-nipponjin” (giant Japanese). The last in a long line of revered Dainipponjin, Daisato horrifying “kaijus” (monsters) through the cities of Japan with nothing more than a stick. But unlike the glory days of past Dainipponjin superheros, Daisato is ridiculed and taunted by present-day society as a nuisance. Japan’s most popular comedian Hitoshi Matsumoto stars and directs this whacky kaiju spoof about the perils of so-called heroism and celebrity. (from Japan Cuts: Festival of New Japanese Film)

I saw BIG MAN JAPAN at its New York premiere last year at the film festival, and I can see why so many people like it. Me? I’m on the fence with it. It’s funny and original and satirical. It’s interesting to learn how Daisato fell from grace and what it would be like to see super heroes as if they were real people. But WATCHMEN this ain’t! It’s a little bit dark comedy (I mean should I be laughing as common people insult Daisato? I did.) and a little bit action (Daisato has to fight off several “baddies” with some unusual and grotesque powers). But the jokes got old a little over halfway thru.

And the ending — without spoilers — was entertaining and amusing how things suddenly changed in both story and direction of the film. But it was such a blatant attempt to squeeze an anti-American statement into the movie, that to me, well, it left a little sour taste in my mouth. Sure, it had a lot of dark comedy laughs come out of it, and yes I laughed out loud, but the political message wasn’t subtle at all. Then again, maybe the message wasn’t anti-American. After all, Daisato lets himself get pushed around at the end… Maybe director Hitoshi Matsumoto wants Japan to realize they’ve got no one else but themselves to blame?

BIG MAN JAPAN is playing at:
Nuart Theatre, West Los Angeles, CA
1:45pm, 4:30pm, 7:15pm, 9:50pm
Tickets here!

Cinema Village, New York, NY
2:00pm, 4:30pm, 7:00pm, 9:30pm
Tickets here!

For future screenings of BIG MAN JAPAN: http://www.magpictures.com/

AND A TRAILER!!!