Demon City, directed by Seiji Tanaka, doesn’t break new ground in the “revenge thriller” subgenre, but its relentless 103-minute action-packed ride guarantees a fun, bloody spectacle that is enjoyable but forgettable.
Set in the crime-ridden Shinjo City, Demon City is adapted from Masamichiki Kawabe’s manga series Onigoroshi and follows Sakata (Toma Ikuta), a seasoned hitman who single-handedly massacres a Yakuza gang, believing this will be his last assignment before leaving the trade to build a peaceful future with his wife, Aoi (Ami Tôma), and daughter, Ryo (Ami Touma). However, his employer, the ruthless Yakuza gang Kimen-Gumi, led by Sunohara (Matsuya Onoe), breaks into his home wearing masks, brutally murders his wife and daughter, and leaves him in a vegetative state. Officials hold Sakata responsible for Ryo and his wife’s deaths and have him committed to a prison hospital. Twelve years later, Sunohara has risen to power as the mayor, tightening his grip on the city. Meanwhile, Sakata’s just been released and is focused on one thing—getting revenge for his family’s murder.
The plot of Demon City follows a well-worn formula, offering a generic and highly predictable revenge story. Sakata suffers a devastating loss at the hands of the Kimen-Gumi gang when they murder his wife and daughter, fueling his relentless thirst for vengeance. While he remains confined in a prison hospital, his enemies grow more powerful, with their leader, Sunohara, rising to power as mayor and running a corrupt empire fueled by human trafficking, drug smuggling, and other illegal activities. Upon Sakata’s release, the film follows a predictable and straightforward revenge trajectory as Sakata hunts down each masked man involved in his family’s murder individually, culminating in an inevitable showdown with the ultimate villain. The film’s second half introduces a few well-placed twists that, although not totally unexpected, help break the monotony and increase the stakes, making the story slightly more engaging and preventing it from becoming completely stale.
One of Demon City’s strongest aspects is its intense and well-choreographed action sequences. While they may not reach the high standards set by John Wick or The Night Comes for Us, they still deliver high-energy, brutal, and blood-soaked fights that feel raw and impactful. The most appealing aspect of these fights is their spontaneity, which prevents an overly choreographed or artificial appearance. A great example is the hospital scene, where a half-paralyzed Sakata creatively utilizes an IV wire, a scarf, or whatever he can grab to take down his attackers. Another highlight is the factory battle, arguably the film’s most exhilarating action sequence. It begins with Sakata, assisted by an old colleague, infiltrating the factory belonging to the Kimen-Gumi gang by pretending to be dead, wrapped in plastic, and moving down a conveyor belt to be disposed of before springing into action and fighting the goons. The battle moves seamlessly through different factory sections—from towering piles of trash bags to a chaotic forklift fight, then into a drug-packing area, before culminating in a massive explosion. The entire sequence is impressively choreographed and executed, with a hard rock soundtrack elevating its intensity and keeping the energy high. However, the film’s climactic battle underwhelms despite the buildup, lacking the same high-energy impact as the factory action set piece. While the staircase fight at the start of the final sequence is impressive, the overall climax feels overly drawn out, stretching longer than necessary despite its decent execution.
Toma Ikuta delivers a strong physical performance as Sakata, displaying fluidity and precision in his movements during action sequences. He says little in the film, but his actions speak volumes, as he has a single mission in life: to kill those responsible for destroying his life. As a result, his resolve is so firm that even after being beaten, stabbed, and shot several times, he keeps coming back and fighting. On the villainous side, Matsuya Onoe delivers a decent yet effective performance as the film’s antagonist, exuding a calm yet menacing presence as a city-controlling mayor and ruthless Yakuza boss. Towards the end, the film goes into a brief flashback that reveals his origins, adding intrigue to his one-dimensional character.
With Demon City, Netflix churns out yet another algorithm-driven film, relying on a familiar, formulaic approach—while not particularly original or memorable, but not entirely unwatchable.
Demon City movie links: Letterboxd, IMDB
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