Zeiram is a Japanese sci fi film that features a woman warrior against a vicious alien with the help of her A.I. and two bumbling electricians! I’m familiar with the sentai tradition mostly through Kamen Rider that eventually ended up as Power Rangers. This film has part of that with a superheroine taking on a monstrous humanoid. It also has some sci fi concepts like A.I., an alternate dimension, and sci fi weaponry. Wrap all of that with some goofball comedy and some unique world building and you have Zeiram. It is directed and co-written by Keita Amemiya who worked on Kamen Rider for television and also the fantasy film, Moon Over Tao (1997) which also featured the same lead actress. There was an anime series, Iria: Zeiram the Animation (1994), and a sequel, Zeiram 2 (1994). The English dub was voice directed by Carl Macek who created the Robotech animation series.
We start with a pan down to a dark forest of twisted trees as we hear monks chanting, a theme song for the villain. Then, there is a shadow profile of a bulky figure framed by a doorway of light, the beginning is filmed in black and white. He wears a cloak and wears what seems like a curved hat which also looks like the underside of a mushroom. Black helmeted soldiers have their weapons ready for him. Close-up, we get a cyclopean light from the creature's face, it looks like a stroke of white paint making the Japanese number for one. Then, there is a pale, Kabuki face of a woman that slowly opens her eyes and smiles. We see a pov racing towards the soldiers and splatters against the walls. The soldiers fire their rifles, but the alien’s walk is relentless. The thump of the boots and the chants are the signal that the alien is there. He slices through the soldiers and a helmet is opened to show an alien face before it is crushed.
We see a message about the listing of accepting the task of bringing in their bounty by Iria and Bob. This switches the bright and crowded streets of Tokyo where we get the boots of a woman. She wears a red cloak and finally we see Iria (Yûko Moriyama). The actress has the tough look and is able to fight, shoot, and take on this alien threat. Then, we get the laughing Kamiya (Yukijiro Hotaru) who is happy he won at the races. Iria is walking past with a bag of groceries when she bumps into a man that knocks away an apple. Kumiya picks up the apple. On the phone, is young man, Tepphei (Kunihiro Ida), who is arranging time for a date. He is then told that Kamiya is passing by and runs after him. Iria is walking with Kamiya holding the apple as Tepphei shouts to him. Kamiya finally turns and Tepphei catches up to him. The pairing of Kamiya and Tepphei reminds me of Val and Earl in Tremors (1990); the older and younger working class men taking on a strange horror.
They drive in the company’s truck while Kamiya explains he was following a woman. Then, he teases Tepphei about dating Yumi. The Earth setting seems to be just a battleground to take on the alien creature, but the protocol is to capture it without the attention of the locals. There is a white model of the city, some electronics, and weapons. Iria has returned to her temporary base and activates the computer and Bob, the A.I. that on screen looks like two spinning seashell-like cymbals, another religious symbol. Iria’s voice in the dub is by Edie Mirman whom I recognize is Miriya in Robotech. Bob has established a force field to protect the primitive natives. Bob’s voice is dubbed by Jeff Winkless in a dry, straight man computer voice. Winkless was Fleegle on The Banana Splits Show, “Making up a mess of fun”! Bob is the practical side of the partnership while Iria is the thoughtful warrior.
They have to capture their bounty without leaving any traces of their activity. Bob suggests a Zone to capture the bounty. He warns her about another violation will take away their bounty hunting license and they need the bounty to pay off their debts. Iria hopes the Field Trap will capture the alien without any problems. Then, we get Kamiya with flowers that he hopes to give a woman at a bar, Tepphei continues driving the truck. Bob has been checking on the bounty as Iria puts on white gloves for her combat suit. Iria uses the alien’s name for the Zone, Zeiram. The truck heads across a bridge to town, there are clouds overhead in the shape of Zeiram’s hat. Iria sets up the Zone, scanning for an area without lifeforms, it’s funny that Earth is an unregistered planet. She finds the town of Mikasa. Teppehei and Kamiya have finished a job and taken another to work on an illegal hookup.
They end up in the same building as Iria who hears them and hides. Teppehei is standing on a device, Iria later calls it a tran-sembler. There is an alert that Zeiram’s pod is landing, and he accidentally hits the switch that teleports him in a pyramid of energy. Iria goes to check on what is happening and Kamiya rushes to talk to her so they are both transported to the Zone. She traps Kamiya in a hexagonal pyramid trap, a Containment Capsule. Teppehei runs into Zeiram who draws a pistol! The hapless electrician runs and Zeiram throws a tiny cone which transforms in a short, bulbous monster that chases after Teppehei. Iria confronts Zeiram and then runs into the misty streets. At a warehouse, Iria transforms the Zone into daytime and sets up ropes to tie up the alien.
Zeiram has a deadly trick up his sleeve, he sends out the tentacled head of the Kabuki figure on his hat to sever the ropes. It is a grotesque Alien-like appendage. They get into a shootout with Iria retreating until she uses the explosive rounds with her rifle. Zeiram with one hand picks up a concrete pillar and slams it into Iria. She activates her combat suit, very cool, and deflects Zeiram’s attacks. One cool move is her swinging her arm to knock away an explosive round that detonates on an industrial tower, very cool, very Wonder Woman. She takes on Zeiram with some martial arts. They have to take on Zeiram who can’t be stopped and turns into horrific forms. It is also a bit of J-horror. The two humans are terrified, but able to hold their own against the monstrous alien. Zeiram has action, sci-fi, martial arts, and everything to make this film fresh and entertaining!
Four Zones out of Five!
#Zeiram, #KeitaAmemiya, #YukoMoriyama, #YukijiroHotaru, #KunihiroIda
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