Viewing Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989) for the first time is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. There was nothing quite like it when it was released, and the film immediately left a lasting impression. Then, in 1992, Shinya Tsukamoto took things a step further with the sequel Tetsuo II: Body Hammer.
That film, in many respects, surpassed the original, taking its concept and delivering a sensory shock. Twenty years after the original, Tsukamoto released the third (and final) film in his industrial cyberpunk trilogy, Tetsuo: The Bullet Man. Released on Blu-ray for the first time by Unearthed Classics, this chapter split audiences even more than the previous ones. Now is as good a time as any to revisit it.
Anthony is an ordinary American office worker living a quiet life in Tokyo, convinced there’s nothing remarkable about him. That all changes when his young son is murdered, unleashing a horrifying transformation as his flesh begins fusing with metal.
With every painful mutation, Anthony becomes a living weapon driven by grief, rage, and an insatiable thirst for revenge. As his humanity slips away, his quest to destroy his son’s killer threatens to consume not only himself, but all of Tokyo in a nightmarish explosion of violence.
For many fans, Tetsuo: The Bullet Man was a letdown upon its initial release, feeling like the weakest entry in the series. That said, it’s still a wild ride, and Tsukamoto’s attempt to do something a bit different is commendable. This entry leans more toward traditional, linear storytelling, while the first two really go over the top in terms of being experimental.
With the first in black & white and the second in full color, Bullet Man’s palette falls into a more literal gray area. It’s an interesting mix of the two. Some of the shaky photography is too jarring, but it mostly works to convey just how frantic it is. The story is compelling enough and loosely ties everything together.
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Unearthed Classics brings it to Blu-ray with some great bonus features, including a commentary with star Eric Bussick and Japanese cinema expert Tom Mes, a promotional gallery, trailers, and, most excitingly, Tetsuo: The Bullet Man Multi Material Version. It’s a new alternate version of the film compiled by Tsukamoto, using different takes and a different approach to tell the story in a way that may be more in line with the original. It’s really cool to see, and I’m so happy Unearthed included it on the disc.
As divisive as it may have been for audiences, Tetsuo: The Bullet Man stands out for its visuals and pacing, a film that doesn’t conform to what mass audiences expect. Shinya Tsukamoto is a filmmaker with a vision and style all his own. He’s certainly earned his place among the great visionary filmmakers of his time.
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