Helmed by Yoshihiro Nishimura, a protege of Sion Sono ("Strange Circus"), A Nikkatsu Tokyo Shock Original presentation of a Fever Dreams production. (International sales: Nikkatsu, Tokyo.) Produced by Yoko Hayama, Yoshinori Chiba, Satoshi Nakamura. Executive producer, John Sirabella. Directed by Yoshihiro Nishimura. Screenplay, Nishimura, Kengo Kaji, Sayako Nakoshi.
 
With: Eihi Shiina, Itsuji Itao, Yukihide Benii, Kesisuke Horibe, Taku Sakaguchi, Shoko Nakahara, Sayoko Nakoshi.

"Tokyo Gore Police" is a predictably blood-splattered schlockfest that lives up to its name. Coming from Nikkatsu's Tokyo Shock Original label, complete with English credits, pic is aimed squarely at Western fans of violent imagery. Casting of "Audition" star Eihi Shiina will excite cultists but disappoint auds seeking quality on a par with that Takashi Miike classic. Like Tokyo Shock's recent "Machine Girl," for which helmer provided gore effects, pic will fleetingly exist in midnight sidebars at fests and much longer on fanboy ancillary.

Things kick off with a vivid recollection by Ruka (Shiina) of her policeman father having his head blown off. To avenge dad's death, Ruka becomes a long-coated, short-skirted cop embroiled in an ongoing, bloody battle with cyborg creatures called "engineers." Movie has its occasionally witty moments, but the relentless catalog of mutilations lacks the emotional power of similar fare in pics by, say, fellow Japanese gorehound Shinya Tsukomoto. Bizarre imagery abounds -- including an extreme case of vagina dentata -- but performances and helming are pedestrian. Rampaging score by Koh Nakagawa ensures momentum never flags.

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