Review of Initial D (2005) by Justin W — 11 Feb 2008

Didn't know what Initial D stands for.. but I saw it on an album by Jay Chou & saw it on a sticker on a KL Ahbengmobile & it kinda sounded cool.. turns out it's about a Tofu deliveryboy unwittingly defeating drfit-racing ahbengs on his most familiar delivery routes.

. he he. Really enjoyed it for some reason, despite mother criticising it as "such a highly unlikely thing", acting as "so unconvincing", and the movie being "typical low grade.

.". Anywayz, we must bear in mind the movie is semi-fantasy & for the rempit generation. Except the guys in this movie can afford souped up cars & more chio looking chicks. There's actually an anime playing on RTM that mimics the Chou stare & Toyota/Nissan drfit races.

In Initial D, Chou drives a 100-150hp 1986 Toyota & whips the big boys in their 350hp Nissans & RX-7s. Whether he does it convincingly (he drives with one hand!) is another story.. but for sure teenagers might see him in this movie as the epitome of cool, the Asian Fonzz.

Another big difference between Initial D & Rempit is the nicer piano-sprinkled soundtrack, and the hero doesn't die in the end, but loses his girlfriend because he felt betrayed, which is odd, given the culture of road-racer thuggery.

. Another interesting point is that movies like this actually aren't popular at all in Japan; it's the other Asian countries that lap it up.. Also didn't know titillating photographer Edison Chen was in this movie, until after watching it & then browsing youtube trailers.