Some movies sound better on paper, and should probably just stay there rather than make the jump to celluloid.
Take “Big Man Japan,” a new to DVD import following a superhero battling personal issues when he’s not fighting back a parade of monsters.
It all sounds wonderful – in theory.
Take a dash of “Ultraman,” mix with a cynical scoop of “Hancock” and blend until you get a stew resembling “Godzilla” on acid.
But where are the laughs, and why is the lead performance droll to the point of mummification?
“Big Man Japan” is the brainchild of star/director/co-writer Hitoshi Matsumoto, who is a popular albeit eccentric comedian in Japan.
No argument here, since his performance is so utterly off-putting it makes Andy Kaufman look like Jay Leno.
Matsumoto plays Daisato, a normal looking fellow who, when summoned by the government to fend off a monster assault, transforms into Big Man Japan. A jolt of electricty blows Daisato up to the size of a dozen or more men, and his hangdog hairstyle turns upside down into an “Eraserhead” tribute.
It’s his down time that’s the problem, and the alleged source of the film’s humor. Daisato lives alone except for the stray cats he feeds. His wife has left him or is estranged, and he can’t leave the country for a nice vacation since you never know when the next monster attack will happen.
He lives a simple, pleasure-free life, enduring stares from strangers as well as their suspicions. Like “Hancock,” the public doesn’t quite trust Big Man Japan, although he seems to leave far less damage in his wake than Will Smith’s anti-hero.
The Big Man scenes are a near hoot. The CGI is awkward but novel, and the monsters selected to square off against him are truly original. At least there’s a sense of fun during these scenes, even if the choreographed fight moments prove clumsy.
Matsumoto’s decision to play down Daisato’s personality could be the film’s biggest flaw. He’s so withdrawn he speaks in a near whisper and barely shows emotion. It’s hard to say if any comic could find the funny in such a role.
“Big Man Japan” ends with such a head-scratching sequence it’s almost a welcome distraction from the misfire that came before it.
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