90s Action Cult Classic Is The Best Cringe Comedy You’ve Never Seen
The rise of cringe comedy in the early 2000s, thanks to The Office and Arrested Development, ushered in a new era of being very uncomfortable while also laughing. Yet, for fans of Mystery Science Theater 3000, Rifftrax, or even Red Letter Media, we’ve been laughing and groaning along with films for decades now. One of the best of the worst is the legendary 1991 alleged action film Samurai Cop, which should be right up there with The Room and Plan 9 From Outer Space.
Cops Vs. Yakuza
Samurai Cop pits the LAPD against the Yakuza, thanks to the “Samurai Cop,” Joe Marshall, and his glorious head of hair. Along the way, Joe starts a relationship with the girlfriend of the Yakuza boss, resulting in a pair of delightfully awkward romantic scenes between the two stars with negative chemistry. And, of course, because the police do this, the war escalates to the point of the LAPD deciding to kill all of the Yakuza.
Moments So Awkward You Have To Laugh
I want to make it clear that Samurai Cop is not a comedy. The jokes are not intentional, and the film is meant to be taken very seriously….but that’s why it’s impossible not to laugh at it. From the painful flirting between Joe and the dispatcher during the absurdly long initial “chase” scene to a Yakuza hitman popping out of a laundry hamper, complete with dramatic music, the film is filled with these moments that are so awkward, you have to laugh.
The Worst Flirting Since That Middle School Dance You Want To Forget
My favorite scene comes in the doctor’s office when Joe is flirting with a nurse who doesn’t know the meaning of the words “subtle” or “innuendo.” The editing of Samurai Cop makes it even better, with frequent cuts to Joe’s partner, Frank, making the most amazing facial expressions. In fact, you’ve probably seen them used in memes and never knew this was the movie they came from.
As you watch Samurai Cop, pay close attention to even more bizarre filming and editing choices made during production. Every single scene was shot during the day because they couldn’t afford lighting. All of those sudden cuts to Frank inside the police department/hospital appear to have been shot in the exact same location, which doesn’t match any of the other internal shots.
There’s A Sequel
Samurai Cop never made it to theaters—I know, that’s shocking, and you can’t believe it—but the film has achieved legendary status thanks to streaming. A staple of bad movie podcasts, it’s become a cult classic best watched with a group of friends. In fact, it’s become so beloved by fans of bad movies that the original stars were able to Kickstart a sequel, Samurai Cop 2: Deadly Vengeance, that leans into being a deliberately bad movie, and it’s also absolutely amazing.
The sequel includes The Room’s Tommy Wiseau, and they were able to get Bai Ling, the Asian B-movie Queen, to take part.
One Of The Greatest Bad Movies In History
REVIEW SCORE
Today, you can stream Samurai Cop for free on Tubi, Pluto TV, and Plex, or you can also catch the Rifftrax Live: Samurai Cop show on Tubi. I love bad movies like this as they usually aren’t boring, with countless editing/production/writing issues that you can pick out, but what makes them truly great is how they are usually someone’s passion project and made as a labor of love.
No matter how bad they are, there’s something endearing about the low-budget approach. Miami Connection is a perfect example, making it far more fun than horrible Hollywood films like Borderlands.
