Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		2.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.5

Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D. Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf December 20, 2015

After branding their first superhero with “The Toxic Avenger,” Troma Entertainment goes in for a second helping with “Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D.”, with co-writer/directors Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz returning to a broadly comic realm of monstrous mutations and personal foibles as they head eastward to find a creation worthy of the studio name. Craziness ensues, as does tastelessness and directorial incompetence, but the scrappy, can-do spirit shared by the helmers doesn’t salvage what turns out to be an overlong endeavor that takes a passably insane idea and ruins it with excess. Even by Troma standards, “Sgt. Kabukiman” feels like a first pass that was pushed into release, in need of reshaping and timing to make the premise work.

A junk food-munching member of the New York Police Department, Detective Harry Griswold (Rick Gianasi) is hit with a particularly troubling situation when he attends a Kabuki performance hosted by businessman Reginald Stuart (Bill Weeden). At first just a curious audience member, Griswold springs into duty when a madman decides to shoot the stage performers. Failing to save the day, Griswold is gifted special powers from a dying shaman, allowing the clueless cop to transform into Kabukiman, a wildly decorated hero with special Asian-stereotype powers. Struggling with his new reality, Griswold finds help from Lotus (Susan Byun), a frustrated woman who’s forced to train Kabukiman, with the “Chosen One” requiring focus once Stuart begins playing with dark powers, hoping to fulfill a special astrological prophecy that’s about to bring The Evil One to Earth.

Keeping up with company policy, “Sgt. Kabukiman” is a wild ride of violence, slapstick, and assorted ugliness (again, Troma loves any opportunity to stage a sexual assault), trying to stir up another “Toxic Avenger”-style stew of screen madness that gives the faithful what they want. However, for this 1990 production, Kaufman and Herz slow their impatience with plotting, trying to build up a successful origin story that could feed multiple sequels, working to establish Griswold as a character instead of a complete cartoon. Not that “Sgt. Kabukiman” is dramatic in any way, but it takes a full act to truly get going, spotlighting Griswold’s detective skills, Stuart’s deceptive care for the performing arts, and Lotus’s dedication to the Kabukiman cause, aiding the shaman as he prepares for what becomes his final stage appearance. It’s actually pleasant to find the movie taking time to spin plates, but the honeymoon is over once gunfire erupts at the Kabuki performance, commencing Griswold’s experience as Kabukiman and Stuart’s evil plans to dominate the planet.

The film’s highlights remain with the Kabukiman transformations, which offer extremely detailed looks at body horror as Griswold endures a radical change, emerging as a white-faced, stiff-haired defender of the innocent. Kaufman and Herz test cultural sensitivity with the hero’s weaponry, watching Kabukiman swing a samurai sword, create massive wind with a fan, fling a pile of chopsticks, and knock down enemies with sushi rolls, keeping the picture cartoony. It’s amusing but never funny, remaining in line with Troma’s sense of humor, while attempts to gross-out the viewer are largely successful, including the idea that Kabukiman’s ancient powers are derived from the consumption of earthworms.

Silliness escalates throughout the feature, tracking Griswold’s attempts to master his powers, which results in a transformation into a clown during a mid-movie confrontation for reasons that aren’t entirely understood. Training sequences are also presented, watching Lotus teach Griswold the ways of focus by having him separate a pile of rice one grain at a time and learn the ways of haiku. It’s here where Gianasi’s performance is tested in full, and he survives, able to play along with Troma severity without mugging himself into coma. As support, Byun also shows enthusiasm, adding some needed authority to the picture.

Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D. Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

"Sgt. Kabukiman" comes to Blu-ray with an AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation, and for a Troma release, it actually manages to respect HD standards to a certain degree. Colors are immediately impressive, with strong primaries and Day-Glo extremes, keeping ornate costuming and gaudy sets eye-catching, while skintones are healthy and natural. Detail is approachable for this style of low-budget filmmaking. Moments of sharpness mingle with mild softness, permitting viewers to study special effects and broad reaction, while cityscapes retain distances. Delineation is never worrisome, preserving frame information. Grain is filmic. Source has its issues, including a flapping hair in the lower right corner of the frame that hangs on for the first reel and periodic judder, while scratches and mild damage are detected throughout.

Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D. Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Troma can't seem to win in the audio department, with the disc's Dolby Digital 2.0 track problematic throughout. It's enough that production limitations are easily indentified, but a buzzing sound is a persistent irritant, enjoying fluctuating intensity during the listening experience. Dialogue exchanges are thin and unremarkable, with crackly S-words and periodic dips in quality. While intelligibility isn't entirely missing, the mix gets close. Soundtrack cuts are muddy and chaotic, and scoring is barely noticeable, perhaps by design. Atmospherics are bolder, keeping in line with Troma's interest in constant aural activity, and sound effects register as intended, but lack precise definition.

Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D. Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features co-writer/director Lloyd Kaufman.

• Interview (6:45, HD) with actor Rick Gianasi locates the "Sgt. Kabukiman" star at an Orlando convention, where Kaufman catches up with his boothmate, with the pair marveling over the legacy of the character. Gianasi tries to keep up with "Uncle Lloydee," but seems a bit overwhelmed by the conversation.

• "Kabukiman Karaoke" (2:35, HD) visits a Troma convention panel, where onlookers are encouraged to participate in a sing-along of the "Sgt. Kabukiman" theme. The best part of this supplement is spotting conventioneers into the idea and those rolling their eyes as the camera weaves around the room.

• "Kabukiman Cocktail Corner" (12:08, HD) is a talk show hosted by the superhero, who's joined by a tipsy Kaufman. The guest is Brian Quinn, star of "Impractical Jokers," who shares his love for Troma, revealing a treatment written 15 years ago for the company titled "Tiny Terror Comes to Coyote Town." The gang promptly arranges a crude read-through of a scene.

• "Stupid Moments in Troma History" (2:50, SD) is faux news piece about Sgt. Kabukiman's possible involvement in the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

• "Tromadance 2015 Highlights" (5:20, HD) showcases the happenings at the company's annual celebration of underground cinema, with interns interviewing attendees and talent, while segments of panel conversations are shared.

• And a Trailer (3:35, SD) is included.

Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D. Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

To no one's surprise, "Sgt Kabukiman" climaxes with the arrival of a monster from another world, adding overkill to an already noisy picture. But there's little to dissuade Kaufman and Herz from carrying out typical Troma mayhem, which drags the feature to an indulgent 105 minutes. The effort is in dire need of a tighter edit, and one that respects the power of shock value, portioning it out into digestible pieces of grotesque entertainment. "Sgt Kabukiman N.Y.P.D." wears out is welcome long before the final showdown begins, with the production taking on the qualities of a runaway train as a passable idea for a new B-movie superhero is smothered by Troma's habitual inability to quit while they're ahead.