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Pray for Death

Pray for Death

Action · 1985

Akira Saito, a Japanese businessman lives in Tokyo with his Japanese-American wife Aiko and their children, Takeshi and Tomoya. When the family has a chance to move to the United States so that Aiko can teach the children about their American heritage, they pack up and head for Houston, Texas and run a restaurant. This is where the trouble begins....

Movie details

Pray for Death

“The Master Ninja is Back.”

1985 Action 1h 32m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.1 / 10

Community rating

Akira Saito, a Japanese businessman lives in Tokyo with his Japanese-American wife Aiko and their children, Takeshi and Tomoya. When the family has a chance to move to the United States so that Aiko can teach the children about their American heritage, they pack up and head for Houston, Texas and run a restaurant. This is where the trouble begins....

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Pray for Death?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Gordon Hessler

Written by

James Booth

Sho Kosugi

Sho Kosugi

Akira Saito

James Booth

James Booth

Limehouse Willie

Donna Kei Benz

Donna Kei Benz

Aiko Saito

Norman Burton

Norman Burton

Lt. Anderson

Kane Kosugi

Kane Kosugi

Takeshi Saito

Shane Kosugi

Shane Kosugi

Tomoya Saito

Matthew Faison

Matthew Faison

Sgt. Joe Daley

Court is in session

Put Pray for Death on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Adrenaline Seeker

“Momentum is a formal choice.”

The velocity sharpens instinct and tension, making every beat land before self-importance can settle in.

The prosecution The Auteur Devotee

“Speed as an alibi.”

The film races past its weak spots and hopes acceleration will keep the audience from inspecting the evidence.