Tetsuo: The Bullet Man: Limited Edition – Unearthed Classics (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 2009
Director: Shin'ya Tsukamoto
Writers: Shin'ya Tsukamoto, Hisakatsu Kuroki
Cast: Eric Bossick, Akiko Monō, Yuko Nakamura, Stephen Sarrazin, Shinya Tsukamoto

Release Date: July 21st, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 71 Minutes 10 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 English/Japanese
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $39.95

"Anthony is a bland and cautious American office worker living in Tokyo with nothing exceptional about him. Or so he thinks. When his young son is killed, Anthony begins a violent and bizarre metamorphosis, his flesh transforming into metal, his body expressing his repressed rage and lust for revenge. Anthony is becoming the weapon that will destroy the man who killed his son and, if his rage cannot be contained, the entire city in the process." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Tetsuo: The Bullet Man comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 40.3 GB

Feature: 20.1 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are solid, and there are no issues with compression.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English and some dialogue in Japanese. The track makes great use of ambient sounds and its score always sounds robust. That said, many times dialogue is much lower than the rest of the soundtrack. Included are removable English SDH and English subtitles for Japanese-only dialogue.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a promotional image gallery with music from the film playing in the background (stills/posters), the original Japanese theatrical trailer (1 minute 57 seconds, DTS-HD 5.1 English with text in Japanese and removable English subtitles), the original US theatrical trailer (1 minute 58 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Tetsuo: The Bullet Man—multi-material version (70 minutes 31 seconds, DTS-HD 5.1 English, no subtitles), an audio Commentary with actor Eric Bossick and Japanese cinema expert Tom Mes, and a slipcover (limited to the first pressing). The extra-titled Tetsuo: The Bullet Man—multi-material version is a making-of-the-film that contains storyboards and behind-the-scenes footage.

Summary:

Tetsuo: The Bullet Man is a standalone sequel to two earlier films directed by Shin'ya, Tetsuo: The Iron Man and Tetsuo II: Body Hammer. It is body horror and cyberpunk elements that link Tetsuo: The Iron Man, Tetsuo II: Body Hammer, and Tetsuo: The Bullet Man, despite having no narrative continuity. Another element that links these three films is that they revolve around the protagonist whose rage after the death of their child transforms their bodies into weapons.

Tetsuo: The Bullet Man is a film that relies more on mood than conventional cinema storytelling; there is just enough exposition to move things forward. Image and sound are more important than what is said. The stylized visuals, which have a monochrome-like color scheme, perfectly fuse with the soundtracks' abrasive use of sounds. The film’s main theme was composed and performed by Nine Inch Nails. When it comes to moments of violence and ensuing carnage, Tetsuo: The Bullet Man does not disappoint. That said, having the cast predominantly speak in English is one area that some may find lacking. Ultimately, while Tetsuo: The Bullet Man is a step back from its predecessors, it is a film that Shin'ya Tsukamoto fans should thoroughly enjoy.

Unearthed Films gives Tetsuo: The Bullet Man a first-rate release that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a pair of informative extras. Recommended.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer