Nonureva Really Surprised!

Odelecol Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

Usamah Harvey The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Sienna-Rose Mclaughlin The movie really just wants to entertain people.

chaos-rampant A typical example of the early seventies action/crime exploitation subgenres that were booming simultaneously in America, Italy and Japan, Criminal Woman might be pinku by the numbers but the guarantees that involves are not to be scoffed at. Starting out as a WIP flick and slowly moving into revengesploitation territory as Reiko Ike fresh out of prison goes after the yakuza gang that murdered her father, the movie is fast-paced, entertaining and stylish as only pinkus know how to be. Memorable moments of violence include a torture scene, mild by today's standards but still a burnt nipple is a burnt nipple, and several highly energetic gunfights between rival yakuza gangs that recall the yakuza movies from the same time, red gun muzzles and all. Genre stalwarts Reiko Ike and Miki Sugimoto are both as good as we've come to expect, thankfully not refusing to shed their clothes when the opportunity arises, and duking it out catfight style twice before the end credits roll. Overall, this is a good enough pinku that genre fans will enjoy, if only because it fulfills the quotient of OTT violence and sleaze we expect from this kind of movie.

Witchfinder General 666 In 1972 and 1973, Japanese Exploitation cinema brought us the four greatest "Women In Prison" themed films in the history of motion pictures with the "Joshuu Sasori" flicks starring the great Meiko Kaji (Especially the first three films, directed by Shunya Ito, rank high on my personal all-time favorite list). It is amazing that the follow-up on the list of the greatest WIP-flicks is also a Japanese film, that belongs in the great Pinky Violence sub-genre and was released in 1973. Well, technically it's not really a traditional WIP flick, but an absolutely awesome female gangster/revenge flick that starts out in a women's prison. "Zenka onna: koroshi-bushi" aka "Criminal Woman: Killing Melody" of 1973 is a fantastic entry to the Pinky Violence sub-genre that no fellow exploitation buff should consider missing. Even though he never directed anything else, director Atsushi Mihori created an awesome gem of Japanese Exploitation cinema with this flick, brought to you by the great Toei Company. Starring the ravishing genre-goddesses Reiko Ike and Miki Sugimoto, "Criminal Woman" once again delivers style, a vast amount of sleaze and violence, and also, more than most other examples for the genre, a fantastic plot.The ravishing Reiko Ike stars as Maki, a girl who has to go to prison after trying to avenge her father, who was murdered by a local Yakuza clan. She befriends some other bad-girls in prison, the toughest being the heavily tattooed, and equally hot Massayo (played by the ravishing Miki Sugimoto), who is involved with the Yakuza. Throughout her prison term, Maki just has the sole goal to finish her revenge once she gets out...Reiko Ike and Miki Sugimoto are both ravishing and super-cool, and it is hard to say which one of the two deserves her status as a cult-siren more (in terms of pure beauty my personal choice would be Miki, but they're both very hot and very bad-ass). The two starred together in a bunch of films (such as "Girl Boss Guerilla", "Girl Boss Revenge" and "Terrifying Girls' Highshool: Lynch Law Classroom") and each of the ladies starred in a bunch of highlights alone (Miki Sugimoto's most memorably in "Zero Woman Red Handcuffs", Reiko Ike in "Sex And Fury" and "Female Yakuza Tale"). "Criminal Woman: Killing Melody" is one of the highlights of either woman's career, an immensely stylish, supremely bad-ass and absolutely awesome gem that is a must-see for every lover of Exploitation and/or Japanese cinema. Also great are Yumiko Katayama, Chiyoko Kazama and Masami Sôda, who make a beautiful female supporting cast as their fellow inmates in Women's prison. The film is action-packed and stylish from the very beginning, with a funky score and a genre-typical beautiful theme song. All things considered "Criminal Woman: Killing Melody" is an excellent Pinky-gem that no lover of Japanese Exploitation cinema could possibly afford to miss! Awesome!

Falconeer 'Criminal Woman: Killing Melody' is a strong entry in the 'Pinky Violence' box set, mostly due to the presence of both Reiko Ike, and the amazing Miki Sugimoto, as rivals/comrades. This film is a more straight forward revenge tale, and it moves at a good pace. Reiko Ike stars as Maki, a woman out for revenge against a Yakuza gang responsible for her fathers death. The original Zero Woman, Miki Sugimoto exudes a strange elegant quality in this one, as the wife of the Yakuza boss. The two wildcats meet for the first time in prison, and than again on the outside, when Maki's revenge plan begins to to take form. Reiko Ike is tough & uncompromising in this one, bent on wiping out the gangsters, while Massayo (Sugimoto) must retain a cool exterior; she doesn't really want any harm to come to her former cell mate, as she can respect the other woman's strength. At the same time, she feels some loyalty to her husband, or so we think. Miki Sugimoto remains my favorite 'Pink Heroine'. There is such strength in her voice, and in this one, much of her body is tattooed! Before i watched this I was afraid that it would be marred with silly comedic overtones, something which in my opinion ruined 'Delinquent Girl Boss: Worthless To Confess'. But there is none of that silliness here, just a straight forward approach, with fine melodramatic overtones, as well as some great sleaze. Not nearly as sadistic as 'Terrifying Girls Highschool', which is my personal favorite in the collection. But there are those moments that are expected from this genre, in particular a scene where Miki Sugimoto burns Reiko Ike's breasts with a lit cigarette. 'Criminal Woman: Killing Melody' is a classic 'pink' film.

christopher-underwood Fine all action, sex and violence Japanese style with real style. Simple yet effective this is, for once, a fairly straight forward tale of revenge with the super women to the fore. Big cat fight at the start is matched by a rematch at the end and everything in between is just pure fun. Bits of nasty violence, the cigarette stub and threat of chainsaw were surprises but mainly fast moving with decent mix of s&v. Nice sequence to illustrate our heroine having to go on the game to earn the dosh to set up the action. Instead of any boring build up with sad undertones we get a quick montage of humps and payments from US soldiers uniform pockets.