Police officer Hayata (Chiba) is given the mission of going undercover to infiltrate a Yakuza operation. On this occasion though, his bosses aren’t just after the publicly known gangsters, they want to get the money men who are the real brains behind the outfit. As Hayata befriends the various members through his obvious demonstrations of skills, everything is going well until another undercover cop accidentally exposes his identity. Now Hayata must fight for his life as he finds himself stuck in a middle of an all out gang war!

After a sloppy opening that consists of a suspiciously homoerotic bonding between two men and some randomly spliced together action scenes, I feared the worst for 'Yakuza Deka'. However, as the various elements unfolded I suddenly realised that I was slap bang in the middle of one of the most outrageously camp and exceptionally fun 70s romps I've seen in a while. Playing out like a cross between the early James Bond films and Austin Powers, the film just oozes cheese but it’s the kind of retro cheese that is both hilarious to watch and edge-of-your-seat exciting all at the same time. Throw in the talents of Sonny Chiba and a soundtrack reminiscent of 'The Pink Panther', and all of a sudden you realise you're sitting through a minor classic.

The action for 'Yakuza Deka' also continues along the same lines, with the real bonus being an injection of that Chiba magic. Although clearly not up to the standards of his martial arts movies, the film just seems to exude a raw enthusiasm that leaps right off the screen. Surprisingly, its the shootouts that seem to provide the most satisfaction as they boast as impressive array of weaponry and are over-dramatised to the point that they really suck you in. Sadly though, the closing moments do let the side down as it appears as though the films makers were in a rush to complete production. As a result, rather that treat us to a final showdown between Chiba and the henchmen, there is a drawn out car chase that doesn't quite provide us with the fitting closure that we would have liked.

Those of you accustomed to the more hardcore elements of the Sonny Chiba back catalogue may not be entirely satisfied by 'Yakuza Deka'. Despite some excellent action with Chiba on top form, it's the unintentionally comical moments and camp overall feel that win out. If you can deal with that though, this is superb entertainment and it deserves to sit amongst the classic crime capers of the 1970s.