The only way Robert Downey Sr knew how to communicate with his audience was to level with them. He’d undercut your expectations while openly ribbing your reactions, delighting in the intrigue of blatant overindulgence while acknowledging it with disgust and then forcing you to wallow in it alongside him.

Based on a manga? Check. Strong, silent protagonist? Check. Prisons? Check. Rage against The Man? Check. Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky and the Female Prisoner Scorpion movies complement each other perfectly as showcases of Japanese and Hong Kong cinema at the zenith of their age.