Dead or Alive: Final 2002

In the dystopian landscape of 24th century Yokohama, Mayor Woo has firmly seized control with an iron grip, enforcing harsh measures to regulate the populace. His authority is reinforced by Takeshi Honda, a fervent enforcer who will go to any lengths to maintain order. Amidst this turmoil, Ryo, a wandering drifter, becomes ensnared by government forces. During a violent altercation, Honda realizes that Ryo is an anomalous relic from a cataclysmic conflict that devastated the planet. In a daring escape from capture, Ryo follows a boy who had previously pleaded for his help, leading him to the hidden headquarters of a rebel faction intent on overthrowing Woo’s oppressive regime.

The rebels, driven by an insatiable desire to rescue their captured allies, concoct a daring plan to kidnap Mayor Woo during a public event and hold him for ransom in exchange for their imprisoned comrades. As they attempt to execute their heist, tensions arise within the group as some members succumb to greed, pilfering from the unsuspecting attendees. Seizing the opportunity, Woo orders his bodyguards into action, igniting a fierce battle that ultimately sabotages the rebels’ efforts.

Disheartened and depleted, the surviving members of the rebel faction retreat to their hideout. It is here that they realize one innocent soul remains with them – Honda’s son, his presence evoking the stark cost of Woo’s dictatorship. As Ryo forms an unlikely connection with the child who initially guided him to the rebels, internal conflicts escalate, ultimately culminating in a violent coup that leaves only a skeletal crew alive.

After a tenuous truce is established, where Honda’s son is returned to him and Woo agrees to release the rebels’ captive friends, the fragile calm is shattered by a shocking betrayal. A duplicitous couple, having secretly allied with Woo, opens fire on the unsuspecting group, resulting in chaos and devastation. In the midst of this carnage, Ryo and Honda’s son, compelled to escape, witness their comrades falling around them. The remaining rebels scatter, leaving Ryo to traverse the ravaged streets alone.

In their plight for safety, Ryo and Honda’s son find shelter in a movie theater, where they manage to keep the boy hidden from danger. However, Takeshi Honda is hot on their trail, fueled by an insatiable thirst for vengeance against those who have betrayed him. A thrilling showdown ensues as he confronts Ryo, only to be halted by his son’s cries, imploring him to abandon the pursuit of violence.

As the dust settles, Honda returns home to a shocking discovery: his wife is not what she appears, but is instead a replicant, crafted to mimic humanity. When confronted by Woo, Honda learns that he and his son are similarly artificial beings, limited in various respects. It becomes starkly apparent that Woo’s malevolent scheme to eliminate humanity is fueled by a misguided view that the old world was obsolete.

In the midst of chaos, Honda and Ryo choose to unite against their shared nemesis, Mayor Woo. As they soar through the skies in an exhilarating blend of mecha and martial arts, clips from the preceding Dead or Alive films intersplice with their aerial combat, blurring reality and fantasy. Just as all hope seems lost, the film abruptly cuts to Woo, who stands frozen in disbelief at the unfolding compromising situation.