The Red Spectacles: 4K Restoration Review

The 4k restoration of Oshii’s sci-fi cult classic The Red Spectacles is a successful effort to preserve the director’s filmmaking legacy.

The restoration showcases the power of 21st-century technology for precision and preservation, but the film also maintains its lo-fi and low-budget flair (for better or for worse).

The opening scene features intense action and drama, coaxing the viewer into a two-hour fight fest. But Oshii had higher goals than directing an iconic Japanese action film; what starts as an exploration of an authoritarian state morphs into surrealism, satire, and slapstick humor to create an experience that’s as hard to follow as it is to dislike. There are some genuinely hilarious moments in scenes with high stakes, as well as serious monologues in the midst of chaotic comedy. Transitions from various themes and tones can be disjointing at times, but approaching this film as a largely facetious, though clever, fever dream will result in great appreciation for its inconsistency. The Red Spectacles is a singular cult classic.

Shigeru Chiba’s (My Neighbor Totoro) lead performance as Koichi is astounding. He’s the surviving member of the militarized Kerberos police, and he’s led by the “Young Lady of Fate” (Machiko Washio, Castle in the Sky) through increasingly confusing trials. Chiba’s portrayal of the absurdity and madness Koichi experiences as he seeks to undermine his country’s oppressors is captivating, and he just as powerfully embodies Koichi’s traumatic personal history. His performance is supported by hilarious counterparts in Bunmei (Tessyo Genda, Akira) and Soichiro (Hideyuki Tanaka, Paprika). Despite its unpredictability and ambition, it’s fascinating just how committed every actor is in every scene. Even those scenarios with numerous extras reveal the whole cast’s complete devotion to the wild and confusing world of Oshii.

The production design and staging of several scenes evoke Wes Anderson: Many shots of The Red Spectacles feature an ensemble staring directly at the camera, moving robotically and in tandem before breaking into complex and well-choreographed fights. In the second act, these scenes call back to the opening scene’s severity. But in later developments, the whirls of motion and seemingly unrelated acts contribute to an ever more preposterous story. Mixing all of this with long takes of Koichi walking down a dark alley, pondering the mystery that is his life, reminds viewers that they can’t ever truly predict Oshii’s next step.

One drawback to the 4k restoration of this underground hit is its sound design. The original sound tracking was poorly done, so the result is a crystal clear version of poor sound. It’s too minimal and often out of sync. The restoration of other elements, such as the film’s visuals and score, are satisfactory, which only serves to bring more attention to the sound design’s weaknesses. Some longtime fans of the film may appreciate it, as it harkens back to the B-movie aesthetic of the original, but in general it serves more as a distraction than a positive nostalgic factor. 

The 4k restoration of this movie is a largely successful effort to preserve Oshii’s filmmaking legacy, and its re-release beckons viewers to delve into the works that shaped the director’s career. Anyone in search of an unapologetically absurd, dystopian sci-fi, ‘80s neo-noir conglomerate, need look no further than the restored The Red Spectacles.

A new 4K restoration of The Red Spectacles will be have an exclusive weekend New York theatrical engagement at Metrograph In Theater from November 21, 2025, marking the first time the movie will be screened theatrically in New York City.