Those expecting a gritty, violent and bloody film with Shihomi Etsuko fighting off dozens of martial arts combatants are in for quite a shock and disappointment as Izutsu Kazuyuki's 1985 film "Nidaime No Christian" is a more of a loopy, contrived and somewhat boring drama which flip-flops from goofy comedy, to Yakuza drama and sitcom romance. The only saving grace is Shihomi Etsuko's likable performance which is surprisingly well played and controlled and gives audiences a different side to her ass-kicking film persona.

When Shihomi Etsuko first took to the screens as a supporting player to mentor and fellow Japan Action Club (JAC) founder Chiba "Sonny" Shinichi, she was quite different from any other Japanese action heroine. With her athletic tone and legs, spunky attitude, and pretty face she seemed like Japan's version of Angela Mao, Pei Pei Cheng and the other 70s Shaw Brothers heroines of Hong Kong Cinema rather than the "Pinky Violence" sukebans like Sugimoto Miki or Ike Reiko. While Shihomi's Karate-based fighting style wasn't as flamboyant as her HK counterparts, she made up for it with her sheer presence, screen charisma and raw fighting form (it is little wonder why the guys as Capcom modeled their iconic character Chun-Li after her character in the "Sister Streetfighter/Onna Hissatsu Ken" series).

After making dozens of super violent Toei action films like "Karei-naru Tsuiseki/The Great Chase" and "Wakai Kizoku-Tachi: 13-Kaidan no Maki/13 Steps" throughout the 70s, Shihomi was eager to get out of the typecast of "woman warrior" and branch out into more dramatic roles.

Thus we come to "Ni Daime No Christian" (Reborn Christian) which was based off of a novel by Korean-Japanese Tsuka Kohei and adapted by prolific 80s movie producer Kadokawa Haruki whose production company adapted other novels into movies like "Sailor Fuku To Kikanjyu", "Satomi Hakken Den" and "W No Higeki".

"Ni Daime No Christian" followed the story of beautiful Christian Nun/Sister, Kyoko (Shihomi) who was the object of affection of two very different men - one the happy-go-lucky Yakuza gangster, Haruhiko (Iwaki Kouchi) who was the next-in-line to takeover the ragtag "Tenryu Gumi" gang and the other bumbling Police Detective Kumashiro (Emoto Akira). The Tenryu Gumi is a collection of misfits and other troublemakers but were relatively peaceful due to their Christian beliefs. Their bitter rivals were the more traditional "Kuroiwa Gumi", a much more sadistic and violent group led by godfather Kuroiwa (Murota Hideo).

After much drama and silly exchanges, Kyoko finally decides to marry Haruhiko but Haruhiko is shot dead on the day of their wedding by jealous Yuri (Katase Rino),Haruhiko's former lover who was manipulated into killing him by the Kuroiwa Gumi. Despite this Kyoko harbors no hatred towards her and even befriends her once she finds out that the Kuroiwa Gumi was behind Haruhiko's death. Yet, Kyoko's Christian patience reaches a boiling point when the Kuroiwa Gumi attack her church killing a number of Kyoko's friends including Yuri. Reluctantly taking a Japanese Sword in hand, she and Kumashiro go to get vengeance against the Kuroiwa Gumi.

While the premise does sound intriguing, those expecting a "nunsploitation" film along the lines of "Sei Jyu No Gakuen/School of the Holy Beast" with naked nuns/Sisters and flagellation will be very much disappointed. Even Shihomi Etsuko fans may find themselves a bit saddened that Shihomi doesn't really do much action in this movie even at the climatic end. Yet Shihomi oddly seems the most beautiful in this movie and director Izutsu doesn't miss a chance at featuring Shihomi in various flattering closeups. I'm so used to Shihomi "the action heroine" that I forget how good of an actress she is and if there is one saving grace for this film is that it gives Shihomi an opportunity to showoff her dramatic acting skills which she would later use in various Japanese TV Dramas she starred in the late 80s.

That however can't save this film which is very much a letdown both dramatically and visually. While Izutsu and Kadokawa tried to replicate the success with "Sailor Fuku To Kikanjyu" another drama that dealt with sympathetic Yakuza, it didn't really work here and in the end what we get is a boring and confusing story that can't make up its mind to be a drama or comedy.