Odoru daisosasen

BAYSIDE SHAKEDOWN (1998), which was a record-breaking hit when it first opened and spawned an equally successful sequel late in 2003, is a fantastic dramedy-thriller about a bureaucracy-heavy city police precinct involved in the hunt for a serial killer. The opening scene sets the delightful comic tone: a body floats dead centre in a small river that divides two districts, with cops from both sides wading frantically in the water to see who can get to it first and thus take on the case. On shore, two wisened detectives from the Wangan Police Station quietly mutter their hopes that if the body floats to the other side, they won't have to be bothered investigating the case. Naturally, they get the case, and young cop Yuji Oda spends the next several days hunting down the killer AND an unexpected group of kidnappers, dealing with interference that shows up in the form of secretive high-tech Feds led by an arch-rival, and witnessing the station commanders all but bury themselves in red tape and petty squabling in order to avoid doing real work, all while desperately trying to catch a few moments of desperately desired sleep. This is based on a TV show, but prior knowledge of it is unnecessary and you instantly feel a kinship with these memorable characters. Nice double-twist ending, too! I give it a 10.

This movie is weird. This is the kind only japanese can make. But hopefully this is not (I hope so!) the kind only japanese people can love. It can't be glued to any genre and for example (as it's a huge success) Hollywood won't be able to make it again. Extraordinary action sequences, ultra-suspense and ZAZ-comic-like is a light sum-up of what can be found in this weird but very exciting movie.

What is this show trying to say? Action, Horror, Romance, Culture Clashes, Loyalty, the old and the new etc. I know it's wrong to pigeonhole something but really, this show suffers from a lack of focus. Done properly, it would have carried some merit. But what I saw was just slipshod film-making. The ending was so over sentimentalised that it was barf-inducing. Terrible.

I am not a fan of police movies but this one won me over. I found it to have the perfect blend of humor and drama. The multiple plots of kidnapping, murder, and a thief within the police's very own station were all handled smoothly by an excellent group of actors. In a way it reminds me of the movie M*A*S*H in that there is humor, humor, humor, and then "Bang," edge-of-your-seat drama and tension. (This review is in regard to the dvd version with English subtitles.) I've watched this movie a dozen times now and each time I notice something extra, things that are funny or odd taking place in the background. The movie was easy to follow despite me having never seen the TV series. You will enjoy this film.

I liked the characters and the style, so I believe the setup really had potential. But unfortunately they didn't make much out of it. Another reviewer called it "directionless". I agree. It just meanders along without any suspense, the story is totally unexciting. There is some subtle humor but that's all.

I'll still check out the second part though, maybe I'll like it better. (Probably not.)