Yasei no shômei

A great action film with a human drama, featuring Ken Takakura of "Black Rain". A story about a soldier in a secret army division who escapes, and on the way, finds humanity. A sort of modern day samurai story. Stoicism and lyricism abound. I consider it as one of the best Japanese action films. In Japan, the movie was a big hit when it was released, but I have been unable to find a video in USA with English subtitle.

This film stars Ken Takakura as Ajisawa, a firmer member of the Special Forces, now a life insurance salesman. There was a massacre in a rural village in Japan, and Ajisawa ends up adopting the only survivor, Yoriko (a young Hiroko Yakushimaru). She has amnesia but can also has a sixth sense of dangerous things just ahead. Her memory slowly returns. The local government wants Ajisawa dead, and you begin to understand why. Among the questions about this enigmatic figure you have to ask yourself is, did he commit the massacre, thereby killing Yoriko's parents? This film has that psychological intent to it, and there are moments of violence. About the only criticism I have is that its a bit too long, but it still keeps your interest. For lovers of the kind of action drama that eventually spawned Rambo, but this film is just as much about story as action. Stay with it, I think you'll like it. The acting is uniformly good.