dragynfaerie
USA
Live depicts the lives of rookie cops and their mentors and how their work and family life intermingle. The writing was excellent. I did not know what to expect when I started watching it. When I first heard of Live, it was listed as a comedy. It is not. If I had to catergorize it, I'd put it under slice of life. Drama. Comedy. Action. Romance. It's all in there. It has many scenes that will make you smile, but it also has several that will make you sad and even anger you. The writers did a great job at balancing the emotions and climate of each episode. Was it 100% perfect? No, I'd be lying if I said it was because nothing is perfect. However, the story is well told.
The story is also well acted. Wonderfully acted as a matter of fact! The male leads were played by Lee Kwang Soo and Bae Sung Woo. Now, I will confess that I watch everything Lee Kwang Soo because I think he's an excellent actor and not respected enough. He has never failed to entertain me. I've only seen one other drama Bae Sung Woo has been in and I don't even remember him. Trust me when I say, I will remember him now. Lee plays rookie to Bae's seasoned vet. The 2 clash from the beginning but their relationship develops into one of mutual respect and friendship. The female leads (Jung Yoo Mi and Bae Jun Ok) are also Korean officers, which is uncommon in Korean drama. They're both strong willed and determined women who don't back down. There's a marvelous scene of Bae Jun Ok confronting the all male hierarchy in the police. It was beautifully brillant! The rest of the cast is peppered with seasoned scene stealing vets like Sung Dong Il, Jang Hyun Sung, Lee Soon Jae as well as some and up and comers to keep an eye on.
Usually, I hate how music is used in most dramas. I have to admit TVN music editors do a pretty good job. I did get tired of hearing the same songs, but they weren't played for what seemed like 3 minutes at a time while we re-watched scenes we just saw. I was surprised the main song(s) weren't by Korean artists, but they fit with the characters and the atmosphere. Thus, I believe, they were good choices.
I'm also not a big re-watch fan, but I am honestly ready to marathon Live again right now. I hope they do a sequel and not make the mistake of hiring a brand new cast. * fingers crossed *
There are some dramas that end perfectly with about 18 episodes; some that you wish did end with 18 episodes; and some you wish had a few more episodes. Live is the latter. If you like cop shows that delve into what happens in the precinct and the private lives of the officers, then you should be watching Live.
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Actually, I call the core 7, My 7 Little Pabos. They made/make complete fools out of themselves weekly and I thank them for it. They are truly brillant. Lead by the Nation's MC, YJS, the RM cast is a well oiled and often zany machine. When their personalities clash, it's usually hilarious. Unlike other Korean variety shows I've seen, RM is a work out. They play games and do missions. After 10 seasons I'm always shocked when guests come on and are surprised that the title is literal. Watching RM makes you want to join in on the fun. I know I can't anymore (not unless they have Limping Man), but I wish that I could.
They promote the music of the cast as well as any musical guests. Aside from their personal themes, the music played during the episodes is always current. It's a great production and the writers do a very good job.
The bottom line is this: Running Man is fun. They look like they're having fun and you have fun just watching them. If you could get a job, running around playing games all day and laughing, wouldn't you? I know I would. Since that's virtually impossible for most of us, watching RM is the next best thing.
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Missing 9 is one addictive drama at least episodes 1-15 are. Episode 16, not so much. They could have made episode 15 about 25 minutes longer to tie up the story and end it. The final episode had too much obvious filler and not enough tension. And the last scene came from outer space. It's like a new director took over for a quick second. But I digress. The story is quite good. It's nothing like I thought it would be. Early comparisons to Lost were far off base. There's a plane crash and that's where the similarities end. Missing 9's characters all mostly know each other for better or for worse. They all belong to/work for the same Entertainment Agency. The writer(s) did a good job in character development and setting up a well layered mystery even where there didn't seem to be one. The characters had camaraderie and there were a number of humorous scenes. The cast as a whole did a marvelous job and they had great chemistry. They seemed to work well together. The incidental music did a great job of supporting the story and helping move it along. The songs were ok. I really didn't pay much attention to the main song that played throughout the drama probably because I found it uninteresting. I really did enjoy Missing 9, but I don't see a reason to re-watch it. To be honest though, it's rare that I ever want to re-watch any drama.. Overall, it's a solid well done drama and very much worth watching even with the weird, obvious add-on scene at the end.
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This review may contain spoilers
An Entertaining Fiasco: The Anime is Better, but...
(No spoilers about the Netflix version, but there may be some from the anime.)It has taken me weeks to write this because I am torn. It wasn't until I watched a review on YT that my feelings about this entertaining fiasco congealed. The "live action" version of YuYu Hakusho, easily one of the best, most well written shonen anime/manga of all time is not a true adaptation. Rather, it's a re-telling of the story I've loved for almost 30 years. It has aspects of the anime and manga, but it's its own beast all together. Fans of the story may be torn. Those who have never seen the anime will probably really like it. I mean there's nothing to dislike. I can not see anyone hating it though. I have dubbed this retelling YuYu Hakusho: Netflix hen.
In case you don't know Yusuke Urameshi is a 14 year old yankee (Japanese term for teen thugs, gang members, etc.). He's an excellent fighter and e seems hard on the outside, but he really has a good heart. After an accident Yusuke undergoes trials assigned by, Koenma, the son of Enma, King of the Underworld, to become a spirit detective. He forms a team with once rival, Kuabara, and 2 demons (Kurama and Hiei) to rid the world of demons. That's Yu Yu in a nutshell. The only difference, which isn't much, is that Yusuke in the Netflix version is 17.
The good
Netflix's version is fast paced and action packed. If that's all you're looking for, you won't be disappointed. The CGI was a little ify here and there, but forgivable. The cast is good. I only recognized Takito Kenichi, who was perfectly creepy as the Elder Togoro brother, but for the most part the cast is solid. There's no mistaking who is who. While I didn't like the portrayal of Yusuke at first, he did grow on. The actor that played Kubara, however, was fantastic. He didn't necessarily look like Kuabara (his size and hair color being notable), but he embodied the spirit of Kuabara down to the walk. He was truly perfect.
The bad
Why was Koenma an adult from jump? Why didn't they explain the pacifier? They made him look like a damn perv sucking on binky for no reason. What they did to Kurama was a travesty. The cutting of Hiei's story and introduction was equally as sad. That brings me to what is really sad..the rush job. Why did they try to put 1/2 the story into 5 hours? They tried to cram over 60 anime episodes (approximately 30 hours of content) into 5- 1 hour episodes. Who does that? Why? Where's the fire? Why the rush? All questions I asked myself when I realized there was no episode 6. My only hope is that there is a 2nd season and they will have managed to work in some significant arcs and characters they omitted, especially the Dark Tournament. You guys don't know how badass any of them are with seeing the tournament.
The music was good at least I think it was. To be 100% I don't remember it. Re-watch? Hmm I'll probably re-watch it. I mean why not? It's only 5 episodes!
Fans of the anime: Netflix hen is decent. It's not the story you know, but it's not not the story either. It's a solid 6.
New YuYu fans: it's good. If you like fight scenes and action, you'll probably enjoy it enough to give it 7.5-8. However, you do yourself a huge disservice by not watching the anime.
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Thoroughly Entertaining!
I had a great time watching Mystery to IuNakare. It's a fun ride. I absolutely adored Kounou Toutonou! Japan has done several takes on Sherlock Holmes. Some hits. Some misses. I'm not saying Toutonou is young Sherlock Holmes, but it he reminds me of him. Honestly, to me he's a combo of Holmes and Tom Baker's Doctor Who (the 4th doctor.. look him up). Kounou Toutonou is a college student (as he says many times) with beyond exceptional deductive reasoning and observational skills. His antisocial behavior and personality led him to become the prime suspect in the murder of a former high school classmate. I was hooked from the first few minutes in episode one (finished the entire series in less than a day). Any time a suspect is taken in for questioning and winds up questioning the police, I'm in. Of course he shows off his skills, thereby setting up the rest of the series.The story is great. Yes, the murders may be somewhat common, but the solving of them is not. I mentioned Kounou reminds me of Sherlock Holmes. He has his own Moriarity. Someone who is brilliant, but pushed to the edge due to circumstances and winds up on the wrong side of the law. There's also a common thread throughout the episodes that does not become readily apparent until the end. The writing was done very well as was the production. This is not a gritty crime detective story. Although, somewhat lighthearted in many ways, it's not a comedy either. I'd categorize it as a dramedy.
The cast is great. Suda Masaki is fantastic as our curly haired protagonist. The characters including guests were all well cast. I enjoyed their performances. It took almost an entire episode for me to recognize Eita. When he shaves and covers his ears, he's unrecognizable. LOL
The music was pretty good. I really didn't take much notice of it which means it supported the scenes instead of overwhelming them. Re-watch is medium as I rarely re-watch, but I may, especially if there's too much time between seasons. Hopefully, there will be a season 2 as season 1 ends with a cliffhanger. Plus, there's too much about Kounou-kun that is unknown.
Overall, this is a fantastic binge worthy drama. I highly recommend it.
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A Societal Snapshot
It maybe titled Joke, but it's not funny. On the surface t's a psychological race between a celebrity,Sawai (Iplayed by kuta Toma) trying to regain his popularity via streaming and a fan. Beneath the surface Joke is an interesting take on tech, especially A,I. tech, and the control we give it in our daily lives . In short Joke is a sad commentary on what we are all becoming due to Covid.The writing is creative and clear. The director did a good job. The 45 minute special primarily takes place in 1 room. The production quality is fairly high overall? Some may think It too short, but I think it's the perfect length. If you've ever watched an anthology, the length won't bother you. It's like an episode of the Twilight Zone. It's basically a one man show. Toma does a great as Sawai, especially as he began to piece things together.
Music? There was music? I seriously don't remember. The re-watch is 50% maybe a little less. I am interested to know if there are missed clues.
Overall, I liked Joke. Is it ground breaking? No., but it is entertaining and thought provoking.
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Since this is the 2nd drama in the series, I'm opting to write a full review when I finish all 3 series and the side story. By the way, you don't need to have seen Ishi no Mayu to enjoy Suishou no Kodou, but it helps explain the relationship between certain characters and Kisaragi's behavior.
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The story revolves around Haruto Kaguragi, who idolizes F4, and wants to bring Eitoku-koko back to the glory it once was; Oto Edogawa, who is trying her best to get along until she can graduate; and Tenma Hase, the leader of Eitoku's rival school and Edogawa's oldest friend & fiance. Kaguragi's C5 aren't your typical HS bullies like F4 were originally. They're separatists. A rich kid school for rich kids. Peasants be gone! As such, C5 does peasant/commoner hunting and strongly suggest students who are not paying donations put in transfer papers. This is done in front of the student body at anytime/any place. Edogawa started school as a rich kid, but her family's business went under. I think you can see the clash. The storyline parallels HYD too much I believe. They made slight changes, but at it's core it was the same. A few more changes would have made it much more interesting.
They didn't skimp on the production. The sets were well appointed. I was happy to see the old Eitoku cafeteria. While the writing was unoriginal, but good for what it was, the direction, filming, and editing were expert. My guess is the screenwriter, Yoshida Erika, who is quite young, was given an outline or guide to follow. The one thing I found truly irritating was how Edogawa was so used to her poor life. The family business had only gone under 6 months earlier. One would expect her to still be trying to adjust.
The acting was really quite good. I'd never seen any of the actors that played the students before (I don't believe). Sugisaki Hana was fantastic as Edogawa. Her leading men, Hirano Sho (Kaguragi), and Nakagawa Taishi (Hase) were also quite good. FUN FACT for anyone who watches anime: Episode 10 has some serious Bleach vibes, Ichigo vs. Uryu. The rest of the cast rounds out nicely. Three of F4 make guest appearances. I only knew of 1 so I was pleasantly surprised. OK, I went all fan girl! It was just great to see them slip back into these rolls as "adults."
The OST (instrumental) is fitting. As for the themes, Utada's "First Love" is hauntingly beautiful. It gives you all the feels and goes wonderfully with the story. The title theme by King & Prince is fun, but not memorable.
I don't feel a need to rewatch this, but I don't feel the need to rewatch 99.9% of the dramas I watch. I would, however, welcome a season 2 of this next season.
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The plot, the writing, the directing and editing, the entire production is fantastic. They doubled down on the backstabbing and scheming. The political intrigue wasn't as upfront as was the investigation. They prosecutors are a big part of Season 2.
The acting is superb. I mentioned in my Chief of Staff review that Shin Min Ah was so far removed from her usual type of role that I forgot it was her. I did in season 2 as well. They got a shot of those dimples and it hit me who she was. Kim Gab Soo was as mesmerizing in this as he was in season 1. He only lost in his scene stealing to Jung Woon In. Lee Jung Jae embodied his character. This was the first time I've seen him in a drama. He is wonderful.
Chief of Staff, the full series, is fantastic. Season 2 brings everything from both seasons to a satisfying close. However, they leave you hoping you may see some of the characters again. It's like a great book that you couldn't put down for a while even after you've finished.
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FINALLY Leads With Chemistry!
Let me be straight right up front. King The Land's plot, or lack thereof, is nothing new. The character personality types are ones we've all seen time and time again. I only started watching it because of the hotel setting. I'm a sucker for some settings and luxury hotels is one. In my opinion the story would have been better had it concentrated more on the inner workings of the hotel. With that being said what KTL has the almost every romcom (and every drama with a needless romance) doesn't have is chemistry between the the leads.It's painful watching a drama where the supports carry every episode because the leads suck. Trust me. I've seen way too many of them from several countries. Luckily, KTL's Lee Jun Ho and Im Yoon Ah had chemistry to spare. In fact the entire cast worked well together and the character bonds leapt from the screen. Animosity and hate also jumped the screen. I have to give a special 'well done m'am' to Go Won Hee. Damn did I hate her. She played one of the biggest witches that ever witched. Her character, Oh Pyung Hwa, was a nasty spiteful piece of work. Go did a damn good job portraying her. The girlfriend chemistry was wonderful and I enjoyed the every 6 sibling scene.
The dialogue is good but there's no substance. The editing is excellent. The end of the episodes had you guessing what was next (usually incorrectly) making watching the next episode a must see. The star behind the scenes is the costumer and whoever picked Lee's 3 piece suits. *drool* That man looked good. Honestly, all the men were keenly dressed. The work uniforms were well fit as well. The only failures were the suits worn by Go. All, but 1 were ill-fitting.
Typically, I pay no attention to the music, but a couple of songs in KTL caught my ear. It has no re-watch value for me unless I just want to watch some well dressed men. ZZ Top did not lie.
King The Land is fluff. Plain and simple. It's an easy watch that you don't have to invest much in. You can turn your brain off and just watch it. No need to figure out a mystery or guess what someone is thinking. It's obvious. I'm not saying that's bad. We all need some fluff sometimes. I needed a break from my murder mysteries, supernaturals, and thrillers. King the Land provided that break. All in all, I enjoyed it. If you need a break, give it a shot and enjoy it for it's simplicity.
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In a nutshell, Freeter/NEET (whatever you want to call him) Kwon Yoo finds himself beautifully set up for a murder. Like most NEETs he spends most of his day playing online MMOs. He is the chief or leader of a raid party in what appears to be his favorite MMO. There is a fantastic scene that takes place in the game. Honestly, I thought this would be on the level of certain animes that have people possibly stuck in their games like BTOOM! or even Log Horizon. It's not. The production team did a very good job introducing the game and the real world. They make it clear this is no fantasy. His team come from behind their computers to help prove his innocence. Because of that I found the story somewhat original.
The cast is great. JCW did a very good job as Kwon Yoo, especially once he realized he needed to toughen up and protect himself to survive. The cast has some of my favorite Korean character/supporting actors like Oh Jung Se (recently in Missing 9), Kim Sang Ho (Missing 9, TEN), and Kim Won Hae (currently seen in Strong Woman DBS). Woo Hyun also has a small weird role that fit him perfectly. The cast did a fine job. They had chemistry, whether be it friendly or hatred. The connections were there.
The music was good. It helped at excitement and tension at the right places. I don't remember any actual songs, but, to be honest, one would have been out of place.
I would definitely watch this again. I hope that Netflix gets it soon so there can be actual subs timed correctly. That's right I watched a version lacking subs and what subs there were were poorly timed AND I still recommend it!
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OK I'm done. That's my review right there. Honestly, I should hit submit and then edit because this is my 2nd review. I accidentally loss the first one right at the end. It was good, too. * sigh * ANYWHO... Prison Playbook is an excellent black comedy. It literally became one my favorite Korean dramas while I was watching it. I can't recommend watching it enough. It's the first Korean drama I've seen that bromance is the main part of the story and isn't being used a beard for some sappy romance stories. The 2 or 3 romances are side stories and not really part of or the crux of the story. You can basically remove them without issue.
Prison Playbook's story is one that is well written, excellently portrayed, and masterfully presented. The writing/directing team of Jung Bo Hoon and Shin Won Ho made something special here. In this prison set where women are not allowed except as visitors, they created a testosterone heavy atmosphere that isn't quite what you might think it would be (aside from the cussing perhaps). The 2 also paired for the Replay dramas of which I've watched nada, but think maybe I should. This pair along with the editing made watching Prison Playbook fun. For the most part flashbacks are used to tell the story and move it along, not to sell whatever song is being played.
I got the impression that the staff had fun watching PP being filmed. That's solely because of it's fantastic cast. The cast led by Park Hae Soo as Kim Je Hyuk, a hard working professional baseball player that winds up in jail due to his rage issues, and Jung Kyung Ho as Lee Joon Ho, a correctional officer and ex-baseball player who has known Je Hyuk since grade school. Together these 2 corral an entourage of zany characters with befitting nicknames like Looney ( <3 ) and Headache. Watching the relationships develop and in some cases abruptly end is what made PP worthwhile. In the beginning you may think Je Hyuk is a simpleton, but you realize he's just a simple man. Things are as they are with him. I've got to say this is the first time I've ever seen someone look like a Romulan or Vulcan and not be on Star Trek. His blank stares are precious. In the beginning you think he's thinking 'wtf have I done' then you think he's thinking of how he's gonna get his way. That or he's thinking of using a Vulcan neck pinch. Je Hyuk spends most of his time with the cell members of 2-6: Min Chul, the lovable gangster and cell boss; KAIST, the con-man that thinks showering is optional and has a killer kick; Looney, "that bastard druggie" that says and does pretty much anything he choses and becomes the beneficiary of KAIST's kicks daily; the petition writing Dr. Ko that knows the regs of correctional facilities better than the employees; Capt. Yoo who may be an innocent man; and Crony a gangster that's best as a lackey. There are other inmates, of course, like Jailbird and the aforementioned Headache, who screams for hours on end. There's also the other correctional facility employees that impact Je Hyuk, most especially Lt. Paeng played by the incomparable Jung Woong In. I wasn't sure if he really wasn't Lt. Paeng in real life. He completely embodied the role. I adored every single last one of the crazy characters save 1. I did not like Ji Ho. If you watch anime or dramas based on animes/mangas, you have undoubtedly run into the girl next door/best friend type that never tells him how she feels and doesn't really know how badly she's screwed up until she loses out to the big boobied alien girl with superpowers. Ji Ho is the best friend. There was never an alien girl. Ji Ho won. Now, I now why the girl next door should never win. Why? Because she's annoying af. Ji Ho alone screen time equaled fast forward for me.
The music is pretty good. I RARELY like the music. PP ranges in it's music from Frank Sinatra standards to hip hop. That kept my eyes from rolling. The opening them called OK by Bewhy (produced by Gray) sets the tone for the entire show. I also adore The Door by Kang Seung Yoon (who plays Jean Val Jean in the show) and Mino is produced by Zico and is a great song. Of course there's the overly used little love song. It's not bad, but the Soul and Hip Hop songs kept it alive for me.
I usually preface this part by saying I rarely re-watch a drama because I don't have the time. I already rewatched an episode of Prison Playbook. I was going through withdrawal too fast. I needed a Looney fix.
Is Prison Playbook the best drama I've ever watched? No, but it's one of them. Is it the most entertaining? Right, now I'm going to have to say, it sure the hell is. My biggest issue is that they left us hanging. I'm sure we all understand that prisoners don't usually have long lasting relationships. They come and go, but when your made to fall in love with some of these guys you have the right to expect some kind of finale. Even a brief synopsis on each of them at the end would have been sufficient. Other than that Prison Playbook is utterly enjoyable. You'll love it unless you're some giant emo melo fan that can't deal with laughter, men being men without women, and a few tears every now and again.
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Literally Sat On the Edge of My Chair
I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed Joker Game. I was glued to my seat. I tried to get up and wound up sitting on the edge of my seat, riveted. D Company, an organization under the purview of the Japanese Military but acts separately for the most part, is assigned a mission to recover secret documents, the Black Note, from what appears to be Hong Kong (the name is never mentioned). The movie follows a spy called Kato (played by Kazuya Kamenashi) as he attempts to acquire the Black Note and send it to Japan. It's one of several attempts by Japanese writers to put another spin on WWII. Unlike in most of the other stories, they are not against the German or Germanesque villains, this time they are up against the Brits, who are quite villainous. If a fanciful retelling or a different view point of history bothers you, then don't watch it. They're spies from the 1930s/40s attempting to avoid WWII would be idiotic.I've always been of the mind that the Japanese were master storytellers, but aside from a few outstanding exceptions (like Kurosawa and Miike), poor movie makers. If they ever got it into their minds to actually allot the amount of money into production costs that's needed, their movies would be more popular. Their movies almost always look sepia toned or dull, which is ridiculous when you think of the technology in Japan. That being said it looks like they put more money toward JG. Although the coloring was a bit drab and dull it fit the surrounding and story. The director's use of shadow in many scenes really stood out and made some scenes beautiful. One in particular tricks you into thinking you're watching black & white. When I think back on it, I keep seeing Kamenashi in b & w which he wasn't. I have never read the novel nor watched the anime (just added it to my list) on which the movie is based, but I'm ok with that. I liked it regardless.
The cast led by Kazuya Kamenashi were entertaining. It was odd seeing Yusuke Iseya in such a small role. Colonel Yuki is a pivotal character and Iseya was very good. I would have liked to have seen more interaction between Yuki and Kaminaga (his secretary??) played by Yukiyoshi Ozawa. They seemed to have a budding bromance. Kamenashi, Keisuke Koide, Hiroshi Yamamoto, and 1 other, did fine jobs as the spies on the mission. I wish we had seen more of them as a team. Kamenashi was well suited for the soft hearted Kato. Unfortunately, we barely get to know the other spies. Mores the pity. They were fun to watch in the few scenes they were in.
The music was really good (not counting the ED which was out of place). It was a big component in making scenes exciting. They missed their mark with the ED by using a KAT-TUN song instead of jazz or something that promoted feelings of the time.
I love mysteries. I love thrillers. This was both. However, I doubt I would re-watch it unless they did a part 2 (it needs a part 2). Don't get me wrong. It's a good movie, but it's not spectacular. It's not flawless. I think if I rewatched it, I'd only pick it apart and not enjoy it the way I just did. I rarely rewatch anything so I never consider this value in my factoring my overall score.
Again, Joker Game was enjoyable. It was almost 2 hours, but you wouldn't know it. The time flies by. Rarely do movies fully tell the source material the way a reader wants. I've learned to separate the 2 and judge a movie adaptation on it's own merits. What matters to me is if it's a good movie, and in my opinion Joker Game is a good movie. If you're looking for an in depth character study and/or character development that you can sink your teeth into, then click on by, this is not your movie. However, if you're looking for a bit of "actiony" fun with spies and big boys with guns, then click play.
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Compelling
Character is the type of film you want to see in the theatre or at least with 1 other so you can grab a bite to eat and talk about it. You want to inject yourself into the film to come up with motives, figure out what a character was thinking and why they did (or didn't do) something.Yamashiro Keigo is a talented artist and assistant to a popular mangaka. He has dreams of publishing and becoming a successful mangaka himself. The only problem is Yama wants to draw horror and thrillers, but lacks the experience in which to make his characters believable. He's too nice to get into the mindset of a villain. While on assignment by his boss, he stumbles upon a grisly murder scene and witnesses the murderer leaving the site. This flips a switch for Yama and he uses it to jumpstart his career. The only problem is the killer recognizes himself and uses the Yama's manga, 34, as a blueprint to commit murders. Inspector Seida Shunseke recognizes the similarities between Yama's manga and the murders and begins using 34 as the basis of his investigation.
The production is splendid. The directing and camera work are very well done. I noticed no continuity issues, but to be honest I was too involved in the story to notice any little issues. Script writer, Nagai Akira, did a good job mixing genres and keeping us engaged. You would think since the police were trying to catch a serial killer it would have been a bit more action oriented or at faster pace. But, honestly, you don't even realize it's character driven and psychological. My only complaint is that we don't learn enough about the killer. We're left only supposition. I, for one, would have liked to have some hint as to his resources. He was able to find things and/or people that he really shouldn't have been able to.
Suda Masaki plays Yama and heads a talented cast. Fukase Satoshi was brillant as the serial killer, "Morozumi." He was just plain creepy. The encounters between our 2 leads were uncomfortable for Yama and the watcher. The supporting cast including Oguri Shun as our intrepid Inspector Seida were excellent.
The music really supported the movie and wasn't overpowering. While I'm not big on re-watching dramas, I do re-watch movies. I can see myself watching this again
Overall, this is a great watch. No perfect but it accomplishes it's goal. It's dark, psychological, creepy, and engaging. A very good murder thriller.
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