Kazuya Shiraishi pays homage to classic yakuza cinema is a film that promises much but fails to be any more than formulaic. Newbie cop Hoika (Tori Matsuzaka) is partnered with veteran-cum-legend Ogami (Koji Yakusho). Idealistic newcomer bumps up against pragmatic, corner-cutting realist - a combo we have seen in countless iterations. Both Matsuzaka and Yakusho inhabit the archetypes fully, and Yakusho is especially engaging. The challenge for this film is to revive the genre in a way that provides the comfort of the familiar, while surprising with new elements and directions. Unfortunately, the film only delivers on the former. The gang feuds, schlock violence, gaudy neon and chintzy interiors will tick many boxes. Some elements that could do with updating are left unreformed, most notably the lack of complexity in female characters. The talents of Yoko Maki are woefully under-utilized here. It's not a horrible film, but you might find yourself wishing you had spent your time re-visiting the classics rather than watch them re-hashed.
Review of The Blood of Wolves
