5 reviews
Movies based on successful television series are natural progressions to make a quick buck, mainly because of the more instant box office dollars it gets translated to. But what I apprehend the most, is when the approach is to not worry whether non-television series followers would be able to get it, so it decides not to afford the time to explain matters, expecting the bulk of the audience to be coming with background knowledge from the series. When you are one of the series' followers, you'll make camp on the side to forgo previous cinematic time on explanation so that the pace does not get slowed, but if you are not, then you'll probably cry foul, not that you don't get to enjoy the movie though, but are lusting after a more complete experience.
For example, the X-Files movie requires pre-requisite knowledge, as did the Japanese movie Mushishi. But there are some which still managed to only require the most basic level of understanding, and to use a Japanese reference, I enjoyed the Bayside Shakedown movies tremendously. Did I enjoy Hero? Sure, but there were enough moments in the movie where you can't help but want to pull your hair in frustration, especially when it comes to bit appearances by minor characters, whom you'll most certainly deem important enough to warrant significant subplot time in the narrative.
Hero is similar to structure with Bayside Shakedown, in that on the surface, it contains one major plot, with the rest of the supporting subplots inevitably linked to the one big one, thereby giving reason for the ensemble cast to exist. Takuya Kimura, whom we last saw as a samurai in Yoki Yamada's Love and Honor, returns to his 2001 television role as Public Prosecutor Kohei Kruyu, a devoted go-getter who is unorthodox in his ways (aren't they all?). Assisting him is his trustworthy legal clerk Amamiya Maiko (Takako Matsu), and together they take on a rather routine open-and-shut case involving manslaughter, especially with a written confession provided. But there's more than meets the eye to the supposedly simple case, and soon enough, they find their legal battle spiral to involve scandals of government officials, and have to go up against a top legal eagle who used to be on the payroll of the Public Prosecutor office.
Bayside Shakedown provided some criticisms to the police system, highlighting the struggles and battles between the bureaucrats in the department, and those on the beat handling day to day, routine and sometimes mundane police work. I thought Hero could have upped the ante if it debated on the judicial system, providing some insight on how things work rather than just a basic introduction. It lapsed into moralistic viewpoints should this be a perfect world with perfect systems, and very often reminded the audience that Justice is Blind with the frequent shots of a statue of Justice holding up the scales.
But not everything's serious and full of legal jargon and mumbo-jumbo. Credit has to be given in weaving a more than compelling investigative and legal drama, with romantic tension between Amamiya and Kohei, as well as plenty of comedy. Those television sell-a-vision ads are so funny they are a highlight in the movie (I'm not sure if these are regular features in the television series?), and it managed to work into its narrative an explanation of its absence for 6 years since the television series ended, and the characters naturally being aged. Familiar to me in this movie are the actors Hiroshi Abe and Korean actor Lee Byung-hun, who has so minor a role (combined screen time of less than 5 minutes), I'm not sure why the trailer had to hype about it, rather than to keep it a guessing game (is he? or isn't he?).
However, that is not to say that Hero is a bad film. It still offers decent entertainment, especially for those who are fans of the many stars it has in its ensemble, and for those who like this genre of legal investigative movies. Recommended.
For example, the X-Files movie requires pre-requisite knowledge, as did the Japanese movie Mushishi. But there are some which still managed to only require the most basic level of understanding, and to use a Japanese reference, I enjoyed the Bayside Shakedown movies tremendously. Did I enjoy Hero? Sure, but there were enough moments in the movie where you can't help but want to pull your hair in frustration, especially when it comes to bit appearances by minor characters, whom you'll most certainly deem important enough to warrant significant subplot time in the narrative.
Hero is similar to structure with Bayside Shakedown, in that on the surface, it contains one major plot, with the rest of the supporting subplots inevitably linked to the one big one, thereby giving reason for the ensemble cast to exist. Takuya Kimura, whom we last saw as a samurai in Yoki Yamada's Love and Honor, returns to his 2001 television role as Public Prosecutor Kohei Kruyu, a devoted go-getter who is unorthodox in his ways (aren't they all?). Assisting him is his trustworthy legal clerk Amamiya Maiko (Takako Matsu), and together they take on a rather routine open-and-shut case involving manslaughter, especially with a written confession provided. But there's more than meets the eye to the supposedly simple case, and soon enough, they find their legal battle spiral to involve scandals of government officials, and have to go up against a top legal eagle who used to be on the payroll of the Public Prosecutor office.
Bayside Shakedown provided some criticisms to the police system, highlighting the struggles and battles between the bureaucrats in the department, and those on the beat handling day to day, routine and sometimes mundane police work. I thought Hero could have upped the ante if it debated on the judicial system, providing some insight on how things work rather than just a basic introduction. It lapsed into moralistic viewpoints should this be a perfect world with perfect systems, and very often reminded the audience that Justice is Blind with the frequent shots of a statue of Justice holding up the scales.
But not everything's serious and full of legal jargon and mumbo-jumbo. Credit has to be given in weaving a more than compelling investigative and legal drama, with romantic tension between Amamiya and Kohei, as well as plenty of comedy. Those television sell-a-vision ads are so funny they are a highlight in the movie (I'm not sure if these are regular features in the television series?), and it managed to work into its narrative an explanation of its absence for 6 years since the television series ended, and the characters naturally being aged. Familiar to me in this movie are the actors Hiroshi Abe and Korean actor Lee Byung-hun, who has so minor a role (combined screen time of less than 5 minutes), I'm not sure why the trailer had to hype about it, rather than to keep it a guessing game (is he? or isn't he?).
However, that is not to say that Hero is a bad film. It still offers decent entertainment, especially for those who are fans of the many stars it has in its ensemble, and for those who like this genre of legal investigative movies. Recommended.
- DICK STEEL
- Nov 16, 2007
- Permalink
- kampolam-75813
- Jan 21, 2023
- Permalink
FujiTV's HERO aired back in 2001 is my favorite conclusion-per-episode dorama series of all time and I had an extremely high expectation for this movie. Long story short, it met and exceeded my expectations, unlike the SP aired in 2006.
What I love most about this movie was that after 5 minutes, it felt like I was brought back to the world of HERO dorama series. This movie was directed well enough for cinema, yet it retained all the great qualities we HERO fans are familiar with from the TV series. A lot of dorama SPs (including the HERO SP) and movie adaptations have failed in this respect, and many others failed to make it to silver screen standards (i.e. GTO, Saiyuuki, even 1L no Namida felt like a made-for-TV SP) but HERO staff succeeded in this movie where so many others failed. The producers of this film didn't forget about the fans by providing some information for unanswered questions from the dorama series and SP, and connects the stories in dorama, SP, and the movie in a convincing manner.
All the main character's funny habits still makes me laugh, and the interactions between Kuryuu and Amemiya were great as usual. The chemistry between all the main cast was perfect even after all these years. It must be this bond that united ALL the original cast even after 6 years, in which time Abe Hiroshi has become a major presence in Japanese cinema, yet still returns in supporting role.
The cast in this movie is absolutely incredible, with KimuTaku, still popular as ever; Abe Hiroshi, as mentioned; Kohinata Fumiyo, who has also become a major presence in cinema and TV, though still in supporting roles; Ayase Haruka and Nakai Kiichi in same character as SP; Matsumoto Koushirou, multiple-award-winning stage actor, 9 years since his last film appearance; Tamori, the great MC of Wratte Iitomo and Music Station, 17 years since his last film appearance; even Korean actor Lee Byung-hun and many other recognizable faces in supporting roles.
Not only did this movie made me laugh and was a star galore, there were also many moving and inspirational scenes. The story was very well-written and it was very well-directed. The ending completely caught me off-guard. I absolutely loved the dorama series' leave-the-rest-to-your-imagination ending, but the movie ending was just as good, surprise ending fitting for this great franchise. The only thing I didn't like was the lack of Utada Hikaru's "Can You Keep a Secret?" as theme song (understandable, but it felt like something was missing), and a few unnecessary scenes to recreate the greatest scenes in the dorama series.
I've seen MANY dorama series and movies since HERO in 2001, but watching this movie once again reminded me that Kuryuu Kouhei is one of the greatest character ever created by Japanese live-action writers. I recommend watching the entire dorama series before the movie. It's definitely worth your time.
What I love most about this movie was that after 5 minutes, it felt like I was brought back to the world of HERO dorama series. This movie was directed well enough for cinema, yet it retained all the great qualities we HERO fans are familiar with from the TV series. A lot of dorama SPs (including the HERO SP) and movie adaptations have failed in this respect, and many others failed to make it to silver screen standards (i.e. GTO, Saiyuuki, even 1L no Namida felt like a made-for-TV SP) but HERO staff succeeded in this movie where so many others failed. The producers of this film didn't forget about the fans by providing some information for unanswered questions from the dorama series and SP, and connects the stories in dorama, SP, and the movie in a convincing manner.
All the main character's funny habits still makes me laugh, and the interactions between Kuryuu and Amemiya were great as usual. The chemistry between all the main cast was perfect even after all these years. It must be this bond that united ALL the original cast even after 6 years, in which time Abe Hiroshi has become a major presence in Japanese cinema, yet still returns in supporting role.
The cast in this movie is absolutely incredible, with KimuTaku, still popular as ever; Abe Hiroshi, as mentioned; Kohinata Fumiyo, who has also become a major presence in cinema and TV, though still in supporting roles; Ayase Haruka and Nakai Kiichi in same character as SP; Matsumoto Koushirou, multiple-award-winning stage actor, 9 years since his last film appearance; Tamori, the great MC of Wratte Iitomo and Music Station, 17 years since his last film appearance; even Korean actor Lee Byung-hun and many other recognizable faces in supporting roles.
Not only did this movie made me laugh and was a star galore, there were also many moving and inspirational scenes. The story was very well-written and it was very well-directed. The ending completely caught me off-guard. I absolutely loved the dorama series' leave-the-rest-to-your-imagination ending, but the movie ending was just as good, surprise ending fitting for this great franchise. The only thing I didn't like was the lack of Utada Hikaru's "Can You Keep a Secret?" as theme song (understandable, but it felt like something was missing), and a few unnecessary scenes to recreate the greatest scenes in the dorama series.
I've seen MANY dorama series and movies since HERO in 2001, but watching this movie once again reminded me that Kuryuu Kouhei is one of the greatest character ever created by Japanese live-action writers. I recommend watching the entire dorama series before the movie. It's definitely worth your time.