'Hard Days' is a Japanese film that premiered in theaters in Japan and is now available on Netflix for everyone to watch. This Japanese thriller is a remake of the 2014 South Korean film 'A Hard Day'. The plot is familiar. The film is entertaining, but the characters fail to capture the viewer's sympathy. Although it is a thriller, the film with its melodramatic properties will remind you of a Bollywood film. The antagonist at one point seems more deserving of the viewer's empathy.
Since it's a remake, it's obvious that people who have seen the original will know the plot. This is where the film falls short. Although this time there are certain changes in the plot, the film is not surprising. Plus, if the action sequences in an action thriller start to drag, you start to wonder if it's necessary.
Director: Michihito Fujii
Writers; Michihito Fujii, Kenya Hirata, Seong Hun Kim
Stars: Gô Ayano, Akira Emoto, Ryôko Hirosue
The original plot was spread out over a twenty-four hour period, making it more complicated and likely confusing for viewers. In this film the same plot extends over three days. This, in turn, breaks down the chronology of events, making them complete. The film begins on a night marked by torrential rains where corrupt police officer Yuji Kudo (Okada Junichi) is seen driving to the hospital after his mother dies. He receives a phone call from the head of his police station who informs him that a local newspaper has written a story about a corrupt cop who had accepted a big bribe from the local underworld syndicate.
He is panicked and volatile, probably because he knows what could happen to his family if corruption charges are proven against him. His car accidentally runs over a pedestrian who later turns out to be a criminal Oda, and he falls dead. He doesn't want to cause any more trouble, so he goes the extra mile to cover up the murder.
The moment he hears the word "cremation" as part of his mother's funeral, he makes a plan to throw her corpse into his coffin. Meanwhile, an internal affairs committee member named Yazaki (Ayo Go) reduces the corruption in the district to Yuji. It later turns out that Yazaki, who seemed to be an upright officer, was actually an overly ambitious person who had extremely heinous intentions.
There's money laundering, corrupt religious institutions, a proper money heist subplot and a tough fight between the protagonists at the end, and all the over-the-top bawdy rock beats still leave you asking for something more.
The thriller is character-driven, but the characters are too unlikeable to be acclaimed. Towards the end of the film, the policeman remembers his duty and recovers all the laundered black money, only to hesitate at the end, after seeing the huge amount of cash lying around. The way the father-in-law intimidates the antagonist makes you sympathize with his character. But none of them fit the profile of an ideal hero or villain. The viewer's interest in these characters diminishes rapidly. The melodramatic treatment given to their backstories just seems ridiculous. However, all imperfect tonalities aside, the film is still watchable and it wouldn't be a stretch to even call it entertaining.
But the movie is too long... Directed by Fujii Michihito, the movie is just under two hours long. The original film is approximately an hour and a half long. The Japanese adaptation seems to have overstayed its welcome. 'Hard Days' is only the third remake of the original film 'A Hard Day' and this might be the worst adaptation. The post-credits scenes and the denouement of this crime drama feel too stretched (I was just falling asleep by the end).
In conclusion, it can be said that although Korea and Japan have had a history of political rivalry, the mixing and cross-pollination of their cultures through their films as seen in 'A Hard Day' and its Japanese adaptation 'Hard Days' is truly praiseworthy to witness. This crime drama is neither sloppy nor boring, but something is missing from this Japanese hotpot recipe. The movie is streaming on Netflix and could be fun to watch this weekend.
Comments
Post a Comment