Hitman Shohei Narumi (Yusaku Matsuda) takes on a dangerous job in this noir crime thriller. Following a spate of kidnappings of CEO’s from various financial organizations, Narumi is brought into the office of the chairman of a large electronics company, part of the Tonichi group. He explains to Narumi that the kidnappings are a front for the execution of all Tonichi leaders caused by an upcoming Defence Contract worth a significant amount of money. Their corporate rivals Godai have hired a man called Adachi who is orchestrating the killings. Narumi sets out to take out the gangsters involved, but soon finds out that this conspiracy runs deeper than he had thought.
Written by Hideichi Nagahara and direceted by Toru Murakawa, “The Most Dangerous Game” is a stylish action thriller following the exploits of our protagonist Narumi. Yusaku Shohei excels in the role as a cold-hearted killer, bringing a cool demeanour to the lethal hitman. Also good is Keiko Tasaka as Kyoko, the girlfriend of a mob boss that Narumi is gunning for. Although she is given littel to do, she brings some much needed emotion to the movie. The plot is pared back, but there are several twists and turns as the story slowly reveals the involvement of the police and the backroom deals of the corporations involved. There is a flair to the directing from the opening scene in which we descend from the vast Tokyo skyline down to the scene of a murder. The jazz score emphasises the film’s focus on aesthetics above all else. The action sequences are thrilling, particularly a shootout with the police force in the final third, although several moments stretch credibility to breaking point, such as Narumi chasing a car through the streets for miles and still having the energy for a showdown at the end.
All in all, “The Most Dangerous Game” is a highly entertaining noir crime thriller, with exploitation elements thrown in. The story keeps one foot in reality, with police protecting the gangsters, while the businessmen resort to violent tactics to ensure their profits, while pushing the action sequences as far as they can go. Well worth a watch for fans of classic crime films, with a captivating progatonist.
