Boukoku no Aegis (2005)

Barely a lawsuit away from that of Steven Seagal's Under Siege

Aegis is much more in the mould of Hollywood productions than of your typical Japanese action thriller. Gently paced, carefully plotted and thematically complex, the film raises plenty of points for discussion amidst the myriad of generally uneven political undercurrents about Japan's role in the current world but manages to overcome its rather simplistic outline with a degree of class filmmaking. Director Junji Sakamoto (whom I didn't have the best of introductions with) takes his time building suspense and laying out the state of play before kicking everything into gear. In conjunction with wonderful photography and the red hues of the ship's interior comes always reliable Hiroyuki Sanada turning in a fine performance as the reluctant everyman forced to save the day. While a little too long for what it is, Aegis makes for some enjoyable entertainment harking back to the US' golden years of action.

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