
Cult Japanese director Takashi Miike draws inspiration from the popular Playstation 2 title Yakuza for this unhinged tale of underworld violence in Tokyo starring Goro Kishitani and Kazuki Kitamura. It's summertime in Tokyo, and as the temperature rises, two undercover cops stake out a high-profile bank robbery while complaining about the air conditioning. When the masked gunmen make their way into the vault only to find that the Tojo gang's ten-million-yen deposit has myster... (Full plot summary below)
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Cult Japanese director Takashi Miike draws inspiration from the popular Playstation 2 title Yakuza for this unhinged tale of underworld violence in Tokyo starring Goro Kishitani and Kazuki Kitamura. It's summertime in Tokyo, and as the temperature rises, two undercover cops stake out a high-profile bank robbery while complaining about the air conditioning. When the masked gunmen make their way into the vault only to find that the Tojo gang's ten-million-yen deposit has mysteriously vanished, an already complicated situation gradually starts to spiral out of control. Meanwhile, in another part of town, psychotic yakuza Goro Majima (Kishitani) strikes out on his own to pay a visit to rival gang leader Kazuma Kiryu (Kitamura) and track down the missing mother of adorable youngster Haruka (Natsuo). It seems that Haruka's mother has some valuable information, and Majima is determined to find her at any cost. Now, as Majima makes his way through the neon-lit streets of Tokyo, Satoru (Shun Shioya) and his girlfriend, Yui (Saeko), embark on a bold robbery spree, and South Korean hitman Park (Yoo Gong) prepares to locate and terminate the thieves who absconded with the Toho gang's money. Later, after Majima and Kiryu engage in a series of fights all across the city, a confrontation at the top of Tokyo's Millennium Tower finds the true criminal mastermind finally stepping out of the shadows.
Leave your thoughts about Yakuza: Like a Dragon.
| User ReviewPrivate UThis is exactly how Videogame to Movie transitions should be made. Take a note Uwe boll. |
| User ReviewAnne-Kaisa HIhan paras Miike-leffa ikinä! Perustuu pleikkarin Yakuza-peliin, joka on kans aivan mahtava:D Löytyispä tää jostain dvd:nä... |
| User ReviewMichelle CI think Miike is in his prime. He's still keeping a pace of at least 2 pictures a year but within the last 5 years or so his films have taken a considerably more sophisticated air, even if they remain as over-the-top as ever. Yakuza is a perfect adaptation of the game. While it does not follow the game's story, it flows like great fanfiction - all the game's characters are portrayed faithfully with remarkable attention to mannerisms and costuming, and the atmosphere, setting, and score are meticulously matched to the game. The changes they do make are extremely positive and make for a wonderful film - after all, if you're watching the film you've played the game, so what's the point of rehashing its story? Most inspired is the attention given to Majima - a character practically tailor-made for a Miike film anyway - whose continuous violent exchanges with Kazuma are delightful. And, as is only proper, Kazuma's fate ultimately rests with a bottle of Staminan. |
| User ReviewJacob VI've only played Yakuza 4, but this movie certainly stayed true to the story telling and comedy of the game. It has its very serious moments, very intimate moments and very funny moments. As well as the wide variety of characters of which each has such defining characteristics. This movie is not in any sense of the word bland. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys movies that are, well... Good. If you don't mind reading subtitles that is. Which you shouldn't, it cuts you off from a wide variety of fantastic movies. |
| User ReviewBen KThe lesser of the 3 Miike films of 2007, but still an entertaining piece... just loved it when he drank the juice and 'recharged' like in the game.. 4 stars |
| User ReviewSteven SA tough guy yakuza gets out of jail and helps a young girl find her mother. Also, ten billion yen has been stolen from a yakuza gang so they are busy looking for it. It's based off a video game from Sega and it feels like a video game plot. Large gangs are walking around and doing battles in the streets like in video games and one guy keeps on coming back over and over like a video game boss. When people throw punches, they glow and in one scene, the hero drinks something that makes him super powerful and it all works. The movie feels like a live action video game. |
| User ReviewWan KA movie to be seen only as a companion piece to the PS2 game YAKUZA. Unless you've played the game, you'll be lost and not understand what's going on. Full of lively characters out of a Manga and over the top action sequences a'la Miike, it still is confusing to follow even when you're a fan of the game. Overall, a good fun violent flick true to the game but with plot holes that leave you stranded. |
| User ReviewChris GEntertaining sometimes. Pretty boring at others. Would have been better if they stuck to the Yakuza script the entire time, rather than try to add other elements. |
| User ReviewDavid Jrestoring my faith in Miike after a couple of so-so flicks, this was no Rainy Dogs, but it was good. |
| User ReviewJure KOcekivao sam malo vise od ovog filma, doduse nije lako sazeti originalnu igru koja ima preko 20 sati materijala na niti 2 sata filma. Medjutim, mora se priznati da su karakteri vjerno prikazani, kao i to da postoji obilje referenci na igru, sto ce posebno cijeniti oni koji su je i igrali. S druge strane, iz scenarija su mogle biti izbacene sporedne price, na taj nacin bi se stvorilo vise prostora za glavnu pricu, koja je inace obradjena pomalo povrsno... |