Wow! Such a good movie.

Excellent, smart action film.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

The main character, Shun, characterized as a 'young punk' with his group of youthful, attractive social outcast friends, finds money in the business of blackmail in the underworld of an economically vibrant Japan. While riding high off a string of successful extortions of small time yakuza affiliates, their ill fated plot to steal a sensitive memorandum proves they have bitten off more than they can chew. I was initially impressed with the movie's style and pace and it seemed to be setting up a fun movie surrounding the exploits of this group of young bright eyed kids. I enjoyed how each character was given scenes that showcase them while Shun is still given the most back-story. That is all done in a pretty successfully stylized manner. But the main plot fails to really stimulate after the first 45 minutes of setup. I think the problem was that stealing a memorandum for money just wasn't as exciting as events that happened earlier in the movie and Fukasaku gets little heavy handed communicating themes in this later part of the movie, causing a few eye rolls on my part. A well shot movie- perhaps not the most realistic premise, and enjoyable, but not super thrilling.

I noticed that IMDb lists this as a crime film AND a comedy. Well, there's nothing funny about the film--it's not at all a comedy. Instead, the film is about four low-lifes who make a career out of blackmailing people and fighting various mobs (who SHOULD have been able to smash them like bugs but somehow didn't throughout much of the film). For them, it all seems to be for the thrills and laughs--the money is secondary. However, the deeper the risk the greater the thrills--so they keep biting off more and more and more. You figure that eventually they'll get in way over their heads. And that is when their friend Zero (a black guy--which is quite unusual for a Japanese film) is killed, things look really bad for these bizarre anti-heroes.While this film is quite different from the usual mobster film of the time, it still is a pretty ordinary crime drama. It was reasonably entertaining but no more. For those who like the genre, it's worth seeing--for others, probably not.

I really wanted to like this movie and for the first half hour it delivers. Interesting shots, flashbacks, cool stuff and innovative for the 1960s. Good backstory of the hero is shown, and interesting blackmail plot for the first 40 minutes. But then the writers and director lost focus, the plot got boring, and my urge was to turn the movie off. Now that's not a good instinct for a movie you want to like. I give it a 6 simply for the great beginning and interesting film style, but it could have been much better. Without this, the movie is below average, a 4 or 5. I do not recommend except for those interested in these kinds of movies, students, film buffs, etc. For most, this will be a big disappointment.

A great film of the simplicity of black mail in all its glory. The Fukasaku trademark is in its essence of discovery. The film is a revenge flick yet keeps the story to a modern Yakuza tale. He shows the destructive lifestyle of an individual which is a great viewing and demonstration of his later 70's yakuza films ala Graveyard Of Honour and the Yakuza Papers. Fukasaku experiments with the same shaky camera work as used on the Black Lizard concept films and demonstrates some mastery camera work with awesome close ups and long pauses right in the thick of the action. The camera work is varied and dynamic. The pauses are longer than the style used for the Yakuza films of the 70's so this is a period of discovery for the master director. The imprint of his work later in life. The film is about a renegade bunch whom see money as a way of escaping the social corruption of Japan. They resort to petit blackmailing with yakuza habits. There is a Yakuza; a Bartender, an ex boxer and a girl whose lives are turned into stories of black mail and revenge. Story wise this film is quite simple. The group decide early on to form a blackmail way of life. They issue attacks on people with money and use force for success. Their antics are increased along the way to a state of alcohol firebombs and gasoline bassment stakes. They seek to revenge a sad circumstance and go all out war on a big politician. The four get rich quick schemes become an obsession which they end the end can not handle even though ignoring good advice from others. This concludes to a dramatic finale and a great suspense build up of the individuals whose character build up is first rate. The score is a little synthesized and no way near up to the competence of the awesome Battles Without Honour soundtrack. The direction is superb. Cinematography of the city is awesome. Fantastic aerial shots of a bustling city. There are closes ups of superb measure and also shaky low budget action a plenty. I recommend this film as a film for people into vengeance and yakuza films. Or just a pure great epic 60's thriller. I find this film a great watch and really should be seen before the Yakuza films he made later. An awesome display of cinematic wonder to boot despite the storyline being a bit dated in places. Then again it has aged incredibly well for a picture from 1968. This film is a must.