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7.2/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 7.2/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Keisatsukan remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like movies that let a scene sit for a beat too long, you’ll probably dig Keisatsukan. It’s for the folks who prefer staring at a character’s face while they think rather than waiting for another chase scene. If you need explosions or a fast-paced thriller, you’re going to be bored to tears. Stay away.
Itami is the kind of guy who looks like his uniform is two sizes too small for his conscience. He meets Tetsuo at a roadblock, and the air just kind of leaves the room. It’s not dramatic in the movie-poster sense. It’s just awkward.
The way they look at each other… you can tell they’re both trying to figure out which version of the other person is still left. It reminds me a bit of the heavy silence you find in The Last Moment, where the environment does more talking than the script.
The pacing is a bit weird, honestly. Sometimes the movie just stops dead to look at a street corner or a doorway. I don’t know if it was intentional or if they just didn't have enough film, but I liked it. It felt like the characters were actually breathing. 🚬
There’s this moment when Tetsuo is leaning against a wall, and the lighting makes him look like a ghost of the guy Itami used to know. It’s such a simple visual, but it hits harder than any grand monologue about justice or honor ever could.
It’s not a perfect film. Sometimes the dialogue feels a little bit like they’re reading off index cards hidden just out of frame. But then you get a look or a subtle shift in posture, and you forget the clunky lines.
It doesn't try to be a sweeping epic. It just stays in its lane, looking at two guys who started in the same desk and ended up in different worlds. Honestly, that’s plenty enough for me. It’s not a masterpiece, but it stuck to my ribs. Sometimes that’s the best you can ask for on a rainy Tuesday. 🌧️
