Contributed By Eugene Teh
As the title suggests, Security Police: The Motion Picture is an adaptation of the Japanese television series Security Police. This is the first installation in a two-part movie adaptation.
Those worried that they will not be able to catch up with the story, fret not—the movie is written more as a pilot episode than a continuation of the series, making it easy for Security Police noobs to follow the plot.
The story revolves around an officer from the Japanese Security Police, Kaoru Inoue (Junichi Okada); his job is to protect government officials. He has special abilities—spider-sense (cue: Spiderman), precognition (a la the TV series Charmed) and photographic memory. As a result, he is always one step ahead of others, and this often leads to unintentional chaos and conflict.
The show opens with Kaoru and his team participating in a roadshow for a campaign against landmines. Our hero foresees and foils a bomb plot, leading to the typical action movie street chase and melee. The action forms the backdrop for a subplot: a powerful sect has a master plan to change the nation’s values. Kaoru, naturally, becomes embroiled in the intrigue.
The film is consistently gripping, meshing action with philosophical dialog on whether the end justifies the means—in this case, the characters battle with the options of material and idealistic consequences. How the filmmakers infuse humor into some of its most intense scenes is sheer genius; there aren’t many movies that can tickle your ribs while keeping you at the edge of your seat, but this one does, and to great effect.
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