Customer Reviews

The Trap

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Having just recently purchased the second and final films of the Maiku Hama trilogy; I would have to write that this one is the best and probably darkest of all the films. In fact, this episode is more of a horror-like thriller reminiscent of a Takashi Miike film. "The Trap," which is the final film of the trilogy was preceded by the more semi-comical episodes of "The Most Terrible Time In My Life," and then followed by "Stairway To The Distant Past," and finally concluding with this film, "The Trap." In the previous episodes of the trilogy, Maiku Hama (Masatoshi Nagase) is not the aloof private detective he was originally portrayed as; but a much more intelligent and calm detective.

I just recently reviewed the first film, which I purchased years ago, and had not seen in a few years; and it made me want to purchase these last two episodes. The first film leaves you wanting to know more about the adventures of Maiku Hama, especially with its abrupt ending. After viewing the first film some ten years ago, these other two were not avalable at the time. Therefore, it was a pleasure to see the conclusion FINALLY! In this final episode, released in Japan in 1996, Maiku Hama is being framed for a crime that he did not commit.

The film begins where the first film started: The Yokohama movie theatre where Maiku Hama has his office. Yes, his office is inside of a movie theatre. Maiku has a new lady friend in this latest episode--who is a mute; and when he is not in her presence he communicates with her over the phone with her tapping a secret code against the mouthpiece of the phone. Something which will prove extremely important for Maiku Hama later on in the film [no spoilers]. The film is a pleasant watch, and although the characters are not as developed as I would have liked them to be, I still found this to be a pleasurable film. And very dark too!

This films narrative mixes some very deep seriousness with humor. [It still retains a little bit of the humor of the previous two episodes]. And the cinematography is great too! This is a good watch, just don't take it too seriously. Also, if you have seen the previous episodes you will notice how far this one veers in its seriousness. As I wrote earlier, you almost get the feeling that director Miike is behind the lens. I liked it, however rent it first to see if it is your type of film. Also, I see that the entire trilogy is now being offered as one three disc set. Since I already had the first; and bought this at a local video store which specializes in Asian cinema; I did not know this at the time of my purchase. Therefore, if you decide to purchase the trilogy, you might want to get these films all on one set: It is probably a lot less expensive that way. I Recommend the film, and the series: it's a fun watch.