Although we should know better what is important in our lives and whose opinion(s) we should care about, we seldom realize it, which is why it sometimes takes a certain situation to give you this kind of epiphany. This idea has been the foundation for countless stories and it is also the core of Ken and Go Ohara's short feature “Setagaya Game”, a movie which blends elements of drama and action into an overall delightful first half, and an underwhelming second, where the audience sees what has actually been going on.
“Setagaya Game” review is part of the Submit Your Film Initiative
The story revolves around Takeru (Reiji Takahashi), who has invited his friends Kotomi (Akari Natsume) and Mitchy (Sho Iizaka) to his apartment to tell them about his new fondness for camping. However, as he has been unsuccessful in finding a job, although he graduated from prestigious universities, the main topic of their conversation is Takeru's lack of drive and how he has let himself go in the last couple of weeks. As eventually the amount of alcohol he has consumed makes him sleepy, Takeru wakes up a few hour later under a bridge outside. To his horror, the corpse of one of his friends is at his side and an unknown caller commands him to take over a few assignments, unless he wants his other friend to share the same fate. Even though he has millions of questions on his mind, Takeru has no choice but to give in to the demands and make his way to the first objective.
As mentioned before, Ken and Go Ohara use a basic premise as a starting point for a tour-de-force chase of the protagonist. Especially in the first half, we follow Takeru trying to make sense of what is happening and rescue his friend, while fending off countless attackers, thugs and cops, and also negotiating with strangers whose bags he is supposed to steal for unknown reasons. Technically this is quite well done, with the combination of dynamic editing, cinematography and the fight choreography resulting in a few solid action and chase sequences. In this context, Reiji Takahashi's performance also needs to be mentioned, for its physicality in these scenes, but also for emphasising the emotional turmoil of a young man forced into a situation he does not understand, but which forces him to act fast and make quick decisions, a skill he surely lacked in his life thus far.
However, as soon as everything surrounding the twisted game Takeru has been put through is revealed, “Setagaya Game” loses a lot of its initial appeal. While the revelation will not be spoiled in this review, it should be noted that depending on the viewer, this reveal is quite a let-down, a lazy solution which could have been left altogether, resulting in a much grittier, even though less positive ending.
All in all, “Setragaya Game” is a solid blend of action and drama. While its twist will likely disappoint some viewers, its first half is quite decent, with a few noteworthy action and chase sequences that are very well executed.
