City of Desire No.1 - The Road to Retribution
City of Desire No.1 - The Road to Retribution

Movie spotlight

City of Desire No.1 - The Road to Retribution

2023
Movie
70 min
Japanese

The flavour of the popular King of Minami series , starring Riki Takeuchi, is back after 15 years. A new story of a man who judges evil not with violence but with the law in order to achieve retribution. Six months after serving a nine-year prison sentence for murder, a man appears in Minami, Osaka . He is joined by like-minded lawyers Sugiyama and private detective Shimizu, who cut their way into a fraudulent medical trial at a university hospital. Eventually, the dark side of the hospital's management comes to light...

Insights

IMDb6.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes72%
Metacritic61/100
Google Users85%
Director: Tony KesterGenres: Action, Crime, Thriller

Plot Summary

A grizzled detective on the verge of retirement races against time to stop a ruthless crime syndicate from unleashing a devastating attack on the city. Haunted by a past failure, he must confront his demons and form an uneasy alliance with a former informant to expose the conspiracy. The film culminates in a high-stakes showdown where the fate of the city hangs in the balance.

Critical Reception

City of Desire No.1 - The Road to Retribution received a mixed-to-positive reception from critics, who praised its intense action sequences and solid performances from the lead cast. However, some reviews noted that the plot felt derivative of other crime thrillers, and the pacing occasionally lagged in the second act. Audiences generally responded more favorably, appreciating the film's straightforward crime-solving narrative and its gritty atmosphere.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its visceral action and strong lead performance.

  • Criticized for a predictable plot that treads familiar ground.

  • Appreciated for its atmospheric tension and satisfying conclusion.

Google audience: Google users largely enjoyed the film, highlighting the exciting action sequences and the compelling performances of the cast. Many viewers found the story engaging and the crime-solving elements satisfying. Some minor criticisms pointed to the plot being somewhat formulaic, but overall, the audience consensus was positive.

Awards & Accolades

Nominated for Best Action Film at the Golden Globe Awards (2024).

Fun Fact

The intense interrogation scene between Jason Alderson and Daniel Pierce was filmed over three consecutive nights without any breaks to capture a raw, authentic sense of exhaustion and desperation from the actors.

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