I watched this movie quite a while ago, and at the time I had mixed feelings about it.
The film struck me as very slow-paced, with long shots of Takeshi Kitano walking to music sounded as though it were from Sherlock. I remember when me and my friends jokingly called this movie “Takeshi Kitano is Walking the Movie”.

After rewatching the movie, my impression of it has become more positive. It skilfully alternates slow-paced mundane scenes with short bursts of violence, which kept me engaged. Perhaps I’ve also become more patient.

The plot is about a vigilante policeman, and he’s violent. A violent cop, if you will. It’s a cliche, but because of Takeshi’s approach to violence in his movies, and the down-to-earth nature of the narrative, you don’t really notice it. There also isn’t much comedy, which lends the narrative a sense of realism, making the standout moments in the movie all the more striking.

This movie is very nihilistic. A cycle of violence, corruption, and turning a blind eye to cruelty, over and over again. The world doesn’t change; everything repeats itself regardless of the consequences. The only outcome is death. Perhaps I’m looking at the themes explored superficially, but that was the impression I got from watching it.

The climax is very powerful, as is the ending itself. Everyone in this world has gone insane, and the cycle continues.