High&Low The Movie 3 / Final Mission Explained

High&Low The Movie 3 / Final Mission
Narrators:-->
Music:Yuta Nakano
Editing:Hikaru Yasuda
Production Companies:-->
Distributor:Shochiku
Runtime:118 minutes
Country:Japan
Language:Japanese

High&Low The Movie 3 / Final Mission (stylized as HiGH&LOW THE MOVIE 3 / FINAL MISSION) is a 2017 Japanese action film directed by Shigeaki Kubo and Tsuyoshi Nakakuki. It's the fourth film of the High&Low franchise, and as the final episode(the third film) focusing on the war between yakuza organization Kuryu Group and the SWORD gangs, it follows the story of High&Low The Movie, High&Low The Red Rain, and High&Low The Movie 2 / End of Sky. The fight the SWORD gangs are carrying on to protect their town is coming to an end, and they are working together to defeat the evil Kuryu Group thoroughly.[1] [2]

High&Low The Movie 3 / Final Mission was announced on March 18, 2017, alongside High&Low The Movie 2 / End of Sky, while It was also announced that the film will be released on November 11, 2017, after High&Low The Movie 2 / End of Sky release in August.[3] While High&Low The Movie has already been a film with a large number of characters, High&Low The Movie 2 / End of Sky and High&Low The Movie 3 / Final Mission add even more characters and cast to the series. The film's ensemble cast includes not only a large number of members of the Exile Tribe, Takanori Iwata, Akira, Sho Aoyagi, Keiji Kuroki, Takahiro, Hiroomi Tosaka and Naoto for examples, but also actors like Kento Hayashi, Masataka Kubota, and Yuki Yamada. After High&Low The Movie 3 / Final Mission is released, the High&Low series has featured more than one hundred characters.[4] [5]

The film premiered in Tokyo on October 31, 2017.[6] It grossed 1.31 billion yen in Japan.[7]

Plot

The members of the SWORD gangs (Sannoh Rengokai (Hoodlum Squad), White Rascals, Oya Koukou (Oya High School), Rude Boys, and Daruma Ikka) joined forces to win the "Battle of Kokuhakudō Station" against the infamous Doubt and Prison Gang. However, just as it looks like the winner has been decided, Yoshitatsu Zenshin, who leads the Zenshinkai of Kuryu Group, barges into the scene.

The "power of adults" wielded by Kuryu Group was far more powerful than the SWORD gangs could have imagined. After being arrested once because of the confidential information in a USB device disclosed by Kohaku, Tsukumo, and the Amamiya brothers, who had risked their lives to do so, Ryushin Kuze, the president of Kuryu Group, is immediately released due to insufficient evidence. In order to devastate those rebellious youths, the entire Kuryu Group unites to carry out the "SWORD Destruction Action"...

Sannoh Rengokai (Hoodlum Squad)'s precious companions are hunted down and hung in their beloved local town. White Rascals are driven out of their precious castle club, HEAVEN, by the power of money, and both Oya Koukou (Oya High School) and the home of the Daruma Ikka are destroyed. To protect his companions, Cobra goes to challenge Kuryu Group to a fight on his own, but he is abducted and tortured. What's more, as instructed by Kuryu Group, heavy machinery enters the Nameless Street, aiming to destroy the town thoroughly. Smoky senses that his family is in danger, and tells everyone to run away, but he stays there alone to face the enemy.

Kuryu Group, colluding with the government, is planning to blow up the Nameless Street in the SWORD district and build a casino on the site to cover up misconduct of the government. Upon learning this fact, Kohaku sets out to rescue Cobra. Kohaku, Tsukumo, the SWORD gangs' members, and the Amamiya brothers, meet together to find the "three proofs" to expose the cover-up. They decide to crush Kuryu Group's ambitions forever.

"This is the last time we're going to fight!"

As the government's bombing ceremony in the SWORD area is about to begin, the youth of the SWORD gangs rush to carry out their "final mission" to beat the overwhelming strength of Kuryu Group.

The final battle of SWORD, which will be passed down as a legend, begins.

Cast

Production

Instead of using CG, the large-scale explosion scene in the film was actually shot on the spot, using an amount of gunpowder at the very limit of what can be used in Japan.[8]

Release

High&Low The Movie 3 / Final Mission premiered in Marunouchi Piccadilly Cinema in Tokyo on October 31, 2017.[9] Another premiere was held in United Cinema Toyosu in Tokyo on November 2, 2017, with different actors from the first premiere attending.[10] [11] The film was released in Japan on November 11, 2017.[12]

On September 7, 2018, High&Low The Movie 3 / Final Mission were released in Taiwan alongside High&Low The Movie 2 / End of Sky.[13]

Reception

Box office

High&Low The Movie 3 / Final Mission was ranked No.1 at the Japanese box office on its opening, making it the second film of the series to debut at No.1 on the weekend box office charts after High&Low The Movie 2 / End of Sky.[14] The film grossed 1.31 billion yen in total.

Critical response

Japanese rapper, writer and critic Utamaru commented that film had its shining points, writing " There are so many great scenes in High&Low The Movie 3 / Final Mission, and these scenes, which include all the details of special effects, photography, art, and costumes, are unprecedented in the history of Japanese cinema, both in terms of surrealism and quality, and in terms of ideas. When Exile Tribe makes a film, they will add a lot of "fight=dance" scenes and they will play songs of themselves at the same time, which just makes sense for films of the Exile Tribe."

He also pointed out the film was different from its prequel, High&Low The Movie 2 / End of Sky, stating that " High&Low The Movie 2 / End of Sky

was a streak of gorgeous scenes. While this time, "3" doesn't go in the direction of "2". That said, beyond the scenes, the film puts its emphasis on reclaiming the storytelling flow of all the films in the prequel series. As such, this time the story is easily accessible, making High&Low The Movie 3 / Final Mission one of the most accessible film in the High&Low series.[15]

Spin-offs

DTC -Yukemuri Junjou Hen- from High&Low

DTC -Yukemuri Junjou Hen- from High&Low is a spin-off that focus on a trip of Sannoh Rengokai (Hoodlum Squad)'s members Dan, Tettsu and Chiharu, the small sub-unit DTC. It was released on September 28, 2018 and directed by Sigeaki Kubo.

High&Low The Worst

High&Low The Worst is a spin-off that focus on Oya Koukou (Oya High School). It was released on October 4, 2019 and directed by Sigeaki Kubo.

References

  1. Web site: High&Low The Movie 3 / Final Mission. HiGH&LOW. ja. 2020-04-07.
  2. Web site: 『HiGH&LOW』ギリギリラインの大爆発!スモーキーに何が?最終章予告編!. シネマトゥデイ. ja. 2020-04-07.
  3. Web site: 劇場版「HiGH&LOW」続編の新キャスト39名発表、登場キャラクターは100人超. Inc. Natasha. 映画ナタリー. ja. 2020-04-07.
  4. Web site: HiGH&LOW Final Mission Cast. HiGH&LOW. ja. 2020-04-07.
  5. Web site: HiGH&LOW THE MOVIE 3 / FINAL MISSION(2017). allcinema. Stingray. Japanese. 2020-04-07.
  6. Web site: 『HiGH&LOW』監督の目に涙…TAKAHIROが理由にジェラシー. シネマトゥデイ. ja. 2020-04-07.
  7. Web site: 2017年(平成29年) 興行収入10億円以上番組. 2020-04-07.
  8. Web site: コブラは生コンを流し込まれ、スモーキーは笑顔で「最高の人生だった」 悲壮感ただよう 『HiGH&LOW THE MOVIE 3』60秒予告 SPICE - エンタメ特化型情報メディア スパイス. SPICE(スパイス)|エンタメ特化型情報メディア スパイス. 2020-04-12.
  9. Web site: 「HiGH&LOW」生コンはゴマ豆腐!岩田剛典が「おいしかった」、監督の涙も(写真32枚). Inc. Natasha. 映画ナタリー. ja. 2020-04-12.
  10. Web site: 窪田正孝、『HiGH&LOW』キャラは「男が惚れる」!. cinemacafe.net. ja. 2020-04-12.
  11. Web site: 豪華キャスト22名登壇! 『HiGH&LOW THE MOVIE 3 / FINAL MISSION』 第二弾"超"完成披露試写会. 超!アニメディア. ja. 2020-04-12.
  12. Web site: TAKAHIRO、「HiGH&LOW」プロジェクトに感謝「輝くことができた」. cinemacafe.net. ja. 2020-04-12.
  13. Web site: HiGH & LOW熱血街頭 電影版3:終極任務HiGH & LOW The Movie 3 Final Mission - 電影介紹. 世界電影雜誌 World SCREEN. 2020-04-12.
  14. Web site: 「HiGH&LOW」2作連続1位記念し"最後の祭り"の5分超えSP映像(動画あり). Inc. Natasha. 音楽ナタリー. ja. 2020-04-12.
  15. Web site: 【映画評書き起こし】宇多丸、『HiGH&LOWTHEMOVIE3/FINALMISSION』を語る!(2017.11.25放送). TBSラジオ FM90.5 + AM954~何かが始まる音がする~. 2020-04-12.

External links