What to expect
The failed execution exposes the institution around it. Oshima makes the authorities' attempts to recover control into a dark and increasingly surreal farce. The question is not simply whether one man is guilty: the treatment of a Korean man in Japan brings the state's categories and prejudices into view. Attend to the explanations used to preserve authority when the procedure itself has ceased to make sense.
How to ease in
Hold on to the opening premise, then follow each attempt by the officials to justify their next move. It is more useful to track their reasoning and contradictions than to expect an ordinary investigation or courtroom narrative.
Heads-up
— COMING SOON —
Why no note yet?
- Hasn't seen it yet.
- Too good for words.
- Too bad for words.
Credits & versions
Version map
Sources for the facts
Official availability link
Criterion Channel — official listing ↗
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The catalogue duration above is not a measured stream runtime. Link checked 2026-10-27 on Criterion’s film page; service and subscription information.
Where to go next
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