BAYSIDE SHAKEDOWN (1998), which was a record-breaking hit when it first opened and spawned an equally successful sequel late in 2003, is a fantastic dramedy-thriller about a bureaucracy-heavy city police precinct involved in the hunt for a serial killer. The opening scene sets the delightful comic tone: a body floats dead centre in a small river that divides two districts, with cops from both sides wading frantically in the water to see who can get to it first and thus take on the case. On shore, two wisened detectives from the Wangan Police Station quietly mutter their hopes that if the body floats to the other side, they won't have to be bothered investigating the case. Naturally, they get the case, and young cop Yuji Oda spends the next several days hunting down the killer AND an unexpected group of kidnappers, dealing with interference that shows up in the form of secretive high-tech Feds led by an arch-rival, and witnessing the station commanders all but bury themselves in red tape and petty squabling in order to avoid doing real work, all while desperately trying to catch a few moments of desperately desired sleep. This is based on a TV show, but prior knowledge of it is unnecessary and you instantly feel a kinship with these memorable characters. Nice double-twist ending, too! I give it a 10.

Odoru Daisosasen (Bayside Shakedown) is a detective movie on the surface. It centers around the case of the kidnapping of a police commissioner of the Bayside precinct. However, digging deeping, it is really a movie about friendship, dark humor, social satire, with comic relief.This movie can stand on its own without the TV series, as I have not seen the TV series yet before watching the movie. Don't let that be a let-down.The movie perfectly combines humor with seriousness. One just can't stop laughing at the ludicrosy inside the local precinct and the seriousness of the HQ. At the same time, the plot is fluid and coherent - with a nice surprise at the end to relieve the tenseness.Go see this movie if you feel watching a coherent detective story with some laughable moments.

This movie is weird. This is the kind only japanese can make. But hopefully this is not (I hope so!) the kind only japanese people can love. It can't be glued to any genre and for example (as it's a huge success) Hollywood won't be able to make it again. Extraordinary action sequences, ultra-suspense and ZAZ-comic-like is a light sum-up of what can be found in this weird but very exciting movie.

Movie adaptations of popular TV shows is not a trend unique to America. The Japanese have been doing it for years before. Odoru Daisosasen (Bayside Shakedown) is but the latest attempt to bring a popular Japanese TV show to the big screen. Based on Fuji TV's popular and hip cop show starring pretty boy Yuji Oda, Bayside Shakedown basically delivers what fans of the TV show expect and want. All the formulas that made the TV show such a hit are all well displayed here. Just as with the TV show there is the right blend of comedy, drama, action and even some bureaucratic intrigue in the mix. Unlike recent American attempts at updating TV shows such as Mission Impossible, The Avengers, Wild Wild West, Mod Squad and the upcoming Charlie's Angels, Bayside Shakedown has not altered or revised it's look (granted Bayside Shakedown is a relatively recent TV show as opposed to the examples said above). All the characters from the show and those actors that played the characters on the TV show are all here. This is basically your equivalent to a TV Movie or `Reunion Show' albeit one geared towards a theatrical release. All that being said, Bayside Shakedown will definitely please fans of the show, but for those like myself who are not really fans it leaves somewhat of a mixed reaction. The story is not all too exciting and the action is somewhat tame for a movie. Bayside Shakedown succeeds solely on the efforts of Oda and the cast and their interactions with each other. There's a lot of flash and style but it might have as well been a direct to video release than a `road show ` movie extravaganza. A nice try but could have been better.