Signal the Movie

Signal the Movie
Signal the Movie
Kanji	劇場版シグナル長期未解決事件捜査班
Literal meaning	Signal The Movie Long-Term Unsolved Case Investigation Team
Revised Hepburn	Gekijōban Shigunaru: Chōki Mikaiketsujiken Sōsahan
Directed by	Hajime Hashimoto [ja]
Screenplay by	Kōsuke Nishi; Hiroshi Hayashi;
Based on	Signal (Japanese TV series); by Akira Uchitaka and Kosuke Suzuki; Signal (South Korean TV series); by Kim Eun-hee;
Produced by	Takashi Hagiwara; Yoko Toyofuku; Kazutaka Obara; Takahiro Kasagi; Mai Ishida;
Starring	see below
Cinematography	Hiroo Yanagida
Edited by	Shinya Tadano
Music by	Yuki Hayashi; Asami Tachibana;
Production; companies	Kansai Telecasting Corporation; Fuji TV; Tristone Pictures; Dentsu; Toho Co., Ltd.; FNS26 Company;
Distributed by	Toho Co., Ltd.
Release date	April 2, 2021;
Running time	122 minutes
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese

Signal the Movie^[2] is a 2021 Japanese police procedural thriller drama film directed by Hajime Hashimoto [ja], co-written by Kōsuke Nishi and Hiroshi Hayashi, distributed by Toho, and stars Kentaro Sakaguchi, Michiko Kichise, and Kazuki Kitamura. The film was released in Japan on April 2, 2021.

The film is based on a television series with a same name, which itself is a remake of a South Korean television series with a same name, and continues where the television series left off with a brand new story.

Premise

"In 2021, a limousine taxi driver causes an accident on a highway and a high-level government official dies in the accident. Cold case investigation team, including Kento Saegusa and team leader Misaki Sakurai, have doubts about the case.

Meanwhile, in 2009, administrative officers die consecutively in car accidents. The police announce these deaths as accidents. Takeshi Ooyama believes that these deaths were not the product of simple accidents. At 11:23 PM, a walkie-talkie turns on and makes a connection between the future and past. Kento Saegusa and Takeshi Ooyama face the threat of bioterrorism."

Cast

Kentaro Sakaguchi as Kento Saegusa
Michiko Kichise as Misaki Sakurai
Kazuki Kitamura as Takeshi Ooyama
Yuichi Kimura as Tsutomu Yamada
Tetsuhiro Ikeda as Shinya Kojima
Kaede Aono as Rika Anzai
Tetta Sugimoto as Munehisa Mitani
Nao as Michiru Koizumi
Tetsushi Tanaka as Satoshi Yamazaki
Takeshi Kaga as Shinjiro Itagaki
Tsuyoshi Ihara as Junki Aoki

Production

In January 2020, it was announced that Signal television series would receive a film adaptation, and Hajime Hashimoto [ja] would direct the film.^[3] The film featured a brand new story that was not present in the South Korean television series or any adaptations prior.^[4] Cast members from the television series reprised their respective roles for the film.^[3] The principal photography took place from January to February 2020.^[4]

Yuki Hayashi and Asami Tachibana returned to co-compose the music for the film. South Korean boy band BTS also returned to provide the theme song for the film, titled "Film Out".^[5]

Release

The film was released in Japan on April 2, 2021.

Reception

Critical reception

James Marsh from South China Morning Post gave a mixed review, stating "Existing fans of the television show will doubtless already have their tickets booked for this frantic and fitfully entertaining continuation, but curious parties approaching Signal the Movie for the first time will be better served seeking out the small screen series first – or even the superior Korean incarnation, both of which are streaming on Netflix."^[6]

Mark Schilling from The Japan Times praised the action sequences, stating "This cop thriller based on a 2018 Fuji TV series may be gimmicky, but it delivers in the action department."^[7]

References

^ "劇場版シグナル長期未解決事件捜査班". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved April 2, 2021.
^ Japanese: 劇場版シグナル長期未解決事件捜査班, Hepburn: Gekijōban Shigunaru: Chōki Mikaiketsujiken Sōsahan, lit. "Signal The Movie Long-Term Unsolved Case Investigation Team"
^ ^a ^b "坂口健太郎の主演ドラマ『シグナル』が映画化＆スペシャルドラマ化". Cinra (in Japanese). January 15, 2020. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
^ ^a ^b "「シグナル」チーム再結集！オンラインでファンの皆さんと交信！ 「劇場版シグナル長期未解決事件捜査班」完成報告会". Toho (in Japanese). March 2, 2021. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
^ "BTS Collaborate With Japanese Band Back Number For New Movie Theme 'Film Out'". Billboard. February 12, 2021. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
^ Marsh, James (July 21, 2021). "Signal the Movie review: Japanese spin-off feature continues the time-bending crime busting in predictable fashion". South China Morning Post. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
^ Schilling, Mark (April 1, 2021). "'Signal The Movie Cold Case Investigation Unit': Obvious but with plenty of panache". the Japan Times. Retrieved April 1, 2021.

External links

[1] "劇場版シグナル長期未解決事件捜査班". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved April 2, 2021.

[2] Japanese: 劇場版シグナル長期未解決事件捜査班, Hepburn: Gekijōban Shigunaru: Chōki Mikaiketsujiken Sōsahan, lit. "Signal The Movie Long-Term Unsolved Case Investigation Team"

[Signal_Film-3] "坂口健太郎の主演ドラマ『シグナル』が映画化＆スペシャルドラマ化". Cinra (in Japanese). January 15, 2020. Retrieved January 15, 2020.

[Press_Interview-4] "「シグナル」チーム再結集！オンラインでファンの皆さんと交信！ 「劇場版シグナル長期未解決事件捜査班」完成報告会". Toho (in Japanese). March 2, 2021. Retrieved March 2, 2021.

[5] "BTS Collaborate With Japanese Band Back Number For New Movie Theme 'Film Out'". Billboard. February 12, 2021. Retrieved February 12, 2021.

[6] Marsh, James (July 21, 2021). "Signal the Movie review: Japanese spin-off feature continues the time-bending crime busting in predictable fashion". South China Morning Post. Retrieved July 21, 2021.

[7] Schilling, Mark (April 1, 2021). "'Signal The Movie Cold Case Investigation Unit': Obvious but with plenty of panache". the Japan Times. Retrieved April 1, 2021.

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