Cops vs. Thugs

Police officers and gangsters work hand in hand in this bloody urban drama, which splits the difference between a good guy and a thug. Just as the Ohara gang -- a crafty group of criminals that's unofficially sanctioned by local police -- prepares to pull off a profitable scam, their leader emerges from prison with plans to go legit. To make matters worse, a new police lieutenant has plans of his own to shake things up in the department.

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This story may seem a little familiar; two friends, a yakuza gang boss and a cop, try to maintain their friendship while being true to their professions. They are at odds with a corrupt system of politicians, police and gangsters while remaining loyal to each other. No matter how much they try to insulate themselves from the outside world, in the end, they are still on different sides. Neither the cop nor the thug, the politicians nor the police are uncontaminated by corruption. While the plot may not be altogether original, the performances lift Cops vs. Thugs above the typical genre film. Kinji Fukasaku is the undisputed master of 70's yakuza films.
- pterosaur