Shield of Straw (2013 Film)

Shield of Straw (Japanese: 藁の楯, Hepburn: Wara no Tate) is a 2013 Japanese action-suspense film directed by Takashi Miike. The film is based on the 2004 novel of the same name written by Kazuhiro Kiuchi. It premiered in competition at the 66th Cannes Film Festival in 2013.

Shield of Straw promotional poster — Promotional artwork for the 2013 film Shield of Straw.

Plot

The story centers on Kunihide Kiyomaru, a man suspected of murdering the granddaughter of a powerful Japanese political and economic figure, Takaoki Ninagawa. Kiyomaru has a history of violent crime, including a previous killing for which he was never apprehended. Seeking revenge, Ninagawa publishes a full-page advertisement in three major Japanese newspapers, offering a reward of 1 billion yen to anyone who kills Kiyomaru.

Fearing for his life, Kiyomaru surrenders to the police in Fukuoka. A team of five detectives from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's security section is assigned to escort him from Fukuoka to Tokyo, a distance of approximately 1,200 kilometers. During the journey, the officers must protect their prisoner from a public desperate to claim the massive bounty.

Production

The film was directed by Takashi Miike, with a screenplay by Tamio Hayashi based on Kazuhiro Kiuchi's novel. Principal photography for the film commenced on August 19, 2012, and concluded in early October 2012.

Cast

The film features an ensemble cast, including:

Takao Osawa as Kazuki Mekari
Nanako Matsushima as Atsuko Shiraiwa
Tatsuya Fujiwara as Kunihide Kiyomaru
Tsutomu Yamazaki as Takaoki Ninagawa
Goro Kishitani as Takeshi Okumura
Masato Ibu as Kenji Sekiya
Kento Nagayama as Masataka Kanbashi
Kimiko Yo as Chikako Yuri
Hirotaro Honda as Section Chief Ooki

Scene from Shield of Straw — A scene from the film.