Sinking of Japan

Sinking of Japan is a mildly entertaining movie that shows us the country's greatest nightmare: being submerged by the Pacific Ocean.

The film begins with a scary scene of a Japanese city destroyed by an earthquake. We learn that this disaster is just the start of a series of natural catastrophes. In 30 years' time, the ocean will flood the whole country.

The Japanese government sets up a committee to deal with the impending doom. But the disaster hits Japan much earlier than expected. The first victim is the Prime Minister. The country - leaderless and bankrupt - is in chaos. People panic and flock to the mountains, airports and harbours and wait to be rescued.

This disaster flick is directed by Shinji Higuchi, responsible for many Godzilla and Gamera movies. It features volcanic eruptions, tsunamis and burning skyscrapers. But most of them - due to mediocre computer-generated effects and a lack of details - look artificial when compared to their Hollywood counterparts.

The movie's strength is its portrayal of average people, who try to maintain their dignity despite the catastrophe. The romance between Reiko Abe (Kou Shibasaki), a female rescue team member, and submarine pilot Toshio Onodera (Tsuyoshi Kusanagi), who is willing to sacrifice his life for the country and the woman he loves, is predictable but touching.

On the other hand, the government officials - with the exception of the Prime Minister, the Disaster Management Minister Takamori (Mao Daichi) and her life-saving team - cannot be trusted.