If anything embodies the spirit of 'all for one, one for all', it's director Eiichiro Hasumi's movie Umizaru 3: The Last Message. Initially it looks like just another cliched story, but the characters' desperate struggles almost reduce you to tears.
The movie focuses on Daisuke Senzaki (Hideaki Ito), a Japanese Coast Guard rescue diver sent to evacuate people trapped on a natural gas rig. A typhoon makes its way towards the giant plant while Senzaki and a few others are left behind after the evacuation.
The audience will feel sympathy and frustration in abundance because of the characters and the situations they find themselves in. From a boat crashing into the gas plant to oil leakage and explosions, the list of incidents seems endless. The movie also features epic scenes where national interests clash with the protection of individual lives.
Ito has a charming on-screen presence. With supporting actor Shohei Miura, who plays the confused but kind-hearted Takuya Hattori, he succeeds in pushing the story forward.
Umizaru 3 creates a sense of anticipation and fear in equal measure, making the movie an emotional rollercoaster. The lead actors' excellent performances make for an exciting and spirited ending. You will stay on the edge of your seat with tissue in hand.