Twilight of the Yakuza

A documentary that takes a closer look at the current state of the Yakuza. After the crackdown on the infamous Japanese crime syndicate, the Yakuza have a hard time surviving. The doc looks at the impact on the members of the clans, but also how this affects the police and the rise of other criminal gangs.

Crucial here is the way the Yakuza see themselves. Not just ordinary criminals, but people who live on the fringe, living by the Yakuza code and actually performing a public service. With the Yakuza gone, other Mafias are slowly taking their place, and they are less friendly and/or disciplined.

The subjects who are interviewed aren't too interesting though and some of the segments are pretty random (like the inclusion of the Tsunami). I understand getting access to more key figures might have been tough, but a shorter/more concise docu would've been better as an alternative. It's not bad, there just isn't enough there for 2 hours of film.