Movie Review: Galileo Yougisha X no Kenshin

I became a fan of the Galileo series starting last year when season two got dubbed in Cantonese. Galileo stars a physics professor at Teito University, Yukawa Manabu, and a police detective, Utsumi Kaoru, to solve cases that are seemingly impossible to handle. Yukawa takes apart each case and explains everything through the use of physics. Though Utsumi always calls him heartless, Yukawa has a sense of morality as displayed in several episodes where he is extremely against using science to harm rather than help.

Usually in the drama, Yukawa and Utsumi try to expose the criminal and the methods used. In the movie however, you already know who the criminal is and how the crime is done. Or do you? I suppose the director decided that a different format for a movie would be more desirable. In Yougisha X no Kenshin, Ishigami Tetsuya is this lackluster high school teacher that lives his life in a very repetitive state. He hears some really loud noises coming from his neighbors, Hanaoka Yasuko and her daughter, Misato. Yasuko's ex-husband comes unwanted to take money from Yasuko and it quickly becomes a violent struggle resulting in her ex-husband's death. Ishigami comes over not to call the cops on her, but to help cover up for the crime. The police suspect Yasuko to be the perpetrator, but are unable to find anything proof and thus enlist the help of Yukawa and Utsumi.

Yukawa once again displays his wits. I think it was less exciting than the drama series because there's less suspense in the movie. I think in the movie however, the suspense came from being discovered rather than unraveling. I feel that this movie is aimed at those that are already familiar with the Galileo series whether it be the drama or the actual novels. It is assumed you are already familiar with the characters and thus much time is devoted to Ishigami and Yasuko and family. The thing that makes the movie different from the drama is that we're working backwards on a case. There's this psychological battle going on between Ishigami and Yukawa where one covers up and the other reveals. While Yukawa suspects Ishigami for a variety of things, Ishigami always has an intelligent comeback. Utsumi and Kuribayashi don't have much of an important role as there is significantly less humor. More scenes involve Yasuko and her daughter. Yasuko, the single mother, exhibits a lot of fear and it adds to this fear the audience feels of being discovered. You feel a bit of pity for her helplessness and a little upset at her decisions because of her reliance on Ishigami.

I still recommend this Galileo fans because the case was still interesting. Even though we knew who the culprit was in the beginning of the movie, there were still details obscured that needed explanation. I have to admit I finished this movie in three sittings rather than one because of my previously busy schedule. However I must add that it did lack something to attract much of my attention.