Overview
A rogue cop's quest for justice leads him down a violent path of betrayal and revenge.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- bleak
- hard-edged
- paranoid
- late night crime marathon
- Japanese cinema night
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a sharply controlled, violent crime thriller that announces Takeshi Kitano’s distinctive directorial style.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Azuma routinely uses violence and unethical tactics while investigating drug-related murders and police corruption.
The film’s police brutality, torture, killings, and sudden escalations define its harsh emotional register.
Azuma discovers that his colleague Iwaki is supplying drugs from inside the police force.
The film is associated with Takeshi Kitano’s controlled, unsentimental presentation of crime and sudden brutality.
Films like Violent Cop, and why
Dirty Harry
Shares a morally compromised rogue-cop protagonist, brutal police violence, drug-crime investigation, and bleak neo-noir intensity.
Sonatine
Shares Japanese crime-thriller austerity, sudden violence, criminal underworld intrigue, and emotionally restrained direction.
Serpico
Shares corrosive police corruption, hard-edged action, male camaraderie, and a grim revenge-driven atmosphere.
Infernal Affairs
Shares an uncompromising Asian crime style, criminal networks, stark violence, and morally unstable law enforcement.
Movie Details
- Director
- Takeshi Kitano
- Release Date
- 1989-08-12
- Runtime
- 103 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (425)
Cast
- Takeshi Kitano
- Maiko Kawakami
- Makoto Ashikawa
- Shiro Sano
- Sei Hiraizumi
- Mikiko Otonashi
- Hakuryu
- Ittoku Kishibe
- Ken Yoshizawa
- Nobuyuki Katsube
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Violent Cop about?
- A remorseless Tokyo detective wages a brutally personal war against drug trafficking and corruption inside his own police force.
- What is Violent Cop like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Violent Cop as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Violent Cop violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Violent Cop as graphic.
- What did critics think of Violent Cop?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a sharply controlled, violent crime thriller that announces Takeshi Kitano’s distinctive directorial style.
- Which films are like Violent Cop?
- Films with a similar feel include Dirty Harry, Sonatine, Serpico, and Infernal Affairs.
- How long is Violent Cop?
- Violent Cop runs 103 minutes.
- Where can I watch Violent Cop?
- In United States, Violent Cop is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube.
