Fridae

<

Many of you will recall fondly the scenes in the first Umizaru — where a bunch of macho men enroll into a Japan Coast Guard boot camp in order to become search-and-rescue divers. There were plenty of good looking, tanned and toned men in the original Umizaru, and none of them were very shy in taking off their clothes, which led to many swoonsome moments and feelings of deja vu (it wasn't called the Japanese version of Top Gun for nothing).

However, in Umizaru 2: Test of Trust the focus is only on Daisuke Senzaki (Hideaki Ito), after his successful completion of the boot camp and becoming a full-fledged diver. He is still happily in love with Kanna Izawa (Ai Kato), but is reticent in committing to marriage, as he is haunted by the people he failed to save in his course of work. A freak accident finds Senzaki trapped with several other passengers on a sinking ferry boat, with seemingly no way out. As Senzaki's teammates and Kanna look on with frantic dismay, Senzaki tries to find his way out — and leaving no one behind.

Umizaru 2: Test of Trust could possibly be the most Hollywood-style Japanese action blockbuster around, replete with a rousing score, dramatic action sequences, huge sets, and occasionally cringe-inducing emotional moments. This actually works in the film's favour as most audiences will be able to “buy in” to Umizaru's storyline with ease, even though there are some scenes that are so schmaltzy it will leave eyes rolling for minutes.

Although there are far-less swoon-worthy moments in this second Umizaru, and everyone keeps their clothes on, Hideaki Ito is still more than sufficient eye candy, and that he is so heroic in the movie is a plus.