The Trap (1996)

If the third Maiku Hama film feels like a lesser entry that's really just a testament to how special the first two films are, as by any reasonable standard it is a great film.

This one is a more traditional detective story, with a serial killer targeting young women, and Maiku getting drawn into the case. At the start of the film things seem to be on the up for Mr. Hama with work going well and a new girlfriend, but things go downhill pretty fast.

I'm not sure what purpose it served having Masatoshi Nagase play dual roles in the film, other than demonstrating his range, but it does that.

On this rewatch I enjoyed Jō Shishido's appearances as fictional Jō Shishido, his larger than life character adding a fun touch to the Maiku Hama universe. I assume he played a famous P.I. character in his prime?