The Triple Cross

The Triple Cross

Year: 1992

Runtime: 108 mins

Language: Japanese

Director: Kinji Fukasaku

CrimeDramaAction

Following the bloody aftermath of a heist, three robbers are double-crossed by a new accomplice, who is then tracked down amid escalating carnage and spectacular car chases.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – The Triple Cross (1992)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Triple Cross (1992). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Lake Tōya, Sapporo, Hakodate

Lake Tōya provides the opening backdrop for the heist and getaway, with its remote, cold setting heightening tension. The money then moves toward Sapporo, anchoring the crime in a bustling urban center. Hakodate hosts Kadomachi's club, where public exchanges and confrontations escalate toward pursuit and final reckoning.

❄️ Lake Tōya 🏙️ Sapporo ⚓ Hakodate

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:25

Main Characters – The Triple Cross (1992)

Meet the key characters of The Triple Cross (1992), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Kanzaki (Ken'ichi Hagiwara)

Kanzaki is the cool-headed mastermind and primary driving force behind the robberies. He orchestrates the heists with precision, keeps the team focused, and tries to control the fallout when plans go awry. His determination to secure the money often puts him at odds with partners and rivals alike.

💼 Robber 🧠 Strategist 🎯 Calculated

Shiba (Kirin Kiki)

Shiba is the steady, capable partner who keeps the group grounded. She performs under pressure, endures injuries, and maintains loyalty even as danger escalates. Her pragmatism helps navigate the ever-shifting plans and betrayals.

🗺️ Loyal 🧠 Sharp 🔒 Steady

Imura (Renji Ishibashi)

Imura is deeply indebted and drives the trio’s plans with a mix of desperation and bravado. His impulsive actions set off a chain of violence and tragedy, and his guilt compounds the group's instability. His fate becomes a catalyst for the final confrontations.

💸 Debtor 🔥 Impulsive 🌀 Desperate

Kadomachi (Kazuya Kimura)

Kadomachi is the young club owner who becomes the pivotal manipulator, leveraging debt to Yoshida and a volatile plan to keep the money. He engineers exchanges and escapes while juggling risk and romance with Mai. His calculated moves push everyone toward a bloody climax.

🎭 Manipulator 💡 Schemer 🧪 Risk-taker

Mai (Keiko Oginome)

Mai is Shiba's young rival in love who seizes a share of the money, complicating the group’s dynamics. Her actions reflect a blend of boldness and self-preservation, ending in tragic consequences as she becomes a pawn in the cat-and-mouse game.

💄 Femme fatale 🕊️ Calculated 💔 Tragic

Misato (Yumi Takigawa)

Misato is Kanzaki's girlfriend, a stabilizing presence who ultimately faces the personal costs of crime. She reacts pragmatically to the chaos and ends up changing her life by quitting her job after the events.

🎀 Supportive 🛡️ Loyal

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:25

Major Themes – The Triple Cross (1992)

Explore the central themes of The Triple Cross (1992), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💰 Greed

The trio’s heists are propelled by the lure of enormous yen sums. Debt and desperation push Imura to push the plan forward, even as risks mount. As money accrues, trust frays and loyalties crack. The pursuit of wealth fuels betrayals and violent outcomes.

🔄 Betrayal

Betrayal fractures the trio from within as Imura attempts to seize control at gunpoint. Kadomachi's debt and ambition drive him to manipulate Mai and others, eroding trust. Mai's theft and Misato's involvement escalate deception and risk. The escalation ends in bloodshed, a police chase, and shattered relationships.

⚖️ Consequences

Violence punctuates the caper, from shootings to explosions and dramatic escapes. Misato’s quiet exit signals the personal costs of crime and greed. The group’s plans collapse as authorities close in and the money slips away, leaving only wreckage and remorse. The film closes on a bitter note about the price of crime and the fragile line between criminals and survivors.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:25

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Crime spiral movies with relentless betrayals like The Triple Cross

Heists unravel into bloody chaos where no alliance can be trusted.If you enjoyed the constant double-crosses and chaotic aftermath of The Triple Cross, you'll find similar tension in these movies. They feature high-stakes heists gone wrong, where trust is a liability and characters must navigate a bloody path of survival amid shifting loyalties and moral decay.

tensegrittyparanoidchaoticcynicalviolentsuspenseful

Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread follow a predictable yet gripping descent: a promising criminal enterprise is poisoned from within by betrayal, forcing protagonists into a desperate, violent scramble. The narrative structure is often a linear progression from order to chaos, emphasizing the fragility of criminal partnerships under pressure.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their shared focus on the thematic and emotional consequences of treachery within a criminal underworld. They deliver a specific viewing experience defined by high tension, gritty realism, and a cynical outlook on human nature, making them perfect for fans of intense, morally ambiguous thrillers.

Violent and gritty action movies with a dark tone like The Triple Cross

Stories where violence is both spectacle and a symptom of decay.Fans of The Triple Cross's high-octane car chases and gritty, violent atmosphere will appreciate these selections. This list features films with a dark tone, fast pacing, and heavy emotional weight, where action sequences serve a cynical narrative about moral collapse and the high cost of survival.

violentgrittybleakchaoticmelancholicintenseaction-packed

Narrative Summary

The narrative journey is a descent, often propelled by action set-pieces that increase in scale and brutality. Character arcs are typically negative, moving from ambition to ruin, with the violence itself acting as the primary engine of the plot and a metaphor for the internal moral decay of the protagonists.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by a cohesive aesthetic and tonal blend: fast-paced, high-intensity action combined with a persistently dark and cynical worldview. The experience is defined by its visceral impact and the lingering feeling of a bittersweet or bleak resolution, grouping movies that prioritize a harsh, uncompromising realism.

Unlock the Full Story of The Triple Cross

Don't stop at just watching — explore The Triple Cross in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what The Triple Cross is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

The Triple Cross Summary

Read a complete plot summary of The Triple Cross, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

The Triple Cross Summary

The Triple Cross Timeline

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The Triple Cross Timeline

The Triple Cross Spoiler-Free Summary

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The Triple Cross Spoiler-Free Summary

More About The Triple Cross

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