THE FIRST SLAM DUNK (2022)

Typically in sports films, individuals or teams must overcome tumultuous early lives, a series of intense yet only somewhat competitive games, and interpersonal struggles on their journey, which culminates in a final showdown that decides their ultimate fate. But while Takehiko Inoue’s The First Slam Dunk (based on his popular manga series Slam Dunk) doesn’t stray too far from these conventions of the genre, this basketball tale is almost entirely focused on one game. Depicting the final match in the Slam Dunk manga, the film devotes itself to this climactic game, where two high school basketball teams vie for the championship.

You might be wondering how any intrigue could possibly be sustained in an experience like this. Thankfully, The First Slam Dunk is about as fluid and seamless as an animated film could be. Its visuals map on perfectly to the constantly changing dynamics in basketball games, where score tallies rack up considerably and daring plays for one team can wind up with points scored for their opponents just seconds later. Knowing that everything could switch on a dime keeps the action light and bouncy, but it also sets up stakes and unpredictability. Naturally, the characters we follow—Ryota Miyagi (Shugo Nakamura in the original, Paul Castro Jr. for the English dub), Hisashi Mitsui (Jun Kasama, Jonah Scott), Hanamichi Sakuragi (Subaru Kimura, Ben Balmaceda), Takenori Akagi (Kenta Miyake, Aaron Goodson), and Kaede Rukawa (Shinichiro Kamio, Aleks Le) —aren’t just the challengers vying for the belt, they also must overcome their rival team’s sizeable 20+ point lead.

So even if these characters rack up an impressive streak, their progress can be undone at any moment if their opponents put a halt to their momentum. Everyone knows that a climactic showdown in a cinematic sporting event requires a back-and-forth battle, with its competitors demonstrating their willingness to dig deep and fight for what they feel is rightfully theirs. The First Slam Dunk accomplishes this through flashback sequences exploring its main characters’ lives, particularly Ryota, a side character in the manga who acts as the protagonist in this film. Ryota’s early life is punctuated by loss and anguish, with the death of his older brother Sota (Gakuto Kajiwara) simultaneously driving him forward and weighing down his spirit. Snippets of Ryota’s early life, which follow him from a young child who struggles to handle his grief and harness his athletic potential to an elite player, are interspersed throughout the film.

It’s a reliable formula that, on the whole, serves this movie well, even if it eventually runs out of steam across this two-hour long feature. Once one recognises The First Slam Dunk’s storytelling formula and how it is employed, the punctuating flashback sequences and the showmanship, rivalry, and skills displayed on the court gradually lose their charm. In some respects this is down to this film’s beautiful opening few minutes, where the non-basketball scenes contain an impressive degree of patience. Unhurried pacing allows us to sit with Ryota’s grief, while the chaos of the game flows as easily as water, with quick cuts between characters in motion to create a beautiful dance out of these plays, shots, and interceptions. It sets up an expectation of greatness that is constantly matched by The First Slam Dunk’s filmmaking, but the limitations of this storytelling format slowly become apparent.

When you’re already one hour into a movie centred on just one basketball game, there comes a point where the fluidity of the onscreen action no longer has much sway over you. These scenes don’t dazzle when one has already watched different iterations of them a dozen or so times, while the flashback sequences, though well-produced, come across as little more than an excuse to push this narrative forward by breaking up the repetitive basketball gameplay. This is especially true when Inoue (who also wrote the film’s screenplay) moves away from Ryota’s struggles and background to focus on the team’s other key players.

There isn’t a single dull character in sight, from the perceptive basketball coach to an aggravating high school bully and the random crowd members who chime in with their opinion on the match. But when characterisation and emotional depth require enhancement through these flashback scenes, there’s very little that’s organic about this affair, especially when one can only spend so long marvelling at well-animated basketball gameplay. When The First Slam Dunk breaks away from its own visual conventions it is entertaining enough for one to forget all about how ensnared it is in this hyper-focused narrative. The final minutes of this basketball game are a revelation, the kind of all-gas-no-brakes ending that one can find in some of cinema’s best final sequences, like in Death Proof (2007) or Whiplash (2014). Even though minutes can go by without the sense that anything essential (or even meaningful) has transpired, this film is so well-crafted that all it requires is one brilliant scene to entice you back on its side and have you rooting desperately for these characters.

Watching The First Slam Dunk isn’t unlike experiencing Top Gun: Maverick (2022), another well-produced, crowd-pleasing film which showcases that cinema can be both entertaining and emotive. Both movies will appeal broadly to cinema lovers, yet it’s near-impossible to envision the Top Gun (1986) sequel adopting the same structure as The First Slam Dunk, where flashback scenes intercut a single mission. If that were the case, not only would that movie’s flying sequences quickly lose their appeal, flashback scenes would merely seem like an annoyingly transparent way of cutting down on the repetition. While The First Slam Dunk makes for a far better fit in this narrative mould than Maverick would, those same problems can be found here.

Thankfully, the talented voice cast (in both the original Japanese version and its English dub), immersive direction, and momentary awe found throughout this story breathe life into a movie that would have easily been bland without these qualities. Do both the flashbacks and gameplay outstay their welcome? Of course, but there is so much energy, optimism, and fierce competition in The First Slam Dunk that it’s impossible not to be swayed by the love that its creator has for these characters and this sport. By incorporating details about key players’ personal lives throughout this climactic game, Inoue expertly demonstrates the literal and symbolic importance of basketball. Most importantly, not even the film’s repetitive notes can dim the power of its heart-stopping denouement, which, after a somewhat inconsistent viewing experience, matches the beauty of The First Slam Dunk’s opening scenes.

JAPAN | 2022 | 124 MINUTES | 1.78:1 | COLOUR | JAPANESE • ENGLISH (DUBBED)

Blu-ray Special Features:

• Trailer and teasers.
• Interview with the director (23:56). Inoue describes each of The First Slam Dunk’s main characters, then delves into his experience with the film’s production and his general interest in basketball. The character descriptions are unnecessary, but the rest of this interview is engaging and worthwhile, even if there isn’t any fascinating behind-the-scenes information. It’s an enjoyable yet inessential watch.
• Behind the Starting Line-up: English Dub Featurette (11:41). This featurette dives into the work of Michael Sinterniklaas on the film, who supervised its English dub. There’s an infectious energy and charm throughout this behind-the-scenes documentary, whether that’s viewing the camaraderie in-studio, the voice actors providing insights into their respective characters, or discussions about the attempts made to incorporate background noise and dialogue into the film.
• Colour Commentary with the English Dub Team. At first this lively commentary contains little insight into the film or the process of these actors, prioritising good fun and jokes between the different voice actors for the film’s English dub. But as it continues and the narrative deepens, some poignant reflections are offered on The First Slam Dunk’s characters and their interpersonal dilemmas. The enthusiasm this cast shares for the film also makes an impression.

Cast & Crew

director: Takehiko Inoue.
writer: Takehiko Inoue (based on his manga ‘Slam Dunk’).
starring: Shugo Nakamura, Jun Kasama, Shinichiro Kamio, Kenta Miyake, Subaru Kimura & Gakuto Kajiwara (Japanese) • Paul Castro Jr., Jonah Scott, Aleks Le, Aaron Goodson, Ben Balmaceda & Adam McArthur (English).