Nine prisoners, most of who are sentenced to hard time for murder, escape from prison to look for a treasure rumored to be hidden at an elementary school at Mount Fuji. In a car rented from a friend, they head for the school, stealing food from people they meet on the road. At last, they are shocked to find out that a glass key is all that is hidden in the school. However, their journey is far from over. They have committed murders for their own reasons, and struggle to get over painful pasts. They are violent yet innocent. The film is both hilarious and serious, highlighting the criminals innocence. Successfully evading the police and people′s attention, the nine prisoners come up with their own choices. Beginning with a scene where Tokyo turns to ruins, the film invites us to observe the landscapes on the road. In the closing scene, featuring a patricidal son, the spark of light made by the small glass key enchants the audience. Having appealed to the Japanese youth market with his previous film Blue Spring, the director explores the psychology of the contemporary Japanese society through a bizarre yet unforgettable journey of the nine men.(KwonYong-min)