Aegis (2005): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2005, Aegis is an action and drama film directed by Junji Sakamoto, running about 127 minutes.

What it’s about. The Isokaze, an Aegis-class escort vessel, sets sail on a routine training exercise, playing host to a platoon from the Fleet Training Group. No sooner is the Isokaze on open water, however, then the FTG reveal themselves to be terrorist stowaways who kill the ship's captain, send the rest of the crew overboard and take control of the vessel. The ship is carrying a secret biological weapon which the terrorists are now threatening to use to level Tokyo! Only a stowaway NCO, Sengoko (played by Sanada Hiroyuki from Ring and Twilight Samurai) is in a position to stop them - but does he really have what it takes to save the day? Playing like a cross between a sea-faring version of Top Gun and Die Hard, director Sakamoto Junji shows that it's not just Hollywood that can produce thrill-a-minute action spectaculars.

Who’s in it. Aegis stars Hiroyuki Sanada as Hisashi Sengoku, Akira Terao as Hirotaka Miyazu, Koichi Sato as Diasuke Atsumi and Kiichi Nakai as Yong Fa, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 3.3/10, Aegis has proved divisive with audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Aegis page.

If you liked it. Fans of Aegis tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.