For the first time in its history, extreme Japanese game show $la$her$ hosts an All-American special, throwing open the doors of its gore-drenched arena to six plucky U.S. contestants who must fight for survival against a trio of blood-thirsty killers for the chance to win a fortune in prize money.
Going by the terrible UK DVD cover that simply screamed 'worthless garbage', my expectations for this low budget horror were set extremely low, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that that I actually enjoyed the film on more than one level...
On one hand, $la$her$ is an enjoyably silly splatter flick—an over the top parody of extreme game shows that delivers a significant level of tension, genuinely well-executed jump scares, cheap and cheerful decapitations and dismemberment aplenty, and just a smidge of female nudity—all of which makes it a fun film to down a few beers to.
However, for those looking for something a little more cerebral, the film also offers some wry satire that takes swipes at such subjects as today's celebrity culture, the depths to which people will sink to make a buck, and the hypocrisy of religion. Much of this humour is derived from the film's superb villains: Preacherman (Neil Napier), who kills in the name of God; Dr. Ripper (Christopher Piggins), who encourages the female contestants to get topless to boost their popularity; and Chainsaw Charlie (Napier again, in a dual role), an inbred redneck who is 'just doing his job'.
Although production values are very low, the whole movie being shot on digital video on a flimsy set constructed from hardboard and plastic sheeting, the cheap look and feel actually works in the film's favour, effectively capturing the poor quality and style of many a tacky Japanese game-show.