To be honest, I don't know what to think of this film. Personally, I couldn't think about it in a critical way like I do with most films purely because of the extreme levels of on screen violence. Essentially, the violence is the protagonist of this film and anyone who thinks otherwise is sorely mistaken. How can anyone know what the hell is going on when every five minutes or so there's another scene of extreme brutality?
Being a hardened gore fan, I thought I'd seen the worst there can possibly be in terms of on screen violence (Hell even Saw pushed me) but this film dared to take it one step further. Mere minutes into the film, we are greeted with the grisly aftermath of an extremely brutal murder (blood covers literally every surface and innards are strewn around like confetti), and, for the first hour at least, the violence doesn't let up.
What follows is the most brutal portrayal of on screen violence that I have ever seen. Tongues are severed off, boiling fat is poured over people (with close ups of skin melting and such) and even a child is decapitated. The boundaries of what can be shown on screen are pushed to the very limits and even die-hard gore fans will feel sick to the stomach as the violence continues scene after scene after scene.
I believe that, in order to take a critical approach to this film, I will have to watch it again. The audience is so engrossed (or repulsed?) by the carnage that they see or take in very little else. On a second viewing, I may be able admire the film, as the violence is necessary to the story, but it is the carnage that will be remembered. A case of style over content maybe?
What can I say? Personally, with repeated viewings, this film may turn out to be masterpiece in the guise of a Japanese gore fest but until those viewing (and they won't be anytime soon), a Japanese gore fest is what it'll remain to be.
3/5
Being a hardened gore fan, I thought I'd seen the worst there can possibly be in terms of on screen violence (Hell even Saw pushed me) but this film dared to take it one step further. Mere minutes into the film, we are greeted with the grisly aftermath of an extremely brutal murder (blood covers literally every surface and innards are strewn around like confetti), and, for the first hour at least, the violence doesn't let up.
What follows is the most brutal portrayal of on screen violence that I have ever seen. Tongues are severed off, boiling fat is poured over people (with close ups of skin melting and such) and even a child is decapitated. The boundaries of what can be shown on screen are pushed to the very limits and even die-hard gore fans will feel sick to the stomach as the violence continues scene after scene after scene.
I believe that, in order to take a critical approach to this film, I will have to watch it again. The audience is so engrossed (or repulsed?) by the carnage that they see or take in very little else. On a second viewing, I may be able admire the film, as the violence is necessary to the story, but it is the carnage that will be remembered. A case of style over content maybe?
What can I say? Personally, with repeated viewings, this film may turn out to be masterpiece in the guise of a Japanese gore fest but until those viewing (and they won't be anytime soon), a Japanese gore fest is what it'll remain to be.
3/5