I would have given the film 8 stars if it had been a bit more tightly edited. Clocking in at 2 hours and 10 minutes it's just too long. Maintaining tension is a tricky business and this exhausts itself after about 105 minutes. That being said, it is still a very enjoyable action/horror/sci-fi flick. The cast, a mix of novice and veterans, acquit themselves nicely. I actually cared about what happened to them. A scene of brutality between two of the main characters a little over half-way through really shocked me and reminded me of a scene that could have been written by Neil Labute. Unfortunately, some other scenes tended to drag on too long and the movie lost its dark humored edge sometime after the first hour. The revelation at the end of the film is a bit anti-climactic and surprisingly unimportant by that point. Otherwise, the film is enjoyable with some great action sequences and a script that continues to surprise and thwart viewer expectations. I look forward to seeing more from this director and cast.
21 Reviews
Grey matter never looked so good, so screw the political-correctness.
macabro3572 July 2003
Warning: Spoilers
Oh gimmie a break. It's sometimes unbelievable what some people write on the imdb, with their quasi limp-wristed outlook on things. Is the Sundance Channel only supposed to show politically-correct films that can't deviate from what the left-wing art crowd expects? Sheesh...
It's a murder mystery with a supernatural aspect to it, not some high-falootin' social-statement about Japanese society as a whole. Good grief...
And I happen to like it.
Tokyo cops investigate the murder of a guy who's had the top of his skull lopped of by the killer. They notice his brains are missing. They also notice a pleasant smell coming from the pot boiling from the stove, open it and find his brains boiling inside. Then the cops all run outside and puke. Hilarious! (laughs)
Then more bodies turn up with their brains scooped out of their skulls and prepared as food nearby. It seems this strange alien watery substance takes over people's bodies and turns them into superhuman lunatics. The substance goes from character to character throughout the film making life quite difficult for the cops on the case. Who will the substance inhabit next? Who will be the next victims? I like stories like this.
The ending is pretty anticlimactic though, as the two cops manage to burn down an expensive house that the alien watery substance is trapped in. We watch it as it glides silently across the walls trying to preserve itself by finding a new host and avoid the fire.
And then the rain falls. A good analogy.
7 out of 10 for keeping me entertained in this what-done-it...
It's a murder mystery with a supernatural aspect to it, not some high-falootin' social-statement about Japanese society as a whole. Good grief...
And I happen to like it.
Tokyo cops investigate the murder of a guy who's had the top of his skull lopped of by the killer. They notice his brains are missing. They also notice a pleasant smell coming from the pot boiling from the stove, open it and find his brains boiling inside. Then the cops all run outside and puke. Hilarious! (laughs)
Then more bodies turn up with their brains scooped out of their skulls and prepared as food nearby. It seems this strange alien watery substance takes over people's bodies and turns them into superhuman lunatics. The substance goes from character to character throughout the film making life quite difficult for the cops on the case. Who will the substance inhabit next? Who will be the next victims? I like stories like this.
The ending is pretty anticlimactic though, as the two cops manage to burn down an expensive house that the alien watery substance is trapped in. We watch it as it glides silently across the walls trying to preserve itself by finding a new host and avoid the fire.
And then the rain falls. A good analogy.
7 out of 10 for keeping me entertained in this what-done-it...
nothing new yet fun (even though a bit long)
movieman_kev27 October 2005
A pair of Japanes detectives are after a body hopping alien who kills victims, hollows out their heads, and puts their respective brains in stew. If you're looking for any originality or something different, I suggest keep movie. But if you merely want a fun, solid little horror flick I say do yourself a favor and pick this one up. It's not without flaws (it's a bit too long winded at over 2 hours, among other things), but it's entertaining none the less and it's a good deal better than the Director Jôji Iida's previous film "Rasen" (which was a poor Ring sequel indeed)
My Grade: B-
DVD Extras: Fangoria article; Theatrical Trailer; and Trailers for "School's Out", "Slashers", "Wilderness", "Angel of the Night", & "One Hell of a Christmas"
My Grade: B-
DVD Extras: Fangoria article; Theatrical Trailer; and Trailers for "School's Out", "Slashers", "Wilderness", "Angel of the Night", & "One Hell of a Christmas"
A Supra-Slick Japanese Action / Horror Flick!
rustyangel132 March 2002
Okay, first, think David Fincher's SE7EN with INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS and that's what you get with this supra-slick Japanese action/horror flick. All the ingrediants are included: gorgeous Japanese gals covered in blood, grisly crime scenes featuring brains in boiling soup, and cops chasing serial killers possessed by spirits of Angels or Aliens. I'm not too sure which, but you can make the decision after watching it yourself. The only drawback I could possibly think of would have to be that ALL the "Goddess-like" Japanese women in this film should have had a nude scene and not just the main star's girlfriend. It's also alittle more "mainstream" compared to most of the other movies I've reviewed so far. But other than that, this is a much overlooked gem in the Japanese action/horror cinema and I recommend it to any fan of the genre.
Worth Seeing
Killa4224 July 2007
Hmm
had mixed feelings;
I couldn't stand the main detective Manabu played by Yosuke Eguchi. He reminded me of the reason cops have bad reps. He wasn't corrupt; rather took police brutality to another level. Yet he was supposed to be the protagonist.
I enjoyed the character Asako One of Miwako Ichikawa's better performances.
This is worth seeing for the fact that it has a unique plot. Be warned that there are a lot of slow points that are meant to built certain characters up.
The movie Audition aka Ôdishon, (1999), was way better.
I couldn't stand the main detective Manabu played by Yosuke Eguchi. He reminded me of the reason cops have bad reps. He wasn't corrupt; rather took police brutality to another level. Yet he was supposed to be the protagonist.
I enjoyed the character Asako One of Miwako Ichikawa's better performances.
This is worth seeing for the fact that it has a unique plot. Be warned that there are a lot of slow points that are meant to built certain characters up.
The movie Audition aka Ôdishon, (1999), was way better.
Not bad, not good...
mandiapple7 May 2003
Personally, I came to 'Another Heaven' with serious misgivings, particularly noticing that after the enormous turkey that was 'Rasen', 'Joji Iida' had magically changed his name to 'George Iida'... sorry, but you're not fooling us with that one ;) However, having heard that this movie made a killing at the Japanese box office, I was interested to see if it was in any way an artistic improvement on 'Rasen'.
And surprisingly, it was. OK, so it's over-long at more than 2 hours, which means it gets a bit meandering in the middle, and it has a ponderous and superfluous ending, not to mention the gigantic plot-holes, but for all that, 'Another Heaven' has infinitely better visuals, has a more interesting and involving storyline, and is at times severely gruesome, particularly with the cannibalistic element - a word of warning: do NOT eat during the first half of the film, it put me right off my breakfast ;)
All in all, though, it's pretty mediocre, despite some quality acting. It's unfortunate that the pace gets bogged down in the middle section, because otherwise it would have been a real cracker. I've seen worse, but I've also seen better... you might be better off watching Kiyoshi Kurosawa's 'Cure' or Sion Sono's 'Suicide Circle' if you fancy a supernatural-type murder drama, because both of those movies are superior products to this film.
And surprisingly, it was. OK, so it's over-long at more than 2 hours, which means it gets a bit meandering in the middle, and it has a ponderous and superfluous ending, not to mention the gigantic plot-holes, but for all that, 'Another Heaven' has infinitely better visuals, has a more interesting and involving storyline, and is at times severely gruesome, particularly with the cannibalistic element - a word of warning: do NOT eat during the first half of the film, it put me right off my breakfast ;)
All in all, though, it's pretty mediocre, despite some quality acting. It's unfortunate that the pace gets bogged down in the middle section, because otherwise it would have been a real cracker. I've seen worse, but I've also seen better... you might be better off watching Kiyoshi Kurosawa's 'Cure' or Sion Sono's 'Suicide Circle' if you fancy a supernatural-type murder drama, because both of those movies are superior products to this film.
Another Movie, please
Toshiro-Electro14 August 2003
I have a very high tolerance for the derivative, the predictable, the bad, the boring, and the flat-out awful, but it took me two sittings to get through the entirety of this very silly film about fallen angels. Other reviewers have compared it to David Fincher's Se7en, and I can see why--this is, after all a slasher film infused with garden-variety Christian mythology, but that's as far as that comparison goes. This films lacks the energy, style, and originality to carry its audience well past the point of disbelief. It belongs to the school of thought that the supernatural just takes care of itself--it needs no explanation and no logic.
While the running time exceeds two hours, and the same level of detail could have been achieved in the shortest of films. I didn't find the ending to be as anti- climactic as other reviewers did, but then again I thought this was monotonic from start to finish.
While the running time exceeds two hours, and the same level of detail could have been achieved in the shortest of films. I didn't find the ending to be as anti- climactic as other reviewers did, but then again I thought this was monotonic from start to finish.
An overabundance of ideas that leads to a mess
sakiku-124 April 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Well, in the beginning, this movie indeed looks like a solid horror shocker about a supernatural serial killer who has a tendency to go after brains (literally), and a pair of detectives on his/her trail.
However, any tension that might result from such a detective story is almost immediately taken away by the cute high school girl who more or less gives the answer away from the very beginning. And from then on, the whole movie is so overwrought with ideas that in and of themselves are very interesting, but which need far more time and explanations to really make the impact they could have.
---WARNING: SPOILER AHEAD---
The idea of ghosts returning from paradise because it's too boring there and they prefer this world's violence and slaughter is a very nice one and could have carried the whole movie alone if given proper attention. But from that explanation onwards, the director jumps to the problem of today's youth being confronted with too much violence in the media, time-travel, police otakus (die-hard fans), supernatural abilities of mentally challenged people (not those possessed!), negative influence of pylons, a strange attraction of the ghostly serial killer to the main detective because of similar motives, and strangely knowledgeable little girls who have a very convoluted past of their own and are the focus of the plot's main love-story.
---SPOILER END---
There also is an issue with lacking explanations, mostly for people's histories and characters. It leaves the impression of reading volume 3 of a series as a stand-alone, where the first two volumes are referenced several times nonetheless.
Additionally, many things leave the impression of having been copied straight out of a comical hentai-anime (from the way regular police officers seem to be unable to move at a slower speed than flat-out sprinting, to the uber-cute, pouty high school girl with lollipop stretching in the detective's apartment like a cat in heat). In my opinion, this completely throws off the mood that had been set by the gloriously red opening scene and makes it seem like a botched attempt at a black comedy.
As a conclusion, I can only say this: The director seems to have taken episodes 3-18 out of a 20 episode anime and stuffed them into a 130min real-life movie without shortening the plot at all. Special effects and acting are great, and if it gets turned a TV series that has enough time to deal with all those interesting ideas one by one, I'd definitely watch it. But as it is, this movie is an unwillingly hilarious mess.
However, any tension that might result from such a detective story is almost immediately taken away by the cute high school girl who more or less gives the answer away from the very beginning. And from then on, the whole movie is so overwrought with ideas that in and of themselves are very interesting, but which need far more time and explanations to really make the impact they could have.
---WARNING: SPOILER AHEAD---
The idea of ghosts returning from paradise because it's too boring there and they prefer this world's violence and slaughter is a very nice one and could have carried the whole movie alone if given proper attention. But from that explanation onwards, the director jumps to the problem of today's youth being confronted with too much violence in the media, time-travel, police otakus (die-hard fans), supernatural abilities of mentally challenged people (not those possessed!), negative influence of pylons, a strange attraction of the ghostly serial killer to the main detective because of similar motives, and strangely knowledgeable little girls who have a very convoluted past of their own and are the focus of the plot's main love-story.
---SPOILER END---
There also is an issue with lacking explanations, mostly for people's histories and characters. It leaves the impression of reading volume 3 of a series as a stand-alone, where the first two volumes are referenced several times nonetheless.
Additionally, many things leave the impression of having been copied straight out of a comical hentai-anime (from the way regular police officers seem to be unable to move at a slower speed than flat-out sprinting, to the uber-cute, pouty high school girl with lollipop stretching in the detective's apartment like a cat in heat). In my opinion, this completely throws off the mood that had been set by the gloriously red opening scene and makes it seem like a botched attempt at a black comedy.
As a conclusion, I can only say this: The director seems to have taken episodes 3-18 out of a 20 episode anime and stuffed them into a 130min real-life movie without shortening the plot at all. Special effects and acting are great, and if it gets turned a TV series that has enough time to deal with all those interesting ideas one by one, I'd definitely watch it. But as it is, this movie is an unwillingly hilarious mess.
Does the director have a brain?
mindless_junk28 February 2003
Warning: Spoilers
I am disappointed by this movie. It can't make up its mind what it wants to be - a horror, a detective story, a gross-out, and ends up being none of the above.
* POSSIBLE SPOILER *
There are major holes in this movie. Many things are not explained: How come the "thing" is attracted to the detective? What's the rationale behind cooking the victim's brain? Why does the "thing" give the detective corpses as presents?
* END OF POSSIBLE SPOILER *
I have seen the "Hidden" and "Se7en", both films are much more superior to this one, which tries to combine the two ideas into one, but fails miserably.
The only saving grace of the movie: Doctor Sasamoto is rather attractive.
* POSSIBLE SPOILER *
There are major holes in this movie. Many things are not explained: How come the "thing" is attracted to the detective? What's the rationale behind cooking the victim's brain? Why does the "thing" give the detective corpses as presents?
* END OF POSSIBLE SPOILER *
I have seen the "Hidden" and "Se7en", both films are much more superior to this one, which tries to combine the two ideas into one, but fails miserably.
The only saving grace of the movie: Doctor Sasamoto is rather attractive.
Best Japanese Horror Movie Ever
Prophane337 April 2003
George Iida created a masterpeice with this film. The lighting, the soundtrack (with my favorite song by Luna Sea "gravity used as the theme) Yokusuke Eguchi is awsome as Manabu. He and Yoshio Hirada just ooze cool as they are on the screen and Takashi Kashiwabara is actually scary as Kimura. There are cool guys, scary scenes, a great ending, and hot girls. What more could a Japanese horror fan ask for? I dont recommend this film to fans of american horror or as an introduction to japanese cinema as it may seem to tame to them. On the other hand if your idea of amazing cinema is battle royale and Gojira (1954) then this movie is for you!
Another Heaven
BandSAboutMovies27 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Tough old cop Inspector Tobitaga (Yoshio Harada) and young Inspector Manabu (Yosuke Eguchi) are on the case of brutal murders that start with a missing brain being found boiling in a stew and everything just gets weirder from there, because the killer can change bodies, so he or she can be anyone.
It's a great idea - see The Hidden and Fallen - and this would be a much better movie with some trimming. I mean, 130 minutes is a long time and I apologize for my attention span, but I wanted a little more.
That said, the call girl killer for the first half of the film is quite sinister, packing plenty of murderous intensity into her small size. Between this and Audition, I imagine that Western boys who are obsessed with Japanese girls will always have horrible death in the back of their heads.
It's a great idea - see The Hidden and Fallen - and this would be a much better movie with some trimming. I mean, 130 minutes is a long time and I apologize for my attention span, but I wanted a little more.
That said, the call girl killer for the first half of the film is quite sinister, packing plenty of murderous intensity into her small size. Between this and Audition, I imagine that Western boys who are obsessed with Japanese girls will always have horrible death in the back of their heads.
Great movie, want to see the tv series, and read the source material that spawned it.
gohmifune9 July 2003
I'll keep this short, Another Heaven is essentially a supernatural suspense thriller that could go absolutely anywhere, but the surpising anti climactic ending proves how truly amazing execution was in comparison to concept. The acting is great, as far as ambiant music, much better than other horror flicks, Japanese or not. If this must be compared to other japanese horror flicks, then this easily is superior to Ghost Actress, but no where near Audition. It comes off as a contemporary of the Ring, and that's not bad, it's a good movie, go watch.
Great Horror Film
ladymidath3 March 2011
Warning: Spoilers
This was the film that introduced me to J-horror. I caught it on a late night showing on The World Movie channel and I was instantly hooked. Another Heaven is the kind of movie that Hollywood wishes they could make. It has all the ingredients of the perfect horror. Atmosphere, chilling scenes, great performances and and a tightly plotted script. The very first scene sets the pace when the police discover a murder. The pot bubbling away on the stove holds horrific contents and from there the police detectives follow a pattern of gruesome murders that are actually in fact supernatural. The scenes between one of the detectives and a doctor are very powerful. The film over all has a sense of menace that seems to be lacking in many horror films today. If you want to get a good introduction to Asian horror, Another heaven is the place to start.
Heaven for Japanese horror fans!
MiztaBungle24 June 2004
Two cops investigate a series of gruesome murders involving gourmet cooking with human brains as the main ingredient! After capturing the serial killer who also happens to be brainless (quite literally!) they close the bizarre case as solved. However, when sporadic copycat murders follow, the cops are drawn back deeper into the case and begin to discover some unsettling truths about who, or more precisely what they're dealing with. Even though the film doesn't score high for originality, director and writer Jôji Iida does a fantastic job maintaining the suspense factor, keeping the audience guessing right to the end. As a result, the occasional slower moments in the movie don't really slow the overall pace, if anything, it helps with the character development. All the acting is on a superior level, more notably the two cops displaying awesome on-screen chemistry. Yosuke Eguchi plays the younger, 'good cop' with Yoshio Harada as his older, slightly more ruthless counterpart. Overall, this genre merging sci-fi / horror movie manages to deliver, captivating the viewer with suspenseful twists and at the same time not over-doing the gore to unbelievable levels. The shocks are kept moderately frequent and the intelligent, well thought out ending followed by the excellent Japanese theme song at the credits make this a movie guaranteed to satisfy fans of the genre(s).
Violent Sci-fi Japanese
stefant13 November 2001
I was very thrilled, when i saw this Sci-fi Japanese flick,this one´s good a little bit like John Mc Naughtons Borrower,this one´s more violent and has nothing off the Glam that uses to take place in most H.K movies This one really delivers,the opening scene, where some one has taken a persons brain,is really a grotesque one,I saw the H.K dvd that had a running time off 132 mins,that one´s gotta be uncut. It´s well and fast paced Sci-fi,thriller drama,a combination of like mentioned earlier:The borrower and the excellent, Seven. Enjoy and lean backwards.
Loved this movie
ticktix2 September 2002
In the great scheme of things, horror films are never expected to be more than entertaining and "Another Heaven" offered me just that. I confess that the initial draw for me was the serial killer ingredient, but the handsome and sexy Yosuke Eguchi reeled me in within seconds, he is very tasty eye candy!!! The plot? Well... Considering I am a fan of such slasher flicks as "Halloween" and "Nightmare on Elm Street", and the Evil Dead films rock, "Another Heaven" was a bit deeper than I had anticipated.
I enjoyed the take on Revelations. With most films I can predict the outcome within the first five minutes, with "Another Heaven" I was baffled until ten minutes to the end. To me that is an accomplishment. Yeah, there is a homophobic element, not unlike the rednecks that live in my city really, and the violence towards women could be misconstrued, but honestly folks... I think that was more of character development, ok?
All in all it was a great ride, and one I am happy to show to anyone willing to watch!!!
tix
I enjoyed the take on Revelations. With most films I can predict the outcome within the first five minutes, with "Another Heaven" I was baffled until ten minutes to the end. To me that is an accomplishment. Yeah, there is a homophobic element, not unlike the rednecks that live in my city really, and the violence towards women could be misconstrued, but honestly folks... I think that was more of character development, ok?
All in all it was a great ride, and one I am happy to show to anyone willing to watch!!!
tix
Japanese version of "THE HIDDEN"
kimistry29 May 2002
Warning: Spoilers
I saw this movie the other night on Sundance Channel. The first thing that caught my eye was the star, Yosuke Eguchi. Very hot. As I was drawn further into the story, I realized it was very similar to the 1987 film THE HIDDEN, starring Kyle MacLachlan. While very stylish and slick, ANOTHER HEAVEN isn't quite as good as THE HIDDEN. Or maybe it's just not as straightforward as THE HIDDEN. Who or what the killer is in ANOTHER HEAVEN is partly left up to the viewer's interpretation. Still a very interesting and cool little flick that I had never heard of, and I watch waaaaay too many movies...
Pretty entertaining Japanese supernatural serial killer thriller.
Infofreak3 June 2003
Warning: Spoilers
'Another Heaven' isn't the most innovative or original Japanese horror movie I've seen in the last couple of years, but it's still pretty entertaining, and should interest any fans of 'The Hidden' or 'Fallen', two movies it shares certain similarities with (though I must admit it isn't anywhere near as good as either). Two cops, one young one old, are on the trail of a killer, something we've seen in so many other movies it's become beyond a cliche. Some people have mentioned 'Se7en' as a reference point, which is accurate to a certain degree, but you might as well throw Kurosawa's 'Stray Dog' in as a comparison, it doesn't really matter. Pretty soon they realize that the fiendish serial killer they are hunting isn't exactly what he appears to be, and herein lies the twist 'Another Heaven' adds to this overly familiar material. I could be cynical and pull apart the plot holes, but this movie requires a certain suspension of disbelief, otherwise you might as well not bother. It is what it is, and if you accept that you'll be reasonably entertained. The two main cops are good enough, the two women in the younger cops life, a sophisticated doctor, and a trampy ex-criminal are both great to look at, and there are enough gruesome scenes and tense moments to keep you watching until the end. 'Another Heaven' isn't anything special but it's okay.
Bleak Future...
azathothpwiggins30 December 2021
A brutal killer with superhuman strength is murdering, then cooking the brains of the victims. The police are baffled, the entire city is terrified, and the brains are medium rare.
ANOTHER HEAVEN is a wonderfully gory horror / sci-fi thriller with an intriguing story line. The first three quarters are fantastic, with the unstoppable killer on a rampage. The final part isn't as exciting, sort of grinding to a rather sappy, drawn-out conclusion.
While still worth watching, the 2 hours+ running time could have been shaved by at least 20 minutes, resulting in a tighter, more suspenseful experience...
ANOTHER HEAVEN is a wonderfully gory horror / sci-fi thriller with an intriguing story line. The first three quarters are fantastic, with the unstoppable killer on a rampage. The final part isn't as exciting, sort of grinding to a rather sappy, drawn-out conclusion.
While still worth watching, the 2 hours+ running time could have been shaved by at least 20 minutes, resulting in a tighter, more suspenseful experience...
This is quite a s***ty show
rueychyi1 May 2002
just watched it and it is a waste of time :(
but one thing to watch this show for is the look at the lead's girlfriend... she's really a wonder of nature... big eyes, long neck, long and slender limbs... she looked quite amazing ;p
but story wise, it was quite lame. The show is undecided what it wants to be
Horror homicide detective story ? Alien ? Ghost ?
bad bad bad
but one thing to watch this show for is the look at the lead's girlfriend... she's really a wonder of nature... big eyes, long neck, long and slender limbs... she looked quite amazing ;p
but story wise, it was quite lame. The show is undecided what it wants to be
Horror homicide detective story ? Alien ? Ghost ?
bad bad bad
"Is murder bad?"
Backlash0073 October 2004
Warning: Spoilers
~Spoiler~
Another Heaven may be Fangoria's most promising release to date, but it's still flawed. I was really into the story and thought I had a real keeper on my hands. It was very much like The Hidden in that "something" is jumping from body to body killing people and baffling the police. From the first half hour, it had potential to be great. The creature was in its second host body and was toying with the cops in a pretty spectacular chase sequence. And shortly after that, the film completely fizzles out. The pace slows down tremendously and enters boredom territory. I was extremely let down. But with a running time of 2 hours and 7 minutes, what did I expect? It didn't need that much time to tell its story. Too many movies these days are stepping into the 2 hour domain and it's just not necessary.
Another Heaven may be Fangoria's most promising release to date, but it's still flawed. I was really into the story and thought I had a real keeper on my hands. It was very much like The Hidden in that "something" is jumping from body to body killing people and baffling the police. From the first half hour, it had potential to be great. The creature was in its second host body and was toying with the cops in a pretty spectacular chase sequence. And shortly after that, the film completely fizzles out. The pace slows down tremendously and enters boredom territory. I was extremely let down. But with a running time of 2 hours and 7 minutes, what did I expect? It didn't need that much time to tell its story. Too many movies these days are stepping into the 2 hour domain and it's just not necessary.
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