The opening scene, like the premise, seems primed to set the stage for the horror story to come. And so it does, most certainly - but with soft pacing and a soft tone, it takes a long while for that story to especially develop, let alone the sinister vibes we anticipate. Even with little tidbits along the way, it's not until we've reached the halfway mark that it begins to feel that the plot is moving, and longer still before the film begins to unlock its potency. Tales in all genres can make such pacing work for them; though it does ultimately succeed, this has a more difficult time. In struggling to meaningfully progress and foster atmosphere under such circumstances, it's not that 'Shikoku' is bad, but the impact that the saga should have is unquestionably diminished. I don't specifically fault filmmaker Nagasaki Shunichi, let alone the writers, but whatever else is true here, it was a stylistic approach that didn't fully pan out.
Be that as it may, Bando Masako penned a fine story of folklore and the supernatural, with tragedy, grief, and personal drama intermingling with bigger dark ideas in keeping with the expected horror; I'd be keen on reading the novel. While screenwriters Manda Kunimi and Sendo Takenori share some blame for the tone and pacing, they also allow the narrative to build slowly such that when at last the mood turns more distinctly dreary, the wait proves to be worth it. We're fairly deep in the back end before the intended ambience truly manifests, but it does nonetheless, bolstered with Kadokura Sotoshi's flavorful music, deliberate, eerie lighting and nighttime shoots, and excellent production design and art direction. It may not achieve its utmost potential, yet the picture is definitely creepy and a little unsettling: less visceral and striking, perhaps, and more quietly gnawing, which can be just as effective if not more so when exercised carefully. And so it is here. I maintain that the pacing and tone are troubled in being so muted, and still Nagasaki discovers the understated power of 'Shikoku' right when it matters most.
In a similar fashion the acting is notably subdued, but as all elements come together in the last act the nuance in the performances brings out the emotional depth that allows the feature to resonate. Nagasaki continues to have a hard time realizing the story as it should ideally be, Sinoda Noboru's cinematography is very pointedly no help at select junctures, and even seemingly modest production values are an obstacle at times, but I think Tsutsui Michitaka, Kuriyama Chiaki, and Natsukawa Yui demonstrate appreciable acting all the same through these conditions. I actually do quite like this flick, and all the right components are in place for a viewing experience that's gently dreadful in the best of ways. That goal is met in my opinion, but it's just unfortunate that the tenor is so low-key as to stifle the complete scope of what the concept could have achieved. When all is said and done this is not a title that demands to be seen, and even if you're a big fan of someone involved it isn't a critical recommendation. Nonetheless I'm glad I took the time to watch, and even if not perfectly satisfying, those who are receptive to the more dramatic and hushed side of the genre may do well to check out 'Shikoku.'
