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Reviews3
Stupid-7's rating
This film is film that I believed had to be made, and it was only a matter of time before it was. Yet it was a film that the US mainstream could never have conceived making.
Firstly to get it out of the way I will say that I loved this movie, although at no point did I feel comfortable while watching it. It had the power and emotional content, that while not necessarily apparent in the dialogue was visible on screen at all times.
I am truly glad that this film has come out of mainstream Japanese cinema. It would have only been made in the US by independent film-makers who would have basked in the glory of its controversy and felt oh-so-smug that they had created it, while shoving a moral in your face. While I actually have no problem with US Indie film I do feel that a Western background would have comprised on visceral content, and upped the content of cheap moral points.
For those who say the violence was "cartoon-style" and laughable must have been watching a different film. Whilst this film is heavy in black humour I can clearly say that the deaths are shocking in the extreme, and there is no relenting from the beginning to the end. Only occasionally does the camera pan away from the final deed. The only deaths that have a dark humour content to them, are those involving Kitano (Beat Takeshi) and the "lone" vigilante (those who have seen the film will know what I am talking about). Other sections, such as the "Training Video" are equally comedic, and absurd. Yet other deaths are shocking in the extreme, and show how the slightest suspicion can have disastrous consequences for groups that only have trust to keep them together, a truly shocking scene in the Lighthouse reinforces this.
The fact that this film employs Children as the main protagonists of the story is the key to the whole impact of the film. We have all seen films like The Running Man where adults fight adults for survival and it seems that much less shocking, albeit that film was handled in a completely different manner. Children have the innocence that makes the brutality of this film that much more shocking, adults in the same situation would have had the reaction from audiences of cheering at the screen as the hero dispatches yet another victim. This could never and would never have been the case with this film.
To another commentator who felt that this film sticks with you less than Scream, I simply fail to find this to be anywhere close to the truth. The deaths in Scream although bloody are nothing but pastiche of those films that Scream is mimicking, ultimately throwaway deaths that up in brutality in order to out-do the last one that have one or two psychotic perpetrators, who eventually get their comeuppance. In this film their are no victims and besides one exception there are no villains amongst the children. They simply HAVE to play the game or die.
Well I encourage all those who feel they can stomach it to go and see this film or find it available somewhere (as I believe it has been banned in the US). It is not truly a film denouncing the evils of Reality TV or showing us the future of that trend of Broadcasting, that is merely a plot device to place the children in this situation. The nature of the film lies in its deconstruction of Friendships, Trust and our views on Innocence. Go and see it not as a spectator of this BR spectacle but as one of the participants and remember what was important to you when you were at school, and whether any of those rivalries, hatreds and friendships would have been enough for you to decide who deserves to die and who deserves to live.
Firstly to get it out of the way I will say that I loved this movie, although at no point did I feel comfortable while watching it. It had the power and emotional content, that while not necessarily apparent in the dialogue was visible on screen at all times.
I am truly glad that this film has come out of mainstream Japanese cinema. It would have only been made in the US by independent film-makers who would have basked in the glory of its controversy and felt oh-so-smug that they had created it, while shoving a moral in your face. While I actually have no problem with US Indie film I do feel that a Western background would have comprised on visceral content, and upped the content of cheap moral points.
For those who say the violence was "cartoon-style" and laughable must have been watching a different film. Whilst this film is heavy in black humour I can clearly say that the deaths are shocking in the extreme, and there is no relenting from the beginning to the end. Only occasionally does the camera pan away from the final deed. The only deaths that have a dark humour content to them, are those involving Kitano (Beat Takeshi) and the "lone" vigilante (those who have seen the film will know what I am talking about). Other sections, such as the "Training Video" are equally comedic, and absurd. Yet other deaths are shocking in the extreme, and show how the slightest suspicion can have disastrous consequences for groups that only have trust to keep them together, a truly shocking scene in the Lighthouse reinforces this.
The fact that this film employs Children as the main protagonists of the story is the key to the whole impact of the film. We have all seen films like The Running Man where adults fight adults for survival and it seems that much less shocking, albeit that film was handled in a completely different manner. Children have the innocence that makes the brutality of this film that much more shocking, adults in the same situation would have had the reaction from audiences of cheering at the screen as the hero dispatches yet another victim. This could never and would never have been the case with this film.
To another commentator who felt that this film sticks with you less than Scream, I simply fail to find this to be anywhere close to the truth. The deaths in Scream although bloody are nothing but pastiche of those films that Scream is mimicking, ultimately throwaway deaths that up in brutality in order to out-do the last one that have one or two psychotic perpetrators, who eventually get their comeuppance. In this film their are no victims and besides one exception there are no villains amongst the children. They simply HAVE to play the game or die.
Well I encourage all those who feel they can stomach it to go and see this film or find it available somewhere (as I believe it has been banned in the US). It is not truly a film denouncing the evils of Reality TV or showing us the future of that trend of Broadcasting, that is merely a plot device to place the children in this situation. The nature of the film lies in its deconstruction of Friendships, Trust and our views on Innocence. Go and see it not as a spectator of this BR spectacle but as one of the participants and remember what was important to you when you were at school, and whether any of those rivalries, hatreds and friendships would have been enough for you to decide who deserves to die and who deserves to live.
Having seen this film last night, I still cant get over how good this was.
It quite clearly owes more to stage Opera than stage musical, and that is possibly why people feel that it is a disorganised mess with limited plot.
Opera plots are very similar to this, with twists and turns complicating simple love stories.
The handling of the songs is also much more Operatic, with two people singing different songs at each other, musical refrains occurring and re-occurring throughout.
The Roxanne song and dance number was awesome, Ewan McGregor and Jacek Koman singing the same song in very differing styles, whilst Nicole Kidman sings the recurring love theme song.
A great film, the style of which will be lost on those who are expecting a musical, when what they get is closer to Opera. A style in which this day and age is ignored by the average movie-goer.
Baz Luhrmann has truly opened up a new genre in film with this excellent masterpiece, you would be a fool to miss it, whether you feel it will be your cup of tea or not.
It quite clearly owes more to stage Opera than stage musical, and that is possibly why people feel that it is a disorganised mess with limited plot.
Opera plots are very similar to this, with twists and turns complicating simple love stories.
The handling of the songs is also much more Operatic, with two people singing different songs at each other, musical refrains occurring and re-occurring throughout.
The Roxanne song and dance number was awesome, Ewan McGregor and Jacek Koman singing the same song in very differing styles, whilst Nicole Kidman sings the recurring love theme song.
A great film, the style of which will be lost on those who are expecting a musical, when what they get is closer to Opera. A style in which this day and age is ignored by the average movie-goer.
Baz Luhrmann has truly opened up a new genre in film with this excellent masterpiece, you would be a fool to miss it, whether you feel it will be your cup of tea or not.
Well what can I say.. Being a big Bruce Campbell fan, I actually made the effort to order this on DVD from the US.. it only being available there... and it was a great film.. Not once for the entire 70 minutes did my mind wander from the action nor did my eyes stray from the screen.. A script that is both humorous and suspense-full, directing was nigh on flawless, and the seeming illusion of one single take is maintained amazingly throughout this whole film, achieving what both Rope and Nick of Time failed to do.. Full credit to Josh Becker for both great script writing.. and full credit to Kaye Davis for superb editing.. and all the actors, especially Bruce, Jeremy and Anita.. for making it highly believable.. So, what are you waiting for its on DVD with full commentary from Josh and Bruce and its a bargain! BUY IT NOW! This deserves wider recognition that it has received.. Buy, watch and enjoy (and be amazed!)