Goth

GOTH: LOVE OF DEATH is the film adaptation of a popular Japanese manga comic. It concerns a couple of high school outcasts who team up to investigate a series of bizarre murders perpetrated by a serial killer who enjoys cutting the hands off his female victims. Before long the twosome are getting far too close to the murderer and may find themselves the next victims.

The set-up of this low budget thriller is pretty neat but sadly the execution is lacking throughout. This is a slow, somewhat arty production that fails to excite much in the way of interest in the viewer. Despite the murderous premise, the danger level is low throughout, and it's also a surprisingly tame film given the subject matter.

The best thing about this film is the characterisation; it's nice to have such a pair of weird, non-mainstream characters in the central roles and the actors do well with their parts. Rin Takanashi is particularly effective as the kooky, white-skinned goth girl and would later go on to find success in the likes of KILLERS. It's just a shame that the story becomes less and less interesting as it goes on, leading to an entirely unmemorable climax.

Although very leisurely paced, this began well. The school classroom settings were good and the site of the first body placement very well executed even if the severed arm was not wholly convincing. Great idea too with the pair of youngsters fascinated by the actions of a serial killer decide to do some research and then trail after to watch his handicraft. But that's it really, the pace doesn't pick up, the kills are found, all much the same and unfortunately it dawns that this is the way the film is going to proceed till the end. Plenty of outside locations, looking much the same as ever but some surprisingly effective interiors reflecting a heavy western Gothic influence but all the stuff with twins and bullying and suicide we have seen so many times. Shame because this really had potential. My box suggests, 'arthouse meets grindhouse' but in truth that only applies to the opening a barely a couple more brief scenes. Nice idea though.

about this movie...i generally enjoy Japanese movies, especially the crazier, weirder ones, and this one was kinda out there, but certainly not crazy...

story goes - 2 like minded classmates meet and investigate a serial killer who is killing beautiful girls and arranging them into artistic poses, after cutting off one of their hands and keeping it as a trophy.

im into Gothic stories, music and chicks as well, so it sounded cool, and the story was interesting and just slightly twisted enough... but it was very slow, and lacking in any kind of emotion (which seems a common theme to many Japanese movies and books that I've seen and read, but obviously not all)...

the cinematography was beautiful, as were the actresses, and the music was well suited, but its slow pace and the overall disinterested air by all the players made it seem hard to want to care about what was happening...altho maybe goths are meant not to care about anything and that was the whole point!? anyway, it was pretty cool, but not awesome...

The Main Characters are "deader" than the murder victims, and the story is just as vapid. The murder victims are staged by the killer in what is described as "artistic", and I agree, which makes them more exciting than the actual living characters in the film who are by far some of the most unsympathetic, disengaging, unemotional, boring people to grace the screen. Now on a more positive note, the Art Direction makes the film watchable, but the pretty Actress is what's keeping me watching. Other than that, this movie has nothing to offer, and is like a nicely wrapped box with a polished stone inside. Don't waste your time unless you are one of the following: A film student who must watch everything, A film critic who must watch everything, Someone who enjoys watching paint dry, or an unlucky fool. Of course I'm joking because I'd be the unlucky fool.

Mixed emotions with this extreme slow so-called horror. I mean, I'm used to see Japanese flicks and I know that they can be rare or for some not to understand but this one is rather simple to catch up with and still, there's not that much going on except two youngsters searching out the murders happening around them. There's a bit of mystery about the girl but to say that this is a horror I can't say.

Even being called Goth, I know the genre very well, no Gothic music to hear or any Goth to spot. It's not because you are interested in the occult that you are a Goth.

Nevertheless, not my cup of tea I thought it would have been reading the reviews but no, this Goth is not my friend..

Gore 0/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 0/5 Story 2/5 Comedy 0/5