Pedantic. Sloppy. Melodramatic. Pretentious. Desultory. Ambling. Incoherent. Gratuitous. Childish. Plagiaristic.
Just
Plain
Stupid.
Capitalizing on the success of Battle Royale (2000), mediocre director Sion Sono whipped together a low budget rip off with a not-very-inventive twist. Instead of high school kids killing each other, they're killing themselves!
Having read all the quasi-intellectual reviews here on IMDb, I was looking forward to seeing this movie. With all the supercilious chatter of Japanese culture, Shinto and Buddhism (three subjects which I have studied in-depth), I thought that this would be definitely worthwhile. WRONG. Never have I been so let down. People, PLEEZ, don't build this flick up to be anything more than it is: a cheap splatter flick without much of a theme. Oh sure, it makes several juvenile swats at philosophy. For example, some kid says over and over (5 times, I believe): "If you die, will you be connected with yourself?"
Ah yes, I'm stroking my beard at the profundity of that question. For all of 3 seconds. Now lets get back to the movie and watch a leather-wearing she-male step on puppy dogs' heads whilst singing some inane lyrics to a lame chord progression. (I believe the words he was singing were: "Because the dead... because the dead... because the dead... shine all night long.")
Yes, don't even get me started on how puerile the music was. I can't believe the number of people on IMDb who seem to find some poetic depth in the lyrics. But you be the judge. Here are the lyrics. Tell me if there is anything profound about it (and the movie):
"The world is a jigsaw puzzle The world is a jigsaw puzzle The world is a jigsaw puzzle Somewhere there's a fit for you!"
omg. How Buddhist. How Shinto. You dumb Americans will never understand the depth of our Japanese culture. (/sarcasm)
Folks, if you want real Japanese culture & philosophy, I'd suggest you stick to the classics: Akira Kurosawa, Masaki Kobayashi, and (if you prefer the more modern stuff) Hideaki Anno, Katsuhito Ishii. Stay away from tripe like SUICIDE CLUB, which is little more than David Lynch on a bad day with a low budget. You've been warned!
Just
Plain
Stupid.
Capitalizing on the success of Battle Royale (2000), mediocre director Sion Sono whipped together a low budget rip off with a not-very-inventive twist. Instead of high school kids killing each other, they're killing themselves!
Having read all the quasi-intellectual reviews here on IMDb, I was looking forward to seeing this movie. With all the supercilious chatter of Japanese culture, Shinto and Buddhism (three subjects which I have studied in-depth), I thought that this would be definitely worthwhile. WRONG. Never have I been so let down. People, PLEEZ, don't build this flick up to be anything more than it is: a cheap splatter flick without much of a theme. Oh sure, it makes several juvenile swats at philosophy. For example, some kid says over and over (5 times, I believe): "If you die, will you be connected with yourself?"
Ah yes, I'm stroking my beard at the profundity of that question. For all of 3 seconds. Now lets get back to the movie and watch a leather-wearing she-male step on puppy dogs' heads whilst singing some inane lyrics to a lame chord progression. (I believe the words he was singing were: "Because the dead... because the dead... because the dead... shine all night long.")
Yes, don't even get me started on how puerile the music was. I can't believe the number of people on IMDb who seem to find some poetic depth in the lyrics. But you be the judge. Here are the lyrics. Tell me if there is anything profound about it (and the movie):
"The world is a jigsaw puzzle The world is a jigsaw puzzle The world is a jigsaw puzzle Somewhere there's a fit for you!"
omg. How Buddhist. How Shinto. You dumb Americans will never understand the depth of our Japanese culture. (/sarcasm)
Folks, if you want real Japanese culture & philosophy, I'd suggest you stick to the classics: Akira Kurosawa, Masaki Kobayashi, and (if you prefer the more modern stuff) Hideaki Anno, Katsuhito Ishii. Stay away from tripe like SUICIDE CLUB, which is little more than David Lynch on a bad day with a low budget. You've been warned!