DEAD SUSHI (2012, original title Deddo sushi) is one of those low budget splatter films that were all the rage in Japan 10-15 years ago. Some of them made it to the west for DVD release; you may remember titles like ROBO GEISHA, TOKYO GORE POLICE and MEATBALL MACHINE. Generally I'm not a huge fan of such productions but I do appreciate their quirkiness and low budget mayhem, and DEAD SUSHI is one of the better ones I've seen. It stars high-kicking Rina Takeda as a talented sushi chef living in her father's shadow who heads off to find work at a remote rural restaurant before disaster strikes.
These films are known for anything-goes madcap behaviour and DEAD SUSHI doesn't disappoint in that respect. The plot is essentially a small cast getting attacked by sentient flying sushi which burrows into flesh, lops off heads and causes all manner of gory mayhem. It's all done with tongue firmly in cheek, but they put a lot of effort into these films and this one shines in terms of energy and enthusiasm. It's a little too gross for me at times, but there's so much in the way of action, mayhem, weird characterisation and FX work that I found it hard not to be entertained.
These films are known for anything-goes madcap behaviour and DEAD SUSHI doesn't disappoint in that respect. The plot is essentially a small cast getting attacked by sentient flying sushi which burrows into flesh, lops off heads and causes all manner of gory mayhem. It's all done with tongue firmly in cheek, but they put a lot of effort into these films and this one shines in terms of energy and enthusiasm. It's a little too gross for me at times, but there's so much in the way of action, mayhem, weird characterisation and FX work that I found it hard not to be entertained.