Iwao Enokizu, is a thief who has been in jail once before. His father is a Catholic and his mother has a weak heart. Iwao's wife is secretly cheating on him with his father. He starts off his murderous spree by killing two men, and stealing their money. He escapes to an inn, and changes his identity to a university professor, where he gets to know Haru, the innkeeper. Haru's mother is a previously convicted killer and is suspicious and senile. He leaves for Tokyo to continue his spree.
I am generally against film-makers making films about serial killers, as it only encourages more killers to kill. Especially after the announcement they are going to turn the Charles Manson killings into a TV series. I imagine 'Vengeance is Mine' is one of the first, way before 'Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer' and 'Elephant'.
'Vengeance is Mine' won many awards upon release, telling the Akira Nishiguchi story with style and colour. Imamura's crazy style of film-making is present here, with great camera-shots, while telling the story with gritty realism and sadistic humour. No-one has quite embraced colour like Imamura. The colours are bright and vibrant similar to 'Profound Desires of the Gods', from the startling outbursts of bright red blood in the murder scenes, to the beautiful island landscape in the island flashback scene. Even if the film is not to your taste, you can still view the film as an artistic triumph.
The film starts off at it's most violence, with the two deaths of the men Iwao first targets. The blood gushes from the head as the audience is forced to witness the entire event. Film's like this are scarier than most horror films as it plays on a much darker fear. Real-life fear, which could happen to anyone. When you see teenage girls running away from a man in a mask with a knife, all I can do is laugh. But the second it gets realistic, things get far more horrible. The film gets less and less violent as the film goes on, with a finale where you don't see anyone die.
The main character is meant to be detestable in serial killer biopics (Natural Born Killers), but Iwao seams like a crazy guy. Not detestable, but clever and funny. It's still possible to tell he's a serial killer, but you really don't want him to get hanged in the end. Even if he did kill 5 people (not a spoiler, his fate is mentioned in the beginning).
TO CONCLUDE
A violent, dark biopic which repels as much as it seduces.
SCORE
80
No comments:
Post a Comment