Ichi the Killer

from filmmaker Takashi Miike.


You know that guy (you usually meet them in college) who is constantly singing the praises of something you've never heard of? The guy who thinks if it breaks the mold, it must be brilliant, or even worse, if it's a copy of something, that already exists, but no one has heard of it, it must be brilliant. They're the ones who use obscure quotes from obscure movies as part of their everyday language, and say things like "well sure, it's good, but it's no insert abstract reference here." And of course, they expect that you'll understand it, knowing you won't, and will fully mock you for it.

Well, those are the people who told me that Ichi the Killer was awesome.


They were wrong.

Sure it's a violent and bloody movie, and in Asian fashion, manages to mix extremes and add some very funny moments. But the gore is portrayed in a most non-nauseating way, bordering on laughable and awkward.

The plot doesn't really have a point. Clearly, it's not supposed to have any real story-telling, but it's all pretty much just a set-up for another mutilation scene. Sort of like an Aesop's fable but without the moral at the end.

I'm sure some will say that I just didn't get. No, I got it. There wasn't anything to miss and there wasn't anything to get. A director's exploration of his creativity. Whatever.

Look, it's not a terrible movie. But it's not that great, and you certainly aren't missing anything. Just a lot of fluff, bloody fluff.

So 3/5

Because it's not terrible, it's just kinda "ehh."