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 chi the Killer" is easily one of the most
controversial films of the last decade, and its undeniably extreme content
has become synonymous with the name of its director, the notorious Takashi
Miike. For many, this is the quintessential Miike film, a hyper stylised
visceral barrage of over the top gore, torture and rape, which hangs
loosely on a threadbare skeleton of inconsequential plotting and that
boasts a madman's sense of logic. Whilst all this is certainly true, as
"Ichi the Killer" is incredibly grotesque and overwhelmingly
sadistic, beneath the surface lurks a fierce intelligence, albeit a
psychotic one, which attempts to make an intellectual point through
antagonising and unapologetically provoking its viewer rather than
any kind of given subtlety.
As a result, the film works on
two levels, either as an archetypal example of pulp comic book splatter
cinema (which is unsurprising, given that it is in fact based on a manga
by screenwriter Hideo Yamamoto), or as an almost avant garde exploration
of cinematic violence and audience implication in onscreen sadism.
"Ichi" is a film into which the director has quite clearly
projected a sense of his own ego and thematic obsessions. Although this
fact is unlikely to win over those viewers unable to see past the violence
(which in itself is forgivable, as there is an astounding amount of
unpleasantness on display), it does provide, for those who care to
discover, a fascinating assault on the senses which begs further analysis.
The plot, such as it is, is relatively simple, and
more than anything "Ichi" is a character study of two
exceptionally psychotic individuals and the twisted worlds they inhabit.
The story begins as a Yakuza boss named Anjo mysteriously disappears,
along with 100 million yen. This spurs super-masochist henchman Kakihara
(the excellent Tadanobu Asano, recently in Kitano's updated "Zatoichi")
into a desperate search for the man who was not only his gangland
superior, but his beloved partner in pain, and the only one who had been
able to beat and torture him into a sense of fulfillment. Kakihara rapidly
makes enemies of the other Yakuza, unsurprisingly as his interrogation
methods generally involve kidnapping them and subjecting them to horrific
acts of sadism.
The truth behind Anjo's disappearance is that he fell
victim to Ichi (Nao Omori, "Vibrator"),
an incredibly disturbed young man who has been dressing in superhero garb
and slashing his way through the Yakuza ranks. Ichi is himself acting
under hypnosis, controlled by Jijii (Shinya Tsukamoto, director of "Tetsuo",
amongst others), a sinister mastermind who has an agenda of his own. As
the film progresses, generally via the decimation of the majority of the
supporting cast, we learn more about Ichi and Kakihara, and the two men
are drawn inexorably together. This sets the stage for a bloody face off
between two characters, which could very well be described as perverse
living embodiments of sadism and masochism.
It would be remiss, and indeed futile, to review
"Ichi the Killer" without a discussion of its content, which is
in many ways the film's defining characteristic. Simply put, the film is
insanely brutal, and contains truly shocking scenes of horribly inventive
torture. The very fabric of the film is soaked with blood, and it is rare
for more than a few moments to pass without some unfortunate cast member
meeting an unpleasant end. The catalogue of atrocities also includes a
number of rapes scenes and acts of sexual violence, and almost every frame
exudes perversion and psychosis. Whilst these comments may serve as a
recommendation to some, be warned: "Ichi the Killer" is a
visceral, at times nauseating experience, and one which is not to be taken
lightly.
As well as being violent and unpleasant, "Ichi
the Killer" is a nihilistic, cynical film. Whereas most Japanese
films concerned with the Japanese underworld extol the values of loyalty
and brotherhood, Miike shows them as a shallow, selfish lot driven solely
by their desires. The only loyalty on display here is as a direct result
of fear, or as a means for personal gain. This theme is crystallised in
the character of Kakihara, who quite clearly does not care for anyone
apart from himself, and for whom almost every act he commits is motivated
by his own desires, often in a fashion that borders on being masturbatory.
There are no positive characters in the film
whatsoever, a fact which further defines the film as an antagonistic,
visceral assault. This is not to suggest that the film is underwritten, as
it does have a very strong sense of characterisation that is generally
lacking in extreme cinema. The characters of Ichi and Kakihara are very
well written, and the film spends a great deal of time exploring their
psychosis, and though perhaps not offering concrete explanations for their
behaviour, or indeed portraying them as realistic human beings, it at
least presents them as fascinating, complex individuals. Similarly, the
relationships in the film are surprisingly intricate, if not as a result
of the plotting, which is at best melodramatic, then through their
interactions. Although these are generally driven by self-interest, a
number of them are actually quite touching, such as that between Ichi and
one of Kakihara's goons.
Thematic concerns and violent content aside,
"Ichi the Killer" is a very well directed film, and one which is
drenched with Miike's unique style. He uses a wide variety of camera
tricks, and keeps everything moving at such an incredibly kinetic pace,
that the film as a whole come across as being highly energetic. This
dynamism, coupled with Miike's provocative approach to the material, makes
watching the film an almost invigorating experience, where the viewer
barely has time to catch their breath.
In keeping with the nature of the film, the narrative
and style take a wild shift into surrealism at the end. Here, Miike
chooses to frustrate, offering a nonsensical conclusion, of which in-depth
interpretation is pointless. Although this may exasperate some, it
provides the film with a fitting anti-climax, possibly as a means of
delivering one final sucker punch to the viewer rather than launching into
the expected orgy of violence. This frustration and restlessness are
themes obvious throughout the film, symbolised by Kakihara's neverending,
fruitless search for satisfaction through pain.
Though it could be seen to be disappointing, the
conclusion does not take away from what is an undeniably exhilarating
experience, and "Ichi the Killer" is one of the most exciting
Japanese films of the last few years. Although the extreme violence and
sadism may prove to be too much for some viewers, and may serve to drown
the film's underlying purpose in a sea of blood and viscera, the fact
remains that Miike has produced something which shocks and startles, which
is no mean feat in such jaded times.
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