ICHI THE KILLER (2001)
Directed by Takashi Miike
Starring: Tadanobu Asano, Nao Omori, Shinya Tsukamoto
Genre: Thriller
Running Time: 129mins

Rating:

After the dissapearance of the Anjo gang's boss, right-hand man Kakihara (played by Tadanobu Asano) seizes the opportunity to root out the culprit from within the yakuza with a series of deranged, imaginative torture methods leading him ultimately to the mysterious figure known only as "Ichi". Ichi is an emotional mess, less a super-hero more a volatile mix of freudian psychosis and mental manipulation led by the ever guiding mind games of Jiji (Shinya Tsukamoto), one by one the gang members fall at the hands of both Ichi and Kakihara, clearing a path in which the two will undoubtedly meet.

It is unlikely that this will be the first review you will have read for Takashi Miike's wildly infamous Ichi The Killer. One of the most talked about and highly anticipated films from Japan, Ichi is a grueling, extreme, yet ultimately rewarding experience. I first heard about the existence of Miike's film through one of my lecturers who had exhibited a short film at a festival in Europe. I had just seen Audition and was left stuck for words, he had just seen Ichi and had met the man behind it. There is no deeper shade of green that can convey my envy.

Like many, I first saw Ichi in its edited form, imported from Hong Kong, they may have shorn 15 minutes of its running time but it still had a power of its own. Again, I found myself overwhelmed. But now, with its recent release uncut, I have once more re-visited Ichi's world, this time as Miike intended - 129* minutes of sheer visceral excess. And so, here is what I have to say.

A far cry from the accusations made by the BBFC, Ichi is much more than an exercise in repulsion. Sure it is graphically violent and it's not going to be to everyone's taste, but the events that unfold throughout Ichi do have some grounding and a purpose to propel the story along - it's not as some would argue just a series of sadistic sequences set to shock.

Takashi Miike is an intelligent filmmaker and is considered by many as a director who likes to play with audiences perceptions. It is a credit to his abilities as a storyteller that regardless of our pre-conceived knowledge of his style that we are continuously surprised as he takes control over us like marionettes. And while in Audition it was through an unexpected terror, and in DOA through a genre destroying final reel, in Ichi the concern is purely on our acceptance of violence, our voyeurism and our conscience. Miike will test us all to the limit.

Throughout Ichi we are left with only two choices - we either laugh at the violence or sit silently disturbed. It's almost as if Miike is fine tuning our moral sensibilities mixing moments of extreme over the top comic book violence for laughs with grittily realistic portraits of abuse that leave you with more than just a nasty taste in the mouth. By constantly shifting the tone of the film we find ourselves in a schizophrenic state of pleasure and repulsion - it is a sign of the power that Miike's film has that we can move from being disturbed to being amused in a matter of seconds. It's an incredibly jarring experience that seems to have made it difficult for some to accept. And while some find this intrusive approach to be too much to recommend, settling for the easy approach of lambasting the film with the expected cries of vulgarity, the truth is that Miike has created a film that has the ability to challenge our own moral code, it has the ability to make us feel disgusted with ourselves.

And so, for every moment that shocks you into submission, hiding behind your fingers, you will still peep through the gaps, if only to catch a glimpse of what you really shouldn't be seeing. Such is the sheer ferocity of Miike's film that at the simple mention of such threats as a "split and pierced penis" you do not doubt for a moment that you won't see it. Whether you do or not, I'll leave you to find out for yourself - albeit through your fingers.

And so we come to another focal point of criticism, that being the sexually violent aspects of the film and its treatment of women. Now, the BBFC has commented on them being exploitative, gratuitous and serving no other purpose other than to titillate and arouse male viewers.

Bullshit.

I'm sorry for relying upon an expletive for an immediate response but I take great offense in their accusation. The rationale being that anyone who chooses to defend this film in its uncut form is a misogynistic pervert is more offensive than anything in Miike's film. The scenes in question are not titillating, they are disturbing, the camera never lingers and Miike has filmed each sequence in a horrific yet responsible way. Where some may find offence is in their inclusion within the comic book style of the rest of the film, the way in which we find ourselves laughing at the closing stages of a scene only to find ourselves shamefully sobered up immediately by the start of the next. Yes - it is controversial stuff, but it says so much about our attitudes towards violence that it makes the film essential viewing.

Another criticism suggests that Miike's film and its handling of women is misogynistic, however, I disagree - the violence in Ichi The Killer is asexual and favours no-one regardless of sex or race. It astonishes me that the BBFC are so keen to cut the sexual violence yet are more than happy to pass the prolonged male-on-male torture uncut. It's hypocrisy at its worse.

And so we come to the technical aspects of Ichi The Killer, shot in three weeks, Miike has achieved a film that is nothing short of genius. Overwhelming viewers with his now trademark excesses the cinematography is first class mixing computer aided effects with pure technical know how brilliantly painting Shinjuku to present an alternate reality that is garishly coloured, and beautifully textured. There are images from this film that will stick with you forever, such is the iconic importance of Ichi - whether it be the acts of violence, or the symbolic yellow 1 emblazoned on our ambiguous hero's back the quality of the film is superb rising it way above the "splatter movie" style it has been unjustifiably labeled with.

The acting is first rate, with Tadanobu Asano providing cinemas most frightening villain to date - this is not the camp, theatrical style of Hannibal - this is a real man who takes great enjoyment from giving and receiving pain. Never raising his voice, never widening his eyes, he takes extreme sadism in his stride and as such exudes a feeling of intensity with every scene that he is in. His indifference to those around him, combined with his wonderfully bizarre appearance makes for one of the most electrifying characters committed to celluloid.

Also worthy of mention is Nao Omori who gives a suitably strained, emotionally wrought performance as the chaotic mess of Ichi. Bursting uncontrollably into tears, taking great delight in the sexual violence he witnesses - Ichi is a psychologists dream subject a psychological mess of a man the fact that he is our hero for the film is a brilliant spin on the superhero genre. A far cry from the vengeance/justice seeking heroes of Batman or Spiderman - Ichi is a more realistic portrayal of the effects of a violent society, he is the creation of isolation, restraint, and sexual frustration - he is a nightmarish vision - yet he is our hero.

Supporting the two central figures are some fine performances from directors Shinya Tsukamoto who revels in his role as the mind bending hypnotist Jiji and comedian / director Sabu as the down on his luck cop Kaneko. Both provide the essential support with performances contrasting fierce intensity with bizarre hilarity. Jiji's transformation is just one of many fine comic moments that make Ichi such a wildly original experience. Combined with this the multiple characters who drift throughout the storyline with their own clearly defined eccentricities, and you have an cinematic experience you are unlikely to forget.

Even with the length of this review running increasingly long there is much to say about the highlights of the film - all of which spring to mind with the sheer originality on display - tempura, dog ears, ramen, bodybuilding, television, webcams, an unbalanced boss, tongue, arm, playstation, detective twins, mobile phones - to the uninitiated it would seem like a random string of words - but to those who have seen and experienced Ichi it is a collection of bullet points - stand out moments far too many to cover in such a short space.

Miike has created an incredible film that is brutal, uncompromising, and challenging. On one hand it is an excessive comic book film pre-occupied with violence, on the other it is an indictment on our de-sensitized acceptance of the vile, of the vulgar. A lot of people are going to be offended by the content of Ichi The Killer, particularly as it challenges its audience so directly, but let it be known that whether or not we choose to watch it, we must be entitled to make that decision for ourselves. After all we are capable, if we feel the need, to just switch off.

Highly recommended for those who can take it.