 Ichi the Killer (2001) Ichi, the killer (hope that didn't spoil anything for you), is a manic killing machine whose grotesque murderousness comes on when he's emotionally triggered. Ichi gets anxious, he slaughters. Ichi gets scared, he slaughters. Ichi gets mad, he slaughters. Ichi gets embarrassed, he slaughters. And I do mean slaughters. The killings in this movie make Kill Bill look like "The Wiggles." Actually, I've seen neither Kill Bill nor "The Wiggles," and in fact I can't exactly confirm that something called "The Wiggles" exists. I get all my info from gleaning Yahoo! News headlines … need I do more, really? The story centers around what appears to be a brutal gangland murder … vivisection would probably be a better word … which sets in motion a series of revenge killings with all involved parties mistaken on who's responsible, and why. Kakihara, a masochistic gang leader, tries to track down the killer, invariably getting distracted by his need for pain (at one point he cuts his own tongue out). Every plot point is ultimately either an excuse to play out a grisly murder or erotic rape/humiliation fantasy, or a red herring to keep you guessing as to what the hell is going on. It all leads up to the inevitable rooftop showdown between Ichi and Kakihara, which would seem to give the film its meaning, though a completely baffling ending obscures anything you thought you knew about what you just watched. Perhaps it takes shape upon repeat viewings, or maybe there's a cultural divide into which I plummeted, as with most of my attempts to master "Pitfall!" Either way, Ichi kept me on my toes, stuck with me long after watching it, and between all that satisfied every potential craving I might have for seeing people get killed in obscenely excellent ways.
Review by La Fée |