Rating of
3/4
"Ichi The Killer" by Yojimbo
Yojimbo - wrote on 10/23/12
Based upon a popular comic book, Ichi The Killer is the story of a severely emotionally disturbed young man who is manipulated into expressing his impotence and repressed rage by butchering various gangland targets in a live action Manga piece that takes the Japanese fascination with amputation and mutilation to the ultimate extreme. Utterly bizarre in a way only splatter flicks ever are but executed with far more intelligence than most, it takes its violence to such an absurd extreme it becomes almost Loony Tunes silly, but the grim attention to detail Miike shows when portraying the blood and guts makes for a disturbing juxtaposition of styles and images. It certainly won't be to everyone's taste (particularly if you have a weak stomach!) and much of the plot is not satisfactorily explained, but it's an unforgettably visceral experience.
