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Rating Averages
My Friends |
Not rated. () |
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All Flixster |
(642) |
482 |
2734 |
Female |
(135) |
103 |
575 |
Male |
(507) |
379 |
2158 |
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Recent Reviews
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MCT:June 27, 2008
Kurt Vonneguts SlaughterHouse 5" meets "Zatôichi the blind swordsman" on an epic and fragmented scale. Izo, is the story of one of Japans most legendary and bloody assassins. At the beginning of the film he is crucified and pierced repeatedly with spears, he spends the rest of...(read more) the film warping through time and space at random, having ethical and metaphysical discussions with and then killing virtually everyone he crosses, including Buddah and mother earth herself as he searches for a reason for his curse, which renders him unkillable and unable to control his location. This is easily the most violent film I've ever seen, not in grisliness, but sheer body count, but around the endless slashing, is a portrait of modern Japan symbolized by the reoccurring Powers-That-Be characters who represent Society/Reality/Order(often shown meeting around a board room table and discussing how to destroy Izo), and the Buddhist Hells which serve to purify souls through pain thereby readying them for reincarnation. Of all the Takashi miike stuff I've seen this is one of best executed, feeling more like a film than an experiment. Not to mention the great songs by Japanese folk singer Kazuki Tomokawa also known as "The Screaming Philosopher", due to his somewhat gruff vocal stylings. These songs may seem strange but they really do help break up the monotony of the endless waves of violence, and oblique dialog, as well as more often then not mirroring and adding emotional depth to the actions of the at turns stoic and demonic Izo(who was based on an actual samurai Lord, who was known for his violence). This is one of my favorite Takashi Miike films, while it might not be for everyone it is a must see for fans of the auteur, and those who think film can be aesthetic object as opposed to just a linear story. It's SlaughterHouse 5 except Billy Pilgrim's out to destroy the world one image at a time.
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MCT:May 29, 2008
Very Bizarre movie, very out there but it leaves it interesting enough to where you can't turn away, it's alot like a train wreck.
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MCT:May 19, 2008
Your first time through you will probably be bored. Your second time through you will probably be trying to understand the thing.
This is the one film that I will recommend reading up on before you watch it. There are no spoilers, as the plot is not technically anything more than what is described in a synopsis. If you have a vague understanding of the multiple elements of the film they will be less difficult to interpret during the actual viewing.
Aside from a large amount of details and of course the deeper meaning of the whole thing, Izo is pretty straight forward. Izo died. He cant go to heaven, is too pissed to stay in hell and he starts killing everyone, which is frustrating to the gods. But the quality of the film lies in the details, especially since the scenes of slaughter are unusually drab for a Miike film (most likely due to the lead actor who the film was specifically written and funded for).
Only watch this if youre a die hard Miike fan, or if youve watched everything Lynch has put out. -
MCT:May 6, 2008I'm probably the minority who feels this way about this movie but who cares. I so wanted to like this movie. On a whim I bought it. The packaging looked cool. Not an expert on Japan cinema but the cast seemed to be good. (Takashi Kitanao, Ryuhei Matsuda..) I just coudn't relate or sympatize with the main character at all. All the killing in the name of revenge...visually looks cool though parts of it.
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MCT:April 29, 2008Izo is one really strange film. Even for Takashi Miike, this one is out there.
The movie, such as it is, mainly consists of Izo transporting through space and time, and killing people with a sword. Over and over and over and over.
Sometimes this is broken up by stock footage of everything from WWII to babies being born. Or some music from Japanese artist Kazuki Tomokawa, who some have compared to the sound of an angry cat being strangled.
I was annoyed at first but eventually became mesmerized, attempting to figure out what was going on as Izo butchered his way through the institutions of society, slowly losing his humanity.
Some may find Izo pretentious, repetitive, annoying, and dull. In the end any viewer will probably have to come to their own conclusion about what, if anything, this film is trying to say.
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Comments
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hc100posted 374 days ago
