DVD Synopsis: An ultra dark, deeply unsettling, extreme psychological thriller from the director of 'Audition', 'Ichi The Killer' is probably the most arresting and controversial movie of the last decade. Based on the ultra-violent 'manga' comic of the same name, this 'delirous cinematic vision in the freefall' painfully unveils a dark canvas on which is played a terrifying battle of wits between the ultimate sadist and the ultimate masochist. Lunging between chilling surrealism and graphic hyper-reality, Ichi The Killer will shock and amaze you to the core of your foundations, and will forever change the way you look at the medium of film. (120 Mins)

​

Views: Blonde haired yakuza enforcer, Kakihara, is a ruthless gangster whose body and face is deeply scarred due to his obsession with sadomasochism. With the corners of his mouth held together by piercings, Kakihara's looks prove intimidating to those around him, backed by a fearless attitude that sees him inflict serious pain to anyone who gets on the wrong side of him. With his boss now missing (or dead) along with 100 million yen, Kakihara sets out to find him and soon crosses paths with the young Ichi – a repressed and psychotic killer who has been brainwashed by an ex-cop, into killing the bad-boys of the city to help kick-off a gang war. In doing so, the scarred sadist believes he has found the one person that can bring him the most joy through pain and relishes in going fist-to-toe with Ichi the killer!

​

The incredible Takashi Miike – one of my all-time favourite directors – delivers a tale so messed up and so fucking insane, it could not have come from the mind of another filmmaker, let alone another country such as Japan. Trying to conceive a logistical synopsis for Ichi The Killer is like trying to walk backwards into oncoming traffic on the motorway. It's going to get messy! Yet, bizarrely, watching the film in all its glory is pretty easy to follow. Perhaps it's because of the amount of characters, shocking moments, and insanity that happens over its 2-hour running time. Ichi The Killer is quite unlike anything you've ever seen before, taking the usual Miike madness to another level. From its opening title – with the letters rising up through some very thick (and very real) sperm that is dripping from a plant – having been ejaculated on by Ichi after watching a woman getting attacked in her apartment – to men hung by large hooks in their flesh, only to have hot boiling oil poured on their backs, this film is most definitely not for the faint hearted. Yet at the same time, it proves to be incredibly hilarious with a clever blend of comic and dark humour, twisted into even the most deranged moments. Adapted from the popular manga of the same name by Hideo Yamamoto, director Takashi Miike doesn't hold back from bringing the pages to life, using incredibly strong visuals – with the camera often seeming like it has a mind of its own – to unique sounds and an unnerving score that keeps you glued to the screen, backed by some fantastic performances from all involved.

​

The handsome Nao Ohmori plays the titular hero of the story, Ichi, slightly deranged, horny, and running around town in his superhero suit – a black padded mountain-biking outfit, altered with blades in his boots and a large number 1 painted on his back. Having only starred in a number of smaller roles previously, Ichi The Killer would be the film that launched this unknown actor into the spotlight. I'm sure it wasn't an easy role to play, especially for someone who seems as genuinely nice as Nao does. The son of legendary Japanese actor, Akaji Maro, from classics such as Samurai Resurrection, Zipang, City Of Lost Souls, and Kill Bill 1 & 2, Nao Ohmori has went on to keep a healthy career in the industry starring in films such as Dolls, Vibrator, Fish Story, Parasyte 1 & 2, First Love, and so much more. The edgy and popular Tadanobu Asano thrives as Kakihara, the stylish sicko with a fetish for pain and the man with the Glasgow Smile. Apart from a small child role in the late 70s, his first real role came about in 1990 with Swimming Upstream. He quickly went on to gain more critical success after starring in Fried Dragon Fish, and continued impressing in Labyrinth Of Dreams, Shark Skin Man & Peach Hip Girl, Gohatto, Gojoe, and Electric Dragon 80,000 V in the same year as Ichi The Killer. From here, his career only went up as Asano was cast in many great titles such as Takeshi Kitano's Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman, Survive Style 5+, Vital, and the hilarious Tokyo Zombie to name but a few – before going on to join Hollywood and the Marvel Universe as Hogun in Thor and its sequels, along with roles in Battleship, 47 Ronin, and the new Mortal Kombat where he plays Lord Raiden. The cast is filled out with many recognisable faces such as Shin'ya Tsukamoto, the highly praised director of the Tetsuo series, A Snake Of June, and Tokyo Fist, Shun Sugata who appeared in Kill Bill Vol. 1, The Last Samurai, and Ninja: Shadow Of A Tear, and the popular Jun Kunimura from Audition, The Wailing, and as Boss Tanaka in Kill Bill 1 & 2. They are joined by praised director Sabu, and Singaporean-Hong Kong actress Alien (Paulyn) Sun who appeared in films such as Sixty Million Dollar Man, Island Of Greed, and The Accidental Spy – although I must admit, this was probably her most challenging role to some degree.

​

From apartments covered in blood, intestines, and bodily fluids (as well as every organ imaginable), to men shoved into televisions with nails rammed into their faces – Ichi The Killer blends (slightly dated) digital SFX with a mass amount of practical effects that should keep both horror and gore fans extremely pleased. With no shortage of violence and guts, we get to see men have their cheeks stretched to the point of them being ripped off their faces, battered women with bruising so well done it looks painfully real, bodies cut down the middle and splitting, necks slashed and gushing with blood, large metal pins getting stuck through skin, legs being cut off, and lots more such as Kakihara's very own party trick. These moments, along with its brutal depiction of rape and torture, are no doubt the very reasons the film is still banned in some countries today, including Malaysia, Norway and Germany. Personally, it takes a lot to unnerve me – the joys of making horror movies has ruined the magic of film somewhat for me – but I do feel my teeth clench during certain moments of the film that, otherwise, would have my husband walking right out of the room. It's most certainly not for everyone, but Ichi The Killer is a film worth seeing and an experience you'll never forget!

​

Overall: Controversial, unique, and highly entertaining, Ichi The Killer is one of Miike's many masterpieces and an experience that will stay with you for a long time!

​

DVD Extras: Audio Commentary by Bey Logan, Alien Sun & Eliot Tong, Interviews with Cast & Crew, Photo Gallery, Out-takes, Behind The Scenes Footage, Bio's & Filmographies, Trailers