Haze

A surreal, grotesque trip, mixing elements of Saw and Cube together. The movie got some good ideas but even the short running time of 50 minutes felt too long for me. Not much is happening, you just get some scenes of torture and gore (some well shot and made). Not bad, but nothing really good. I do not know if Haze is meant to be an allegory or for whatever theology or philosophy the story/movie stands, but to be honest, I don't care. Only recommended to hardcore fans of the two mentioned movies that need something new on the plate. Trippy it is yes, good, not so much.

This Japanese low budget horror movie is a true piece of postmodern eclectic movie-making. Instead of using Japanese movies as a source of inspiration (Like: the Ring, Grudge, Kill Bill), this movie consists of American horror movies. The movie starts with a scene of a wounded man who found himself in a very small place (ref. Cube). Soon this man finds out he's trapped in a maze and 'may be' used as a victim in a game of rich freaks (ref. Saw, My little eye). After this short introduction, the pain begins. If you have ever seen American History X (and you probably have), then the scene with the black man biting in the pavement, while Edward Norton kicks him to death, will still be in your memories. You can expect something like this, only ten times worse. Eventually he meets a woman and with her, he tries to find his way out. It won't take much of your time, since the duration of this movie is only 50 minutes, so you should watch it. If it is only for the homage (did the director ever seen that movie?) to American History X. A nice short horror masterpiece.

The thing about Haze... First I have to say that the DVD costs about 20€, that's a bit expensive if you expect a full movie and in the end only get a short-film, BUT, the director once again creates a dark industrial set with a bit of organic flair. Just the way I like it! It's not as horrific as Tetsuo or Brutal as Tokyo Fist, it has more from his last movie Vital mixed with the craziness of his early films. In an interview he says himself that in his eyes the movie is between Tesuo and Tokyo Fist and I think thats not the worse description. All in all it's worth a look, but before you buy it for a high price better check out your next DVD-Rental-Store and have a look for yourself. About the German DVD release from rem (RapidEyeMovie) I can say that it has a beautiful but for the Label standard made Box with a Poster. The Extras on the DVD are okay, I think about 6 Trailers and an Making Of and an interview with the director ('bout 15 min). So Dude's check it out and have fun!

Coming close to completing my collection of all the Shinya Tsukamoto movies, and this one is pretty hard to explain. A man wakes up in somekind of a concrete space, hardly able to move, and notices he has an injury which is bleeding. It's very dark, and you only see his face for quite a while and hear him think to himself about what is going on. He begins to crawl through tunnels, or maybe a maze, and comes across a woman also trapped and bleeding. Different visions occurs, like a force knocking on a huge door which he can't seem to reach, and multilated bodies floating on the surface of a source of water in this space. They begin a conversation about life, dreams, death, and what is happening to each other, and how to escape. He wonders if the world is at war and they are prisoners, or some pervert has locked them away for whatever reason, or is it really a very nasty nightmare or are they in hell. That's pretty much what is going on, at least for what you can see, because the movie is pretty dark until the last 10 minutes or so. Although the movie is only around 49 minutes long, that is plenty long enough for this type of ambiguous narrative. Being a huge fan of Tsukamoto, this movie to me is like a terrible nightmare, and that may be what it is, you have to judge that because the movie doesn't help you along much at all. But what there is that is so Tsukamoto, is the superior use of music and sound effects, along with some disturbing visuals. Interesting movie to say the least, and a must-have of course for Tsukamoto fans.

It's so basic a premise that it hardly seems like a feature that could hold our attention, let alone meet the needs of the genre it would be described as. Yet Shinya Tsukamoto here proves an ingenuity of film-making and storytelling that defies outward simplicity. One recognizes hallmarks of his other films in 'Haze' that keep us on our toes, accentuate characters' states of mind, and or lend atmosphere - industrial music; pointedly shaky and often tightly focused camerawork; inserted or overlaid visuals and visual effects; sharp editing that cuts rapidly through sequences of additional imagery. Here these all further serve to emphasize the deeply claustrophobic setting.

Confined and bare though the space is, we're treated to careful, grim set decoration to cement the scenario. Strong attention to outstanding sound design agitates our anxieties as it highlights specific trials of the protagonist, or portends a greater danger of the place he finds himself in. All due commendations to composer Chu Ishikawa for a fantastic score that does much to build the mood at all points. And hats off to Tsukamoto - fulfilling all but a few functions of the film's construction all by himself, while also starring alongside Kaori Fujii. Both actors embrace tired, determined physicality in performances of range and nuance that once again exceed the bounds of such a distinctly small movie. Moreover, themes are broached of the unknown risk of moving forward, but also the great peril of stagnation, and the importance of connection in even the most dire of circumstances. The protagonist and supporting character both convey thoughts as to a broader narrative, a Why and How for the What, but 'Haze' declines to truly explore or explain - the picture considers itself complete as it is. I appreciate that punchiness.

In under 50 minutes, Tsukamoto crafts a more compelling, thrilling, sometimes visceral cinematic experience than some features can achieve over far greater a length. It's honest, unembellished, and surprisingly absorbing. Recognizing a content warning for blood and gore - if you're a fan of the filmmaker's work, this is especially worth checking out, but even for horror fans at large, 'Haze' is an odd and truncated but satisfying movie that's worth watching if you have the chance.