Parasaito Ivu

This is a really odd little movie. I suppose it's a thriller, but the thriller part is just in the middle. The beginning is about obsession and is slow moving but fairly compelling. Over half way through it moves into thriller territory and has some genuine chills. But the ending eschews the usual thriller big finish for something haunting and rather beautiful, making one feel this is more a love story than anything else, but a really strange one. The movie has terrific atmosphere and is really pretty original, and while it is sometimes a bit on the lethargic side I thought it was fascinating.

This movie could well be a modern version of William Castle's THE TINGLER. But in this case, it's not a parasite hidden in the human spine which wants to free itself and have its own life but rather the mitochondria in the human body. "Mitochondria" is a term of cell biology. They are self-replicating organelles, bounded by 2 membranes, that are found in the cytoplasm of all eukaryotic cells and produce cellular energy in the form of ATP via the oxidative phosphorylation reactions.

The theory of PARASITE EVE is that mitochondria are very much a species with their own intentions. And all those years since evolution spat out the first humans, they were waiting for the day when they could finally break free. This day is NOW, and their outbreak of the human bodies would surely mean the end of all human life on earth. It's up to one lonely and desperate Japanese scientist to stop them after his beloved wife was killed as it was long-term planned by the mitochondria.

Like in many other modern Japanese horror and science fiction movies, the pace of PARASITE EVE is slow and often melancholic. But the daring storyline of the movie and the tension which is built slowly but surely until the climatic finale is worth watching anyway.

Japanese cinema has become an interesting alternative for lovers of the fantastic film genre. The way how Japanese films tell their story differs a great deal from Hollywood productions. If you have a chance to see PARASITE EVE, go see it or even buy it on DVD or VCD. If you're not an action-only fan, you won't regret it.

Parasite Eve is a great sci-fi film. It is intense, suspenseful, dramatic, romantic and quite different than any other film in the genre. The characters are well developed and the story line never fails. The score of the film is brilliant; it transmits the sadness and intensity that the characters are feeling. There might be a version in English of Parasite Eve, but I think, like in any other foreign film, the original language adds a lot more to the movie. So in this case Japanese is more effective and the film should be viewed in its original sound. From start to finish the film grows in intensity without ever failing to keep the audience entertained wondering, imagining, and trying to anticipate the conclusion. Overall, besides being a "scientific" sci-fi movie, the main ingredient through the film is love, loss and the endless possibilities after...

5 stars *****

Being familiar with the game, it was surprise to find out that 1) it was based on a novel that would count as a prequel, and 2) it was well thought out and drove home the originality of such a villain living within us.

Unlike the game, this is more tame and has no need for action and bullets blazin'...not that there's anything wrong with that :0). It's just that in here, it give a more scientific (yet easy to understand) approach to the series' overseas (in many ways) origin and climax, and also shows that, as cheesy as it sounds, love conquers all. It is a little slow at first, but there are things that keep your interest, so yes, it really is a good watch, even if you're not a fan of the game, or didn't know it was a game at all. It's a rare find, but it's worth a try even once :)

~~~I only vaguely remember the playstation game this movie is related to. I have never read the original novel. However, I have sat thru the experience of this DVD, & I must say that it is an interesting film indeed. I like the fact that it takes some real, tangible scientific data, & uses it for the basis of a well-written, well-acted piece of cinema.

I thought that the relationships were kept simple enough to allow the audience to draw their own conclusions, yet were complex enough to keep the audience guessing as to what those conclusions should be. This gave a dynamic to the relationships between the Drs, & their respective patients, as well as the links between all of the main characters.

The camera & light work was exceptional, & I look forward to watching the movie again, just so I can pick one aspect to focus on at a time, allowing me to absorb them systematically.

I recommend Parasite Eve to anyonwwe,without a doubt is one of the best foreign films I have seen in a long while.

A++