Réincarnation

The Japanese film industry has built up a strong reputation for its chilling horror movies, and many of them have been remade by Hollywood studios whose philosophy goes something like: "Why create something new when so much good stuff has already been made!?" The Ring, The Grudge, and Darkwater are just three examples of Japanese horror films that have been adapted for that Western English speaking market who would otherwise be unable to enjoy the originals. Reading subtitles can be tough.

Reincarnation has the same foreboding atmosphere as the previously mentioned movies: it's a slow-burning, thought-provoking, piece of supernatural horror. The storyline centres around a young actress who wins an audition to star in a movie based on a real-life hotel massacre. Her role is of the last person to be murdered - a little girl - who it turns out has been spooking her for the last few days. When shooting begins, she starts experiencing the murders as if they are actually happening. Do you follow!?

Anyone familiar to supernatural mysteries such as The Sixth Sense (not mentioning Takashi Shimizu's previous movies) will be familiar with some of the plot devices, and fully prepared to expect the unexpected. Still, the revelation at the end is a good one and is not simply there to say: 'LOOK… we FOOLED you!'. Though I'm sure it will.

Those hoping for an unremitting orgy of blood, guts and violence will be left disappointed. Nonetheless, there are still a few scenes here not suited to the squeamish (well, a child DOES get stabbed). This film is more about subtle scares and the power of suggestion, which is usually one of the most effective ways of cranking up the tension, but here they are guilty of over-using the ploy in a predictable way. For example, how many times does a character need to be unsettled by something they've seen out of the corner of their eye? What really does make this film work is the combination of very good storytelling, and a direction that lends it a very dark and intense feel which never lets go. The characters are mostly just an extension of the general mood and atmosphere of the movie. Under Shimizu's guidance it is the supernatural that takes centre stage.

Reincarnation seems longer than its 95 minutes running time, but it's worth sticking with it for a satisfying conclusion that you may want to re-live again.

Mark: 7/10

Mel Dixon

Reincarnation is a Japanese film with subtitles. The plot is very difficult to follow but it involves a film crew making a movie depicting the events of a murder. As part of the filming, the director, crew and cast go to the actual hotel in which the multiple murders occurred. The main character is the female lead in the film. Almost from the start of the project, she begins to have visions or hallucinations. She sees people who no one else sees. When the crew arrives at the hotel, her visions become more extreme and frequent. You sort of understand what this film is about when it is over, however the ending left me confused. This is not a haunted house or slasher horror film. Most of it takes place in daylight. Do not expect scantily clad bimbos or knife-wielding maniacs to jump out from the closet. The story reminded me somewhat of the Roman Polanski film "Repulsion" about a woman who goes mad and has hallucinations. Overall, I thought the film was on the slow side. In its favor, it is not one of the gross torture porn flicks that are destroying the horror genre.

Reincarnation is a brilliant film, plain and simple. It is unique in that it relies on imagination and psychology to scare you and make you think twice about the world around you. The director did a fabulous job constructing the imagery of the film, and I genuinely did not know about the ending until it was revealed. Quite a shock! Reincarnation goes in my book as the single greatest indie horror film I have ever seen. Anyone who bashes it is simply not giving it a chance or doesn't fully realize the complex dialog and imagery around them. It is an intriguing story and has good acting in it and most of all the camera angles are really scary. Japanese film has something the western films do not have, something almost surreal, at least to us, being from a different culture and all. Brilliant!

1st watched 2/13/2009 – 7 out of 10(Dir-Takeshi Shimizu): Inventive and scary horror story from veteran Japanese horror director, Takeshi Shimizu. I've never seen his other stuff but I guess he was at the helm fro the ground-breaking "The Grudge." This one is about the filming of a movie based on a mass killing/suicide done at a hotel. There was only one survivor, but many of the characters are connected to the incident because they are reincarnated versions of those who died. The main character, who wins an important role of the youngest one killed, begins having dreams and seeing visions after receiving the script. As each scene passes, we start seeing how others are connected to the story. There are actually three movies involved here – the actual movie we're watching, the making of the movie, and the film made by the killer. The killer made a film supposedly because he wanted to prove his reincarnation theory and would be viewed by those reincarnated, I guess. We really don't find out who's who until near the end of the movie, which is the mystery behind the movie. The chills are done in the context of the story which makes the movie interesting, instead of it just being a slasher film like American audiences are used to. OK, so the Japanese are again better at something than we are – OK, not better just different. All in all, this is definitely an enjoyable and scary movie to watch but beware you may have nightmares after it's over.

Like a lot of psychological horror, you have to invest some time and energy in this film. It appears to be one thing, but you are not prepared for the changes, and certainly not the ending.

I really expected that Nagisa (Yûka in her first film) was going one way, and then it went a completely different direction and the ending was most unexpected. It challenges you because Takashi Shimizu (Ju-on and The Grudge and sequels) has put together something different with characters and actions moving back and forth through filming and the actual location of horror, and you never really know where you are at any time.

It is a heavy horror film that has less blood, but more challenge.