The direction surely could have been tighter, for it rather comes across that the production was a "fly by night" affair only just keeping itself together with an inconsistent tone. I don't specifically doubt the skills or earnestness of filmmaker Nakamoto Yu, nor those of his cast, but what comes across - rightly or wrongly - is some measure of inexperience, or developing skill. This does somewhat extend to the technical elements, too. I would further suggest that even as it fits within the tenor of the proceedings, I think the writing tends to be a little too juvenile, moreover leaning a bit too excessively on references, tropes, and meta knowledge, and a little more tact and care would have been beneficial. Maybe I'm nitpicking, but these matters do rather come to one's attention as the minutes tick by.
Yet no matter how much we scrutinize various odds and ends, 'Ikenie man' is only here to have a good time, and it's readily evident that all involved were enjoying themselves. Just as much to the point, the concept Nakamoto devised is marvelously clever, giddily toying with expectations within the broad framework of classic slashers. The film is troubled by rough edges in many regards, yet the narrative and scene writing are a blast, with some fun characterizations, too. More than not Nakamoto's direction is quite suitable, and likewise the acting, with the recognition that they're all just having a lark in the first place. The stunts and practical effects are mostly modest, but actually look really good, and may be the most attentively developed aspect of the entire project.
Yes, it's a fairly low-grade picture, but it boasts some splendid minor ingenuity, and there's no disputing the care and hard work that went into it. As with even the most humble no-budget amateur horror, sincerity and effort go a long way, and I'd stack this up against no few professional productions any day. It's hardly a must-see, and is best suggested for those are are open to all the wide possibilities of the medium, but if you do have the chance to check this out then 'Ikenie man' is a very entertaining horror-comedy, and I hope to see more from Nakamoto in the future.
