The Incite Mill

A Japanese "deadly game." Well produced, well acted, well written. My problem with the film is that the lead character is both stupid and a coward. No exaggeration. He is even praised for acting like a coward. I don't know if this is a Japanese thing, but it spoils what is otherwise a decent film.

Do not judge this film by it's cover, or even it's synopsis.

This film is very well shot and directed with a superb lead performance by Tatsuya Fujiwara (Battle Royale, Death Note, Parade).

If it weren't for films like "Saw" this film would be just as much of a classic as Battle Royale. Both were based on a novel.

This is nothing like the Saw films, there is little to no gore and there is no enemy other than the players in the game themselves. All the players are basically trapped underground, given weapons, and that's it. Each player gets his or her own room which he or she must sleep in during the night, and is ordered to stay in the room during the night hours or will be punished.

What stood out to me the most about this film was the atmosphere and pacing. Hideo Nakata, who I haven't enjoyed a film from in almost a decade really does well here, utilizing plenty of hall shots and calm scenes in between every scene where danger feels present.

In fact, this is what I enjoyed the most about the film, the calm moments where the characters are either alone or talking together trying to figure out what is going on.

The main character played by Tatsuya Fujiwara is likable, smart and played very convincingly. Tatsuya gives his best performance I have seen to date, avoiding acting like any of his characters from other films and keeping you engaged and into the plot.

I really enjoyed this, wanting to watch it again immediately after viewing it. Not so much for it's message, and definitely not for all the characters, but for a select few who really stood out and the overall atmosphere and feelings of isolation the film created. I highly recommend this for fans of films such as Battle Royale, Cube, or even any sci-fi film such as Alien, Sunshine, and The Black Hole, in which characters are forced to coexist in a limited space or set throughout the film.

Having signed up for a mysterious psychological experiment with the promise of a lucrative paycheck, ten individuals find themselves locked in an underground facility in which they are slowly killed off in this Japanese thriller from the director of 'Ringu', Hideo Nakata. The movie is clearly influenced by Agatha Christie's 'Ten Little Indians' with creepy Indian statuettes to match, however, this is very much a story of its own with a contemporary culture twist to come that is best left unspoiled; suffice it to say, the mysterious numbers that keep rapidly ticking over beneath the time and date on the wall serve a definite purpose. There is also an unsettling newfangled robot in this tale and as each of the ten participants are given their own weapon, the film often feels like it owes more to the Cluedo board game than Christie's iconic murder mystery. Whatever the influence, Nakata creates a gripping ride in which we are forced to not only question who the murderer is but who is behind the facility and what the aim of their experiment actually is. The film benefits from imaginative sets too and some really good performances - in particular, Kin'ya Kitaôji as the oldest among the ten, a recovering alcoholic who recently lost his son. Less effective is Tatsuya Fujiwara as the protagonist, but that is mostly due to way his character is written: though a confessed coward, he frequently comes off as self-righteous and preachy. The film also concludes with a host of unanswered questions in terms of the way the facility is run and is allowed to operate, but the solution to the first murder is admittedly nifty and the film offers plenty of food for thought in terms of how much we tend to assume things in life and tend to consider the possible negative in others.

There are many Agatha Christie's "10 little Indians" variants about, but I always find this concept entertaining despite its basic mechanics of murder and mystery. And this Japanese production is just the same. It plays out like "10 Little Indians" meets "Big Brother" and is handled by a competent director in the name of Hideo Nakata. Well known for for the influential horror "Ringu" (1998).

Ten people have thought they got a lucrative job, but actually find themselves locked up for seven days and forced to play a experimental murder game in what they call the paranoia house.

The outline is basic, but it's how the innovative screenplay plays about our characters and puts them in difficult situations. Where danger and suspicions fuel the fire. The mystery is engaging, psychology interplay tingles and there's nothing black and white here with these unstable characters. Even if there are some questionable inclusions and elaborate plotting. Sure there are daft moments, but Nakata's direction is sure-footed and suspense well-timed. Simple, it's entertaining and with that in mind its rather ironic in what I'm typing since it's taking a shot at society's obsession of turning violence into profitable entertainment. The music is subtle, but effective and the sombre underground(?) location is sterile in appearance and taut in atmosphere. It's slickly shot with Nakata's clinical approach working in its favour. The performances are rock-solid by the likes of Tatsuya Fujiwara, Kin'ya Kitaôji, Haruka Ayase and Satomi Ishihara.

"You like mysteries"?

As other reviewers have said, this is a fairly predictable movie. What it did, it did okay... it just wasn't original at all. I found myself getting bored around halfway through and had to force myself to finish it. I know that this came out first, but honestly I found myself thinking about Danganronpa throughout most of it. In a lot of ways this was VERY similar to Danganronpa, expect Danganronpa did everything better. My honest advice is to skip this and watch Danganronpa if you haven't already. And even if you have seen it already, skip this and watch Danganronpa again. That's what I wish I did.