Dead Sushi

I would say I got exactly what I was expecting. For a Western viewer not used to Japanese humour, this kind of films always come as a bit of a culture shock. The humour is so bizarre it couldn't possibly be explained with words. The CGI is cheap, but the film isn't ashamed of it - it's almost as if it celebrates its own tackiness.

It's full of mindbogglingly grotesque idas and quotes, and it's devilishly entertaining!

The daughter of a sushi chef, Keiko (Rina Takeda), tries to live up to her father's demanding training in both martial arts and sushi making, but it proves too much for her and she runs away. She finds a job as a waitress at a remote resort hotel that caters to special groups, such as the president and some of his associates running a major pharmaceutical company. Unknown to them, Yamada (Kentaro Simazu), a former researcher at the company who was framed and jailed on trumped-up charges, is living in the area - and he's angry! His research had involved bringing dead things back to life, and he uses his knowledge now to create.... killer sushi! Set loose amongst the guests and workers at the hotel, only Keiko and former sushi chef Mr. Sawada (Shigeru Matsuzaki) have what it takes to fight back, with the help of little dead/alive egg sushi, Eggy, of course....

This is one of those highly entertaining, completely nonsensical and over-the-top gory and funny films that the Japanese seem to have a lock on these days; at one point a character says "this has finally reached a point where it makes no sense any longer" and the audience wonders how it managed to take that character so long to come to that conclusion! My favourite line in the film is from disgruntled researcher Yamada who, at one significant moment, states that "I have been reborn as tuna!" An immortal line in anybody's book, I think. What keeps this film from flying all the way apart is its gonzo spirit and absolute commitment to its absurdity, and there are also some excellent martial arts sequences, particularly from Keiko - Rina Takeda is a rising martial arts star, and she was still a teenager when she made this film. Some people might object to the excessive blood-letting, but it's done in such an extreme fashion that it's really just hilarious, not nauseating.

If the FantAsia International Film Festival needs a descriptive film to show what it's all about, "Dead Sushi" is perhaps that very film, and it is really only right and proper that it had its World Premiere at this festival. The film was introduced by its director and co-writer Naboru Iguchi, and Ms. Takeda was also on hand to demonstrate some of her martial arts moves live; Mr. Iguchi encouraged the packed auditorium to yell out "danger!" or "sushi!" at appropriate moments, and the FantAsia audience took him up on it with great enthusiasm. Easily my favourite film of FantAsia 2012 so far, and one that I hope gets a wide distribution because it has to be seen (and guffawed at) to be believed!

Of all the questions this film raises, like: Why make it? Is it funny? I can't help wondering wondering why the title? Surely, 'Live Sushi' or Sushi - Its Alive' would be more appropriate, but no matter. Maybe like much of the film it is lost in translation. However no matter how silly, not quite as funny as the makers believe and over the top it is, it is something more than a little different. It is also very well made. The acting may not be of the highest calibre but it is not embarrassing and the film keeps moving, amazingly it zings by and does not, seem overlong, as I had feared it might. There are absolutely amazingly surreal moments with sushi flying everywhere and biting and causing massive tears in flesh and gushing geysers of blood. I did not find it hilarious but I did smile and the obvious dedication of all involved was infectious. No sacred cow was sacred to this lot either, from salary men and office progression to the way sushi is prepared and eaten - all is ridiculed mercilessly. Is the best way to eat sushi off the bare flesh of a bikini clad young lady? Probably not but it looked OK until it started to burrow! This, then is one of the quirkiest of the many quirky Japanese films I have seen and despite everything, well worth a look, though what you will make of it I cannot say.

Astounding is hardly a strong enough word to describe just how truly sublime DEAD SUSHI was...

This was perhaps the most tremendously fun cinematographic experience of my life! I cannot remember laughing as much while pulling my hair and jumping up and down my seat squealing every five seconds to a point where trying to restrain my reactions became impossible! I also never imagined ever feeling so incredibly hungry, sitting on the edge of my seat, holding my breath and literally drooling with my fists both against my chin while looking at a hundred flying zombie sushi famished for something human.

And yes. If you see me walking around, speaking softly to a small omelette sushi safely tucked on my shoulder, fear not! Omelette sushi are the most adorable creatures and they save lives. Yes. They do. ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

You should know one thing: This is OTT high camp, that only has one goal: To be as crazy as it can be. If you read the outline, you know what you let yourself into. Fun and silly, nothing more and nothing less. We shouldn't talk too much about acting in this movie of course. I think for a comedy of this sorts, it's more than decent. Something you can expect to see in here.

If this is the first Japanese over the top movie you're going to watch, you're either in for a treat or you will very soon find out that this isn't your cup of tea (or sake for that matter). Of course I'm not suggesting you should get drunk for this ;o) (though that might be an idea for a sequel .. Dead Sake!)