Rage

This Japanese mystery/drama is made up of three concurrent stories centring on enigmatic strangers who enter the orbits of trusting individuals from different Japanese cities, while a grim double-murder investigation plays out in the background. In Chiba, an ex sex worker forms a relationship with a taciturn young man whom her father is wary of, a confident gay man begins a relationship with a quiet and mysterious man he met in a seedy joint in downtown Tokyo and a young lady newly arrived in Okinawa befriends a drifter who lives alone on a nearby island.

I must say that I found this film to be pretty riveting from start to finish. The detective strand of the story takes a bit of a back-seat while the three main plot strands propel forwards. But the whodunit aspect remains extremely compelling and I was gripped to the end. The various stories all play off feelings of trust/mistrust in regard to how the trio of strangers are perceived and treated by the people they come into contact with. The acting by the ensemble cast is very strong throughout and the different dramas all have a strong dramatic punch to them. The film is pleasingly unpredictable and it really is difficult working out how it is going to play out, which is of course a big bonus for a mystery movie, but while the ending was satisfying it might have been slightly less than the journey getting there. This is a fairly minor complaint as this as a whole is a very strong bit of Japanese cinema. Be warned though, there is one extremely harrowing scene mid-way through the picture which was hell of a difficult to watch and very emotionally tough indeed. A couple of folks at the screening I attended walked out at this point in actual fact, I won't say any more as its best to go into this with no prior knowledge as it is a key scene. So, it is a film which is definitely tough in places. It is a very impressive bit of work though, with strong dramatics underpinned by a compelling mystery framework and it is well worth seeing if you can take films with disturbing content.

It's a very emotional movie which touches on a few rather uncomfortable, unpleasant and tragic real life subjects. The acting is really good. Unfortunately the plot writing is a bit of a weak point. It's not very creative or believable. Also, some of the protagonists' reactions to the events taking place don't make much sense in terms of realism and only seem to serve for increasing dramatic effect.

Rage (Ikari) is a Japanese suspense mystery drama film directed by Lee Sang-il and based on Shuichi Yoshida's mystery novel, following the same creative partnership behind their recent highly anticipated film Kokuho (National Treasure).

The film weaves together parallel narratives - the hunt for a murderer across three locations and the intimate examination of trust and human connection - creating a complex exploration of both mystery and the fragility of human relationships.

"The request was for one theme, one motivational motif that would start out sounding like 'distrust' and gradually transform into 'trust' as the film progressed," says Sakamoto.

"What the director most wanted to explore was this human dynamic between distrust and trust - whether some form of love could emerge from that tension. It seems that's where his focus was."

Through many exchanges with the director and his persistent creative demands, Sakamoto crafted music that masterfully captures the complex emotional depths of modern humanity.

The melody repeats the same phrase while evolving gradually, enveloping the anger and grief that live within the film and transforming it into beautiful music.

"This time, I went to Seattle to record the live string parts with the same musicians who played on 'The Revenant.' We got a really good sound and great performances.

For 'Rage,' while it has elements similar to 'The Revenant,' I tried to create something with a broader range of listening possibilities.

Since I have this work, I want to go up the stairs one by one, even if they're small steps, so that's how I approach it.

Review written by artist jayakumar.

Even without the vices of lust for money, hate, envy, human beings can be such miserable creatures. This is a heart wrenching drama set in beautiful locations and beautifully acted.

It's a take on the psyche of simple people, when faced with adversity, sometime even not directed at them. It's about love, rage, helplessness, faith, trust and beliefs and how sometimes they get the better of us.

Films like Se7en, Crash come to mind in terms of the effect it leaves behind. And like those films probably I wont muster the desire to watch it again, but I am glad I saw it.

Not to be confused with the Nicolas Cage film with the same movie title, "Rage" follows 3 different story/relationship, each involving 3 main characters within the group, where one of them may end up being the suspect. Of course it involves rage, but also mistrust.

There really aren't that many powerful Japanese films that keep you engaged from start to finish. However, this is one of those rare interesting/powerful films that is definitely worth checking out. It does make you want to keep watching to see how it's going to end and who the suspected killer is that's on the loose.

The film does not hold back at all covering many controversial subjects like homosexuality/gay club prostitution, rape, Okinawa/US Soldier problem. These are actual real-life issues.

This film is definitely not something you watch with your entire family; it will definitely make you feel uncomfortable.

There is nudity and some extremely depressing uncomfortable scenes that is almost too graphic and realistic. I could not help it but cry and REALLY feel for the character, the impact was so big; it will leave you with rage too.

I think the beginning of the film was more powerful than the climax. The climactic scene maybe could have been better... Nevertheless, it is a film that stays with you even days later.

Excellent all-star casting. Aoi Miyazaki really fits the clumsy air-headed prostitute daughter of Ken Watanabe. Satoshi Tsumabuki really put himself out there playing a gay character in the closet. Suzu Hirose, super cute and recently popular actress, playing the girl from Okinawa was quite powerful.

Powerful performances and great music to go with the film.

It is definitely a movie I would put on my top list of Japanese films. Sang-il Lee is definitely also one of the best directors in Japan.

Worth watching!