Dead End Run

If you go into Dead End Run expecting the sequel to Electric Dragon 80,000V you'll be disappointed, this is not the continuation, prequel, or sequel, although most of the people from that film are in this one.. the similarities end there.

Dead End Run explores the connection between life and death, confrontation and resolution, perhaps even love at the brink of heightened danger. To that end this film achieves its goals by presenting to you a series of stories (three in total) with different views of the same theme. They each start off with someone running, and end at a climactic moment, with little dialog or story telling.

Dead End Run is more about capturing a fleeting concept, or an emotion perhaps, its not about a story necessarily. I found this film highly enjoyable, and have already viewed it several times over, each time noticing the amazing detail that went into certain sequences (Steam!) The movie itself does have some faults however, it drags a little too long, while trying to convey emotion and heighten suspense, I feel that it just prolongs the moment and doesn't heighten or add anything to the material at all. However these moments are sparse, as the movie is only 1 hour or so long, the film doesn't leave you hanging for long. Definitely a movie for fans of art, composition, and slow pacing.

But good weird or bad weird? I'm leaning towards the former, if only because the rote yakuza film I was expecting turned out to be anything but, and I do like surprises.

Avant-garde might be the best way of describing what happens here: three "stories," each concerning two people, a (possible) death, and the relationship formed between those people in that moment. Beyond that, things just get...weird. In one segment, for instance, a recently killed woman animates herself in a very horror movie fashion, and then goes on to do a long, strange, song/dance piece with her killer.

The first and second sequences are closely linked in terms of content and style, whereas the third follows a much more conventional cops-and-crook set up, which seems a bit disappointing - except that it may or may not represent a thematic resolution of the first two. You be the judge.

Reminiscent, vaguely, of David Lynch, though with lower production values. Long stretches of silence, heavy on atmosphere; one of the most stunning shots of steam you'll ever see. Not a great movie by any means, but certainly an interesting one.