Review of Ichi the Killer (2001) by Doctor S — 13 Nov 2012

*Gulp.* What can be said about Ichi the Killer? Well, I discovered there was torture porn long before Saw and Hostel popularized the genre in the West. Eli Roth in particular must have been a big Ichi fan, not to mention Quentin Tarantino obviously picked up a few pointers on how to jetspray blood for his Kill Bill climax. Unlike Saw and Hostel however, this is not a one-dimensional bloodbath - there is an actual story and some intriguing, if repellant, characters. Topping that list is the flashy dressing, facially scarred Kakihara, a ruthless thug who knows no limits to dishing out (and receiving) pain in his effort to find the kidnappers of his boss, a local crime lord. Then there's Ichi himself, as unique a mass murderer as there is to be found in film with a meek, almost childlike disposition until incensed into an uncontrollable rage by his "handler" by stirring painful memories of past bullying.

This is the kind of movie you should be aware of what you're getting into - even by today's standards, which is a little over a decade later, some acts of violence are quite shocking. And the amount of brutal violence shown against women far exceeds anything you'll ever find made in the States. This in particular was the most disturbing aspect, and believe me there are plenty to choose from. Gory without restraint, sometimes in an amusing over-the-top Peter Jackson way, but too often in the grossout Paul Verhoeven way. Definitely lives up (down?) to its reputation in blood and guts. And that's not just an expression.

Glad I finally saw it - on my watch list for a long time - and won't soon forget it either. Be careful what you wish for. Add to that an ending that is so perplexing, it's bugging the hell outta me. I couldn't quite fathom the motivations of the "handler" in the first place, so the ending is an even more maddening mystery. Crap, do I have to watch it again??