Review of Ichi the Killer (2001) by Masorad ( — 30 Sep 2009

I'm a huge fan of gore films and Ichi The Killer expresses that rather profoundly. In other words, it's the XXX of the genre. Directer Takashi Miike doesn't hold back on it and brazenly distributes in a chaotic way.

To first time viewers, the man on the cover is not Ichi, but Kakihara. Most of the film centers around him and his sado-masochistic nature. Where Ichi goes on his somewhat unconscious-like killing spree, Kakihara generally loves what he does to his victims and is aware of it.

Sporting slits on the sides of his cheeks that are held closed by lip rings, he tortures and kills his way for answers. But, his true intentions lie on finding Ichi, and hoping he's the one person that can give him a just fight and death.

Ichi's only drive in life is to get back at all the bullies he comes across. His character was kind of confusing and I found myself mad on some of the actions he took. He really didn't fit the persona of this "killer".

The trauma he experienced when he was younger seriously took a toll on him and turned him into this coward that cried when confronted in an aggressive way. The complexity of Ichi The Killer starts to unravel at the end and will have most viewers watching it once more to figure it out.

If you can't stomach the first ten minutes of the film, you might as well stop there.