Reviews

Not the most horrifying but good atmosphere with creepy elements

This was a weird watch for me. I quite like watching horror films and thrillers, used to pretty much exclusively watch it, but this yeash its a very obscure film. There were definitely parts that I found creepy and unsettling, the family table for one, very creepy in a way, but I wouldn’t say I felt much horror from it overall.

What instead ended up being what stood out more was how much crime filled the film, the parts with the debt and the previous murder that happened, filled quite a lot IMO. But yeah, that aspect was actually executed quite well. There’s a constant sense of tension and danger, and I think the film does a good job creating a thrilling atmosphere around the criminal side of the story, got the film to have this mysterious vibe over it.
Actiually the more that I reflect on it the more I think that I’d say that’s what the film does best. The horror elements didn’t affect me all that much, but the crime and suspense kept me interested. It has this strange, obscure quality to it that makes the whole experience feel unsettling, even when it isn’t necessarily scary. SO its not horror as much as its mysterious and crime ridden. IDk how else to explain that but yeah.

Overall, it was a strange film to watch. I wouldn’t call it frightening, but I think it succeeds much more as a dark crime thriller with horror elements than as straight-up horror.

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decent watch

i watched this bc of 이준영 ngl and it wasn’t a bad movie, just not something that blew my socks off. it had a solid message and theme, the fight scenes were satisfying, and the pacing was okay. however it didn’t feel movie quality to me, i fear it would’ve done better as a drama lol. even then, there have been other shows that portray the message better, and maybe bc i watched weak hero before this i expected the same level of intensity from a movie, however either way i wouldn’t tell someone not to watch this. long story short, fuck 수강, but i’d fuck 이준영 (pardon my french) lmao

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"What do you talk about with your husband every day?" "I have a cat."

Naruse Mikio explored a post WWII marriage where neither spouse was fulfilled and just treading water in Repast. The film was based on an unfinished book by Hayashi Fumiko with the studio wanting a “happy ending.” Fair warning, a happy ending for 1951 may have a different outlook than 2026.

Michiyo and her husband Hatsunosuke have been married for five years, three of which have been in Osaka. Michiyo misses Tokyo with her family and familiar surroundings and even the chance to work. Her days are a repetitive cycle of cooking, cleaning, and laundry. Her husband works long hours and his most scintillating idea of a conversation starter is “I’m hungry.” When his 20-year-old niece, Satoko, comes to stay with them running away from an unwanted marriage offer, the household is turned upside down. Satoko does what she wants when she wants and Hatsunosuke spends money entertaining her that they don’t have. He is very physically and emotionally affectionate with his niece, something Michiyo does not receive from him. When things finally come to a head, Michiyo escorts his niece back to Tokyo, not knowing if she will ever return home.

Repast showed the daily mindless drudgery so many housewives dealt with following WWII. Michiyo’s life was contained largely within the walls of her house and a few doors down with some neighbors. She’d sold almost anything of value she owned with the exception of her Shamisen. The young cat that visited was her sanity saver. Hatsunosuke’s daily life was no picnic. He worked long hours, but was also able to buy meals out and drink on occasion. The couple had fallen into survival mode, in a relentless, redundant, lifeless existence. Satoko’s entrance shook up the status quo as much as Michiyo’s trip to Tokyo. The big city wasn’t exactly brimming with employment opportunities for men, much less women. And Hatsunosuke discovered that Michiyo wasn’t sitting around eating bon bons at home when he was left to his own devices in the household.

Michiyo and Hatsunosuke were both good people. For 1951 Hatsunosuke was a prize husband. He worked, didn’t run around on Michiyo even when given numerous chances, he wasn’t abusive, and he wasn’t stupid enough to gamble on their future with unsavory business types. Yet somehow the marriage appeared to be more of a business transaction than loving partnership. Michiyo’s sense of isolation and lack of purpose drained her of any joy. Her friends’ envy of her marriage made no sense to her, but then again, she was childless and not living with in-laws or trying to find a job that would provide a living like her single friends. Both spouses had to learn that maybe their lives and places in it weren’t as bad as they thought. Worth a viewing if you are a fan of Naruse or Hara Setsuko.

22 September 2026

Restoration note: The Criterion Channel has restored the film beautifully.

Writer’s note: Screenwriter Tanaka Sumie’s next collaboration with Naruse was a film I enjoyed more—Lightning (1952).

Creepy note: I found the overly tactile relationship between uncle and niece disquieting, especially since Hatsunosuke never tenderly touched Michiyo so it wasn’t like he was generally a physically demonstrative fellow. Maybe he had been with Michiyo at one time as she had married him against her family’s wishes. Regardless, it was a little disturbing.

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Realistic Capture

when i watched this movie i was tearing down by how it strongly captures the insight in some of our homes. every one is going through something that no one else knows and feels whether it's good or bad .even the angry one's feel fear and sadness no matter how bad they are . and at some point in time they tear down for their loved once or of what they have become ,maybe they become something that they were scared of when they were a child or something that is far away from what they dreamed but the thing is, it's life that's how it's programmed and it's how as humans programmed . and in the end of the day we all want a happy life with little problems and we have to adapt with it and fix it with our self's and with our loved one's together . and we have to understand each other and find our ways together to pass our problems .

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You may turn your head a time or two but you will not be bored.

Escape is not for the faint hearted, I barely made it through myself. It tares at your heart all the way through.

Lee Ji Hoon as Im Kyu-Nam gives us a glimpse of what it must be like for someone in NK to want freedom at any cost, even their very life.

Koo Kyo-Hwan as Ri Hyeon-Sang gives us the very opposite view of someone in the same country, possibly once desperate to live free, who made compromises to just live.

For LJH’s and KKH’s excellent performances alone I highly recommend this movie. The were perfectly paired for their roles.

Hong Xa-Bin as Kim Dong-Hyeon gives us the heart wrenching portrait of one of the many desperate for freedom who, for whatever reason, could not see their dream through to reality.

I highly recommend this film. In spite of its flaws (some implausibility) it is told with raw intensity. You may turn your head a time or two but you will not be bored. In many aspects, is probably not far from what happens, to one degree or another, daily in the Hermit Kingdom.

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Repetitive and slow, despite constant action

After the movie ended, the guy next to me turned to his friends and told them that he fell asleep during a chase scene. When he woke up 20 minutes later, the chase was still going on.

And that really is the biggest issue with this movie — it's just a string of action sequences that go on forever AND do the exact same thing over and over again. There are so many chase sequences and gun fights, but I never feel any actual tension during them. It's partly because the characters are all really flat and there's no emotional arc attached to any of them, and partly because there's just so much plot armor. I usually don't mind plot armor for our heroes, but it's not used in any meaningful way to move the story forward; everyone just gets up and continues to do the same running around for 5, 10, or 15 more minutes.

In the final act we're randomly given insight into the antagonists' perspective, and it felt extremely random and unnecessary. The CGI was highly questionable, which ruined my immersion in the story every time there was a close-up, but more importantly, there was no build-up to the characters or the lore. The ending feels really abrupt.

The humor didn't land for me either. There's one car scene that's pretty funny, but other than that I found the constant yelling and swearing really grating and annoying. That one poo joke goes on for way too long.

Maybe it's my fault for expecting something with more emotional substance, but this really was just an action flick, and everything about it — the plot, the antagonists, the humor, the CGI — feels very 2010s (derogatory).

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You wanna a movie on bullying? There're far better options...As for more handsome options? Maybe not

My first thought about this movie -- rather juvenile.

Story that can be fed to an elementary schooler and then maybe early high schooler. Even young adult may struggle with this thin-paper narrative. I can name three different dramas dealing with bullying that had some substance. Very low in quality, this one. Whoever is funding this, they gave all the money to two leads to carry this stupid narrative, and the rest were paid in candies.

8.4 of what? those candies maybe. Per person.

From the beginning until the end the story did not make sense...The cat narrative, and the fighting with students...and whole school being submissive to a bully for always the same reason. Bully's parent? Ofc crazy. Where is father? who knows. And whole school bows to her? But of course. The headmaster bows down to the student? Why do you ask. Cmon, how much longer do I need to go? I am yawning as I type. It is getting a bit old, all of this, our k-drama patriots, yes?

Also why was the teacher passionate about teaching? why was she teaching Ethics? what was the depth of issue with the father? The movie started interesting, at the beginning took somewhat comedic tone with Si Min being realistically selfish because her survival was at hand...I got hopeful for somewhat refreshing take on this long-standing topic...and then pam-pam she switches for god knows why into fighter without boundaries or reason. Shin Hae-sun did a good job in her role of So Si Min, don't get me wrong. Her character I have problems with.

As for the antagonist. Let me deal with Lee Jun-young -- he just does these expressions that scream evil and he does them so well. That being said, no matter how attractive he was, there was too much of him on screen for how little we know about him. Why was he like this? Why were others following him, cos of fear? Lazy work. Why was his mother scared of him? We don't know anything. And we don't ask cos Jun-young can build up tension and chemistry with a tree. And whoever made this movie definitely used (if not exploited) this. I felt none of supporting characters were present in my memory, almost like the script did not exist for them. A shame really, some lazy work. Especially cos supporting cast had potential (like bully Cha Woo Min as Lee Mun Gi or the grandma acted by Son Sook). There were some good actors casted here, but they had no scenes.

This is how I see scriptwriters going about this...they saw that Jun-young does villain great and looks great, so let's make him fight and do crazy laugh for 90 minutes, the girls are gonna eat it up, yes? Well, maybe that is what gives you 8.4 score on this movie.

But the quality of this movie, if it goes over 6, I can delete this account. Very commendable for him to carry this movie but I think also his acting by the end of the movie started to feel repetitive as his character was always on screen and always doing the same thing.

Overall disappointing...I do not suggest you to watch it.

I think if you are only watching it for Lee Jun-young, you can watch Weak Hero, and have a great time along with some great acting (where he also acts as a villainesque character) and it also tackles bullying topic.

Tnx for reading,
RXP

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Beautiful and Difficult

This film was inspired by events surrounding the Battle of Okinawa towards the end of World War II, and focuses on the experiences of two Japanese soldiers — one, a regular officer, and the other a very raw recruit, local to the island on which the film is set. After their island has been taken over by American forces they hide in a giant Banyan tree, waiting for reinforcements to arrive, not realizing the war has ended. The film explores their relationship and how they navigate the considerable differences in their social standing, life experiences, and expectations. Both actors do a great job. Shinichi Tsutsumi plays the older, embittered, officer and Yuki Yamaha the young recruit. I found Yamada’s character the most poignant — he saw so many of his friends killed. The film is largely structured in terms of the relationship between the two men who are forced into close confinement. An almost fatherly bond forms between the older officer and the new recruit. It raises larger questions of how difficult it is to navigate profound loss — not only personal loss, but loss of an identity that structured a person’s day to day life in Imperial Japan when old answers to questions about how to be a loyal citizen and a good person don’t seem to reflect reality anymore.

The film has a strong anti-war message. I thought this was a very good film. I watched it right after having seen the Chinese film Dongji Island, about Japanese atrocities which also took place partly on an island. It was an interesting combination.

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Fast Paced

I wish both main charecters were fleshed out more. I'm unclear when either one of them started liking each other.

I think it needed to be longer or drop that subplot towards the end. I think FL feeling guilty about using him was enough conflict without having to have the competition.

The cousin thing was weird-I had look it up and learned that that is normal in Japan.

I was a great plot idea that needed more breathing room.

Do Me When You Come Home was kind of the same storyline, except with adults and the ML offered and was in the know about being her romance reference. I liked that story better.

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Life is just a show

Omg the opening stage play was so silly but fun. I love the vaguely English crowd cheering for "Samurai Zen" lmao
They picked a fantastic locale for this movie. The scenic backgrounds really give this movie a mystery feeling.
It sorta feels like Takeshi and Mayo are in two different movies watching this.

Takeshi feels so very over the top unlike serious Mayo.I know it's meant to be contrast but the mesh feels off.
I would of liked to see their relationship fleshed out more. This is where, I think the story really faltered. There was a big lack of chemistry between these two. And it was only good when the were arguing about the usage of "uncle."

The whole movie, you're like Momoko is sus as fuck lol.
It's funny seeing Ito in this as Kasumi's husband when the first thing I saw him in was Flying colors as Kasumi's teacher lol.

The one thing that they did well was make all the people look suspicious as fuck. It was hard to tell who was tailgating who for nefarious reasons or their own agendas. So I liked that aspect. There were definitely many red herrings.

I like that they expanded upon Mayo's backstory with Kenta but then it felt like it dragged on too much and made the plot of the movie suffer. Again this is that problem with the movie feeling like two separate movies smashed together. The pacing in this felt more like it should been a limited 6 episode series. They have weird pin drops and stops that feel like an end of episode cliffhanger.

The ending scene where all the exposition happened felt really weird. People didn't act like people. If I'm being accused of a crime, most people won't just be like "bye!" Then abruptly stop at a minor inconvenience holding them back like being "locked"in a room by some rando guy. Also, everyone sitting down like it was class without questioning what was going on was super weird too.

The person I suspected to be the culprit turned out to be true in the end. There was too many blatant clues lol. The death scene reenactment was pretty funny I have to say lool.

The soundtrack was very tv sounding which again hurt the atmosphere of the movie. It really felt like a smaller production. I think Kasumi was really the only standout here again. Fukuyama did a amicable job, but I feel like the script and direction let him down.

Film was shot quite well in many scenes, but it's hard to really say anything stood out next to the beautiful scenery. Much of the interesting camera angles felt as if they were just experimenting without any real thought behind the shot.

Overall not a must watch movie in any sense. I suppose you could throw it on if you want something to watch. Both Mystery fans will probably want to skip this for it's lack of detail and narrative weaving.

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