Human sacrifice, severed limbs, crazy locals and
mummification. I guess it’s that time of the month again. Welcome to the
wonderful world of Japanese cinema. Kenta Fukasaku (Yo-Yo Cop Girl, Battle
Royale 2) is back behind the camera for his fourth feature, working from a
script by Tetsuya Oishi (the Death Note movies), based upon a novel by Nobuyuki
Joko. It’s a familiar tale of love and loss, with emphasis very much on the
loss of limbs, and you know, not loving that loss very much.
Shiyori (Nao Matsushita) has just split up with her boyfriend, so her best
friend Aiko (J-Pop star Ami Suzuki) suggests a relaxing break in the mountains
to get away from it all. I'm pretty sure this is going to end well. Two locals
from Ashikari Village are there to greet the girls when they arrive, complete
with arched backs, crooked teeth and native dialect. You would expect the alarm
bells to start ringing, but no, these girls aren’t even spooked by the creepy
scarecrows that watch over the village. They’ll probably be regretting that
later, mummified dead girls may keep the crows away but they don’t exactly make
for good Facebook albums.
After a dip in the spa, Shiyori returns to her cabin, only
to discover a ringing phone on the floor. A guy called Mononobe warns her of
trouble, screaming at her to get the hell out before they chop off her leg.
Shiyori is horrified by the nature of the call; this was clearly not the kind
of break she was hoping for. It turns out that the local residents and
certified crazies have been sacrificing young girls for years, chopping off
their legs so that they can’t escape. I’m pretty sure none of this was
mentioned in the brochure either.
Multiple time frames will keep you glued to the screen as Kenta Fukasaku does
his father proud with a feast of relentless action, dark humour and chainsaw
wielding heroines. His follow up to Kinji’s Battle Royale was of course, underwhelming,
never nearly frantic enough to please such a large cult following. The same can
be said for his take on Yo-Yo Cop Girl; both films certainly had their moments
but never truly captured the spirit of the source material. Not so X Cross,
here we have a hearty portion of crazy shit, served up with a side order of
anarchy and a bottle or two of the red stuff.
Nao Matsushita is good in the leading role, but her character isn’t entirely
memorable. She plays the token horror victim with a high moral ground and low
common sense. It’s Ami Suzuki who gets to have all the fun; Aiko is the
wildcard of the piece with a penchant for easy guys, maniacal ex-girlfriends
and high-powered chainsaws. She has her own problems to contend with when she
comes face to face with Reika (Maju Ozawa), giant scissors and a need for revenge
are the order of the day here, and Reika comes on like a cross between Little
Bo Peep and Freddy Krueger.
She’s a mesmerising creation and her scenes are by far the
most enjoyable of the entire movie. “Have you ever seen the true face of Hell?”
she asks inquisitively of her capture, brandishing a pair of blades that would
put pay to Rapunzel’s mane in no time. Kenta cuts loose with a stylish flurry
of kick ass action and devilish humour. Snip, snip, snip indeed.
I wasn’t expecting much from Kenta Fukasaku’s latest, but with X Cross he has
directed the best film of his career. Destined to become a firm favourite
among Japanese movie fans, X Cross really does mark the spot. Creepy concepts,
lofty performances and polished delivery combine for a bloodstained romp that
demands to be seen. This is what Japanese cinema is all about, so go on, break
a leg. AW
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