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Sledge · 10-22-2003, 02:59 PM

Hehe.

My friends and I disagree about the craft of the movie, sometimes to polar-opposite opinions - I think it did a really good job of fleshing out the teenagers, while they thought they were flat stereotypes with no development; I think the violence was intended to prove a point about Japanese society, while they thought it was just a gorefest.

I see how you could interpret the movie both ways. I guess I'm just led to give it the benefit of the doubt.

So... intelligent drama or brainless bloodfest?

What makes me think that this is more than just another slasher fic is the consistency of each character. Take Mitsuko (the crazy killer girl). Yeah, when she dies there's the voiceover where she says "I just didn't want to be a loser." If you go back and watch again you can see hints of that earlier, especially in the conversation with the second girl she kills. She's had a tough life that easily leads her to the conclusion that no one will help you and you better work to get to the top.

I don't know, there are just these little details that fit together. Kawada ties his shoelaces and sprints out of the room when his names is called at the start, which fits with his commando-like persona. It's thrown into sharp relief by the other "transfer," Kiriyama, who's chewing gum or tobacco as he walks out of the room slowly, completely relaxed. When Kawada runs back in because he doesn't like his weapon, he knocks Kiriyama aside, but Kiriyama doesn't even stop chewing - completely without surprise or emotion. Nothing groundbreaking, just kind of neat.

IMO, it's the characters that keep this movie from being senseless violence.

10-22-2003, 02:59 PM	#19 (permalink)
Sledge Pasture Bedtime	Hehe. My friends and I disagree about the craft of the movie, sometimes to polar-opposite opinions - I think it did a really good job of fleshing out the teenagers, while they thought they were flat stereotypes with no development; I think the violence was intended to prove a point about Japanese society, while they thought it was just a gorefest. I see how you could interpret the movie both ways. I guess I'm just led to give it the benefit of the doubt. So... intelligent drama or brainless bloodfest? What makes me think that this is more than just another slasher fic is the consistency of each character. Take Mitsuko (the crazy killer girl). Yeah, when she dies there's the voiceover where she says "I just didn't want to be a loser." If you go back and watch again you can see hints of that earlier, especially in the conversation with the second girl she kills. She's had a tough life that easily leads her to the conclusion that no one will help you and you better work to get to the top. I don't know, there are just these little details that fit together. Kawada ties his shoelaces and sprints out of the room when his names is called at the start, which fits with his commando-like persona. It's thrown into sharp relief by the other "transfer," Kiriyama, who's chewing gum or tobacco as he walks out of the room slowly, completely relaxed. When Kawada runs back in because he doesn't like his weapon, he knocks Kiriyama aside, but Kiriyama doesn't even stop chewing - completely without surprise or emotion. Nothing groundbreaking, just kind of neat. IMO, it's the characters that keep this movie from being senseless violence.