Got lost along the way…
So, as much as I do not wish to use comparison in my reviews, the short way of summing this film up is be saying Wind Breaker fell into the traps that Tokyo Revengers did not, as both are works in the same genre (and style). Having watched both films without the context of their anime or manga, Tokyo Revengers drew me into the world and characters with a sense of purpose, while Wind Breaker left me wondering what crucial information was missing from the film that lead to me never really investing in the characters or events of the film.The characters were lacklustre and not given sufficient depth or drive, with only two exceptions (neither of whom are the protagonist). While the film attempted to give characters enough background and depth with small snippets of the past, only one of these flashbacks truly felt meaningful. The end result was a film that felt somewhat meandering and slow, in spite of a strong enough start and being in the action genre.
There was also a major failing in the special fx area with one character’s feet not looking like feet (likely due to a combination of safety issues and lack of vfx budget) which was a distraction in one of the major fights.
Soundtrack was generally decent although unfortunately I’m pretty sure I heard a slur in one of the songs used early in the film which is also not great.
If you are a fan of the cast, then watch it. If you are a fan of the manga or anime, perhaps watch it. If you are neither of those, give it a miss or go watch Tokyo Revengers instead.
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A film of risk, parental love, and found family.
Night Flower is a well done film with a couple of flaws, yet to what extent they are truly flaws is up for debate.The initial quarter of the film is slow, almost in a reluctant way. I was surprised by how much introduction and groundwork was laid before the leads initially met. As a strength, it sets up character depth, motivations, and context, but some may find this time to be a bit too long.
Following this, there is a steady build of tension through the film, highlighted by some fleeting ‘calm before the storm’ moments, although the incoming storm, so to speak, was in some ways anticlimactic and defied expectation. To some again, this may not be an appealing factor. However, I would counter this with the deliberateness of the storytelling, it felt very intentional, serving as a highlight to the proximity to disaster, but not yet completely lost amid the storm.
This film is full of moments of familial warmth, contrasted starkly by the bitter and cruel world of the people around them. Tamae’s new connection with Natsuki and her family becomes that of found family, and while there may be some sapphic undertones, there is no romance in this film as the focus is more on familial love, which was one major question I had had from initially seeing the poster and trailer months ago.
The acting was solid, without any over or under acting issues in key scenes. The soundtrack emphasised classical music fittingly as it is not without its place in the narrative. The narrative was at times unexpected, but in ways that lead to the film feeling deeply rooted in reality in a way that is very much true to Japanese storytelling.
Lastly, one small detail I might mention is that there were two foreign characters with bit parts, and I very much appreciated that they were not treated any differently to anyone else. The one who spoke, didn’t have a foreign accent and wasn’t treated any differently to if she had been Japanese, which I think is a nice detail, considering representation of foreigners like this in Japanese film and drama is not so common.
As for the ending, without any spoilers, I would say it is strange, unexpected, and somewhat sudden. I am very much fine with open endings, but this story left me wanting to see a continuation, yet I equally doubt there are plans for a sequel.
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Although a lot happened, there is little meaning to be found.
This film being advertised as romance with darker elements feels rather misleading. It attempts to be a romance, but the developing connection between the leads did not lead to me investing in their relationship. It attempts to have mystery elements, but failed to make things less than obvious. The strongest point of the film feels like a cop-out, in the sense that it brings about room for debate on the effects and ethics therein of manipulation? But saying that still feels like a stretch.In this film, a lot happens. The first quarter of the film sets off at a good pace, where it feels like it will comment on humanity or school life in some way, but it goes on not to do this. So it isn’t really a human drama. Neither Miyamine nor Kei gives viewers enough to make this a psychological drama. Crime and thriller are also not appropriate genres for the events or atmosphere. I already mentioned that the romance here is not given enough development, and I am capable of enjoying a subtle romance, but I didn’t really feel the leads connect here.
So, I come back to this. In this film, there are a lot of things that happen, and everything is somewhat intertwined, but if this were a book, it feels more like a history textbook. I have been shown the events that took place and who did what and why, but not in a way that evokes any more emotion in me than reading a list of things I need to memorise for a test.
Looking past the story, the acting was….fine? I don’t know if it was a casting issue or a directing issue, but the character meant to be the most psychologically fascinating showed no signs of depth below the surface. The leads were outshone by the supporting cast.
I am not a reader of the original material so I cannot speak for whether or not this is a good adaptation of a pre-existing work. I suspect the original would have had far more psychological aspects.
This review may make it sound like I disliked or hated the film, which I didn’t. However, it felt meaningless to me somehow. I was interested enough to watch it but it failed to stand out to me in any positive ways, in spite of a strong opening quarter.
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What it says on the tin.
Kuchinai Sakura is a visually appealing film set in semi-rural Aichi prefecture, Japan, with a solid cast, an exemplary soundtrack, and a rather unexpected plot.Yes, this is a crime mystery drama film. However, the synopsis, while looking like it gives away too much, barely scratches the surface. There is a complexity, weaving all the threads together to tell the story. Most pleasingly for me was the subtle but largely unexpressed undertone of something else, of a softer nature that plays to contrast to the stark events of the opening.
If you are looking for an action-thriller crime drama, best look elsewhere. This is a dialogue-heavy film and linguistically challenging for those who might see it in cinemas. It isn’t absent of all action, but it certainly focuses more on nuance.
The pinnacle of this film, for me, was the final scene. The choice to conduct the ending in the way they did was thought provoking, emotion-driving, and I love the refusal to give the “clean cut” closure many would want from such a film. To put it simply, this film does not stray from the realm of plausible reality, and that is very much a strength.
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Certainly creative but at times, frustrating.
Exit 8 does some well and truly clever things in the sound design. Yes, enough so to be the first line of my review. The opening section is all done so cleverly in an immersive way, which is also the strongest section of the film in my opinion. Additionally, the choice for Ravel’s Bolero to be the main theme of the film is a witty one - a piece that is lengthy with lots of repetition of the main theme on different instruments, much like Exit 8’s hallway. The piece and the film have the same major issue for me - an excessive use of variations on a theme. While engaging, I feel the film could have done a little more with the fear factor.Luckily, the film does bring some variation, and in doing so it explores some existential themes, while sticking to the core premise and exploring it a bit further.
The strengths of the film:
- Immersive sound design. (Brilliant use of surround sound!)
- Visually crisp and clean.
- Strong acting performances.
- Underlying human themes.
The weaknesses of the film:
- A sense of monotony begins to creep in throughout.
- Some painfully unrealistic character reactions. (Where I became frustrated at times.)
- Variations could have maintained better momentum.
Definitely a good film, and I’d go as far as to say clever, but I wouldn’t say brilliant. Worth a watch if you’re interested, a fan of the game, or if you’d like something different from the usual. Best experienced in cinemas or with surround sound. Also an easy watch without subtitles even if you only understand some very basic Japanese, as this film has little dialogue, of which most is mercifully simple.
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The best in the genre.
I will preface this review with this: I am a sucker for crime, mystery, psychological, and thriller elements all mixed in with a sprinkling of romance. However, it is incredibly rare to find a show that can successfully juggle all these elements, while staying well-written, plausible, and detailed. Koi wa Yami succeeded.The tone is wonderfully consistent throughout the show, and not a single scene is wasted or without purpose. I love that as a show, Koi wa Yami had me wondering why characters behaved or reacted in the ways they did, as it felt intentional, and that was most certainly delivered. There were no weaknesses to be found in the acting whatsoever, so every little mannerism was well and truly relevant, and that is a feat. The level of detail was perfection as far as I’m concerned - in that they trickle just enough information for the viewer to be puzzling and suspicious, but never quite enough to reach a solid conclusion.
There was not a single point in the show where I felt there was a stumbling block, in fact, to the extent I found it really difficult to take breaks while watching. The colour grading, while a little strange with Makoto’s hair in the penultimate episode, generally served the tone of the show well, as a more subdued, realistic, and dark mystery.
A favourite part of Koi wa Yami for me is the way the characters explore the concept of ‘the truth’. In the sense that, even in the far depths of deception, there is still truth to be found an deciphered, even if it is a mere 1% amidst the sea of lies.
If you are a fan of any of the cast, or like me, the concoction of mystery, crime, thriller, psychological, and a bit of romance, this is absolutely the show for you, and I cannot recommend it enough. Shison Jun is actually how I found this drama, after seeing him in Glass Heart, and generally enjoying shows he has been in over the years.
The only thing I could dare attempt to compare Koi wa Yami to is Flower of Evil (Kdrama), which is another all-time favourite of mine on this site, although my personal preference having now seen both would be for Koi wa Yami. Nonetheless, both are solid dramas in a niche that is lacking in truly well-done entries.
If you’re thinking about watching, my answer would most certainly be to go for it!
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