ICHI THE KILLER REVIEWED
“Ichi the Killer” was one of those movies that the film nerds loved bringing up during college. Our local arthouse got the movie super late, but it tried to ease us into Miike’s work slowly but surely. When I finally saw Ichi, I was confused. I found myself supporting Kakihara’s rage at trying to bring dignity back to the dying Yakuza. Ichi felt like an afterthought produced by the kinda impotent rage against crime that births things like Death Wish. What’s the difference?
Well, Kakihara isn’t a vigilante that suddenly found his nerve. He’s a killer that has trained and developed his taste for carnage. Our titular hero is striking at those that created his unpleasant situation. What Asano brought to the role of Kakihara almost seemed to highlight the weakness in Miike’s work. In the process of showing a world to the West, the lead focus shifts super hard. This isn’t the first film where the villain is far more developed than the lead.
But, most movies also don’t have jizz credits. Whatever you think about Miike, the man is an auteur.
SPECIAL FEATURES
- Commentary
- Still Gallery
- Trailer
A/V STATS
- 1.78:1 1080p transfer
- DTS-HD 5.1 master audio track
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