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Reviews
Kaiji: Jinsei gyakuten gêmu (2009)
Please, watch the anime or read the original manga
Generally adaptations from medium to medium in the world of film (i.e video game crossovers, remakes of older movies, cartoon remakes) are poor quality. As the original material adapts to its new format it becomes diluted. The work of the original creator is generally mangled to the point of no return.
This film is a prime example.
As far as some of the reviewers above who have made presumptions of Japanese culture portrayed in the film, stating that Japanese people don't 'act' like the characters portrayed in the film, are making ignorant remarks. The original piece of work (either the anime series or the manga) is a psychological thriller, with great attempts made at in-depth analysis of the thought processes of the characters. The commentary made on the greed of society as a whole is invoking.
Bottom Line: Watch the anime if psychological thrillers are up your alley, its not drawn in typical cheesy anime style, nor is it cliché! Don't watch this film unless you have seen the anime, it will probably be a horrid experience! I recommend both Kaiji and the creator's earlier manga/anime Akagi. Both are extraordinary pieces of work in the otherwise cliché and worn out world of Japanese Animated television series.
Drag Me to Hell (2009)
A perfect example of a sub-par script executed by exalted directors, a failure.
To put it bluntly, this film's script is terrible. So terrible in fact, that I, someone who NEVER voices his opinion about anything on the internet, actually took the time to register on IMDb and voice my disappointment in this lacklustre film.
Since the inception of early horror films, there have always been excessively corny pieces of work. Bad horror films are as bountiful as snowflakes in the arctic circle, and much like snowflakes they are usually uniquely interesting in their own way. This film however was like a bad regurgitation of all the time-worn horror failures rolled up and packaged as a possible 'clut classic' via. the Raimi namesake.
What makes the three 'Evil Dead' films 'good', to spite the fact that they are unbelievably corny, is their witty scripts. Things like the humour and pushing the boundaries of the cliché horror films of the day are what makes them classics. This film however, has no interesting points to the script whatsoever, it is plain Jane, mass produced, Hollywood garbage.
The frights are all too predictable. You get the feeling that you've seen this film already a thousand times. The classic horror score warns you of the impending ghoul popping out of the dark, this time with absolutely terrible CG graphics. The most entertaining part of the film was when it reminded me of Evil Dead Two, with the marionette possessed with the puppet-like movement. I was half expecting it to scream 'DEAD BY DAWN, DEAD BY DAWNNN!', and if it had, the film would have got another star from this reviewer.
Acting in horror films is not supposed to be good, hell, its more entertaining sometimes if its absolutely horrible, but in this feature the unimaginative script will make you want to turn the film off. PG-13 horror films MUST rely on innovations in the genre to really 'scare' people (i.e Blair Witch Project, JU-ON). R rated films can use the innovative violence and gore to propel itself to cult classic status. This monstrosity unfortunately has neither.
Terrible flick, IMDb rating is skewed by Raimi brothers die-hard fans, don't believe the 'hype'. I am an Evil Dead junkie and this turd does not cut the mustard. Who writes this garbage and how much do they get paid? Something this unimaginative was probably written by some computer AI in a pentagon basement. It was crap wrapped in a 18karat gold foil, bottom line.