Ichi the Killer: Blood Pack
by Takashi Miike
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DVD details
Actor: Nao Omori, Tadanobu AsanoDirector: Takashi Miike
Brand: Media Blasters
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); English (Original Language); Japanese (Original Language); English (Dubbed)
Format: Color, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 129 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-05-29
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Media Blasters
DVD Reviews of Ichi the Killer: Blood Pack
DVD Review: The most unique film...
Summary: 5 Stars
Well... I've finally seen my first Miike film. After accidentally stumbling upon "Ichi The Killer," I decided to look more into it. I was intrigued by the charismatic director, and even more so by the movie's content. After drumming up enough enthusiasm, I went all out and bought the "Blood Pack." I must say, I was NOT disappointed in the least.
As far as Miike himself, many others have said far more eloquent things about him than I could ever hope to. Love him or hate him, I can guarantee there is at least one film in his vast catalog that will appeal to each and every movie buff. There are action films (Dead or Alive), films devoted to black humor (Visitor Q), creepy/horror films (Audition), a musical, and even a family movie (Zebraman). The man is a true innovator and I am certainly going to investigate his vast works more thoroughly.
"Ichi The Killer" is far and away one of the coolest movies I have ever seen. It is drawn from a manga, so many aspects of this movie are over the top. This does not make it seem silly or take away from the action in the least though. I would point out that the "graphic" violence that is in this film is really nothing to get excited about. There are only two scenes that are done with purposeful realism, and I will admit them a little difficult to view. But the blood-spraying, eviscerating carnage brought on by Ichi is about as believable as a cartoon. It is humanly impossible to bring the type of carnage that is wrought on-screen, and although I can only speak for myself, this made the violence a non-issue. If you can only keep an open mind and tell yourself that what you are seeing is not physically possible, then you should have no qualms about seeing this movie. (I even got my girlfriend to watch it with no problem, and Lord Of The Rings was the most violent movie she'd ever seen beforehand).
The plot is a bit convoluted, but the story is very simple. Miike made this film thinking that his viewers were capable of thinking for themselves and could follow along. I personally had no problems keeping up, but the story does take a while to explain everything. There is also little to no character development. While this could potentially be a problem, thinking about the movie as a single episode in the life of the Anjo Gang, a chapter in a book if you will, explains it. True, we don't know why the characters act the way they do, but the lack of background is really not missed. At best, it would have added some psychological reasons for the demented behavior witnessed here, but in order to properly explore it for just one character would have taken FOREVER. In the end, it would have simply lengthened the movie's runtime and muddied the already twisted plot.
Check out IMDB.com for a plot synopsis if you wish, I will not give one here.
THE BAD: *Blood pack is potentially off-putting. It took me a while to get my disks out when I first got it. Once they're out though it's a piece of cake to put them back. *There is a lot of violence in this film, don't take your kids to see it. *Some subject matter may not sit well with some viewers, due to its confrontational nature.
THE GOOD: *Extremely unique film, from the characters, to the way it was shot, to the thought-provoking subject matter (namely the exploration of Sadism and Masochism and how they manifest themselves in otherwise "normal" people). *Acting is amazing. I challenge you to watch this and not like Kakihara (whose face is on the front. That's not Ichi). *The Blood Pack is totally sweet. I've never seen a movie packaged like this, and it elicited extreme admiration from everyone who saw it. *The bonus DVD is very cool as well. The interviews are interesting, the actors very candid, and the other material fits right in. *There is a lot of violence in this film, get your kids a baby-sitter and go see it. *The over-the-top action and style of film-making is perfect. It takes the edge off of what could be very uncomfortable material. *There are patented black humor moments in this film. I laughed out loud more than once.
5 stars. Please watch this with an open mind. I promise there is something in this movie for everyone.
Description of Ichi the Killer: Blood Pack
ICHI THE KILLER BLOOD PACK - DVD MovieBestsellers in DVD
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