From the End of the World

Kazuaki Kiriya isn't the most prolific director, so I was surprised to see his latest (and possibly last) film arrive with little fanfare. It's probably why I didn't jump on From the End of the World [Sekai no Owari Kara] right away (to be fair, the lackluster poster didn't help either), but boy was I proven wrong. It's one of the more accomplished urban fantasy films I've seen in quite some time and while not as outright maximalist compared to his earlier work, there's still plenty of stylistic muscle flexing going on. This is a film that deserves a much bigger (international) audience.

Kiriya made a name for himself with Goemon and Casshern, but these two films also had their detractors. They were extremely showy and in-your-face, sporting very contemporary style elements (read: some complained they looked too much like video games). His attempt to make it in Hollywood was interesting, but not at the same level. After that, it got quiet around Kiriya, until he finally surfaced with this film, his self-proclaimed swan song. And once again, From the End of the World may just be a little too ambitious for its own good.

The film is an original work (though its manga/anime influences are obvious) that reminded me quite a bit of Makoto Shinkai's fantasy films. The biggest difference is that there's a darker edge to Kiriya's story, but the young female protagonist who gets caught up in a modern fantasy tale that far transcends the scope of her puny life did feel familiar. It's bold to try and make this type of film in live action, especially when you don't have a Hollywood-sized budget at your disposal, but when it hits all the marks you know you have something special on your hands.

Hana is a young girl living with her grandmother. Both her parents died in a car crash. When her grandmother dies she is forced to fend for herself, but out of the blue, she gets questioned by the police, who want to know about her dreams. Hana tells them she doesn't remember her dreams, but that very night she has a vivid one where she is transported to feudal Japan. She is chased down by a group of samurai, but saved by a young girl who takes her to a mysterious cave. An old woman lives there, alerting Hana of a great peril. Back in the real world, the police have noticed Hana's dream ability has awakened.

Compared to Goemon or Casshern, From the End of the World has a more muted visual style, but that doesn't mean Kiriya lost his eye for visual grandeur. Every shot is meticulously stylized and nothing here looks accidental. There are still plenty of visual highlights, through color, lighting, and editing the film leaves a strong impression, it's just a bit more refined and balanced. It's a normal evolution for an aging director and I guess it makes the film a bit more accessible to a larger audience. I prefer his earlier style, but that's just extreme nitpicking.

The score is solid, but it's not the most distinctive selection of tracks. Kiriya goes for softer drama pieces, with some darker touches to underline the thriller elements. The sound design is a tad better than usual and the music does its job well, it's just not as notable or remarkable, operating mostly in the background, while demanding little attention. That seems to be on par for Kiriya, but considering the effort he put into the visual styling it would've been nice to have seen a similar investment in the music. It's not that it's bad, it's just that the potential was there to do more.

The film has some big names attached to it, and you'd expect it to feature a big (or up-and-coming) actress in the lead, but Kiriya chose Aoi Ito, a girl with relatively little experience, to front his film. She does have a very particular aura about her and she does a great job adding an emotional core to the story, so Kiriya's choice was certainly a wise (though risky) one. The rest of the cast is solid too, with a notable performance by Kazuki Kitamura as the story's villain, and a cute cameo of Shunji Iwai at the very start of the film. Ito's performance is the one that stands out though.

The start of the film is pretty standard, but it doesn't take long before the lore starts to expand and develops itself into something substantial. Kiriya avoids overly familiar sci-fi and fantasy concepts so it's probably best to pay a bit more attention to the plot during the first half. Once the rules are more or less clear the film becomes easier to follow, but there are still some rough twists and turns that require focus if you don't want to end up completely lost. I appreciated the slightly more creative approach here, though it's nothing too earth-shattering.

If this is Kiriya's swan song, he delivered a quality film that ends his career on a high note. That said, if this is truly his last film I would've preferred him to go out swinging. From the End of the World is a superb urban fantasy, sporting stylish cinematography, nice lore, and some solid performances, but it's more toned down compared to Kiriya's previous efforts. Some people will consider that a plus, I prefer his maximalist style. Regardless, if you can get your hands on this film, it's definitely worth checking out, as it is a film that stands well on its own.