Isn't Anyone Alive

After a lengthy absence, Sogo Ishii returns with a new film. Except, it's not really "Sogo Ishii" that's directing it. Sogo Ishii changed his name to Gakuryu Ishii and should you doubt his intentions, he had very good reasons to do so. Isn't Anyone Alive [Ikiteru Mono wa Inainoka] is a great film, but not what you'd expect from a guy who started the Japanese punk genre.

When I heard Sogo Ishii was changing his credit name I found the move rather dubious. Struggling with your persona is one thing, but going as far as to possibly alienate yourself from a portion of your longtime fans is quite a move. Then again, if you look at the world of music, musicians are doing this all the time. The electronic scene in particular is quite prone to anonymity, and it's actually the norm to take on a different identity when releasing music that is slightly different in style or tone.

Finally, at ease with Ishii's motives, I still found it difficult to actually sit down and watch this film. Releases in the cyberpunk genre are few and far between and seeing one of the greater directors in the genre leave in a different direction isn't all that comforting. On top of that I had read somewhere that Isn't Anyone Alive was supposed to be a comedy, not the easiest switch to make for a director that had operated mainly in experimental territory. So when I finally took the plunge I was quite ready to be disappointed.

It took Ishii two whole shots to turn that feeling around. From the first moments of the film you can recognize the hand of a very experienced director, not just switching genres or teams, but trying to invent a new corner of cinema altogether. Not only is Isn't Anyone Alive a big step away from Sogo Ishii's previous films, it's a film that doesn't let itself be easily compared to any other films out there. About two minutes in I'd forgotten all about Sogo Ishii and welcomed Gakuryu Ishii to do his thing.

Watching Isn't Anyone Alive is like watching a film of a first-time director with thirty years of experience in the field. Visually the film is impeccable. Wonderful framing, lovely use of color and some genuine visual artistry. There is none of Ishii's fast editing or crazy camera work here, instead we get very controlled and punctual scenes with clear remnants of Ishii's Mirrored Mind experiments. Visually this is on par with what the best Japanese dramas have on offer.

The music is less extreme, but still very purposefully used. There's a certain humor hidden inside the selection of tracks in combination with the unusual timing. The result may come off as a little weird at times, but the effect is spot on, and it's nice to see that Ishii carried over his unique musical touch from his previous persona. Don't expect the noize-influenced mayhem from his earlier films, and you'll find that Ishii still has a great ear for soundtracks.

The acting too is on a whole other level. Contrary to Ishii's earlier films Isn't Anyone Alive is filled to the brim with dialogue. There's hardly a quiet moment to be found with characters rattling unusual and inconsequential dialogues at a pretty constant pace. While there are some familiar faces passing by Ishii clearly fished in a pool of young talents for his cast. It's just one more element that helps him break with his previous style. The acting is solid across the board too, with Kiyohiko Shibukawa stealing many of the film's best moments.

It took me a while to realize what kind of film I was actually watching. The first twenty minutes reveal very little of the film's plot and serve as a mere introduction for the many characters. The following events are quite mysterious and rather definite, something that is not immediately obvious from the rather light-hearted and comfortable atmosphere at the very start of the film. Only near the end of Isn't Anyone Alive does the film reveal its true intentions, making for a pretty good surprise.

While this could definitely be called a comedy, the humor can be quite dry and abstract at times. Most of the humor lies in the combination of timing and conversation subject, something I can't really remember seeing before. I would say that the closest film to compare it with is Tanaka's Monday, but that's quite a stretch already. It doesn't result in too many loud laughs, but it left me with a constant smile during the entire running time.

If you're a fan of Sogo Ishii, the success of Isn't Anyone Alive is probably dependent on how quickly you can forget the man's former films. Ishii truly reinvents himself here and comes with a film that's just as unique as his previous work, only very different in tone. It may be more poppy and less experimental, but it's just as incomparable to the work of other directors out there. Approach Isn't Anyone Alive as a film from a freshman director and let yourself be carried away by Ishii's unique sense of comedy coupled with a strong and mysterious build-up. In the end he might have changed his name, but he can't hide his talent.