Plot: Six young people come together. They are all fascinated by the works of a Taisho-era artist, Kaita Murayama, who died at 22. Some of them want to revive the work of Murayama in their own way, others are more deeply invested in Murayama's beliefs and are trying to find the mythical Agartha.
Watches
August 10, 2024
A peculiar mix of arthouse and genre cinema, blending a deep love for the artistic and the philosophical with some B-level genre elements. It probably shouldn't come as a surprise that there's an infamous pinku director behind this film, this is typically what happens when they direct something outside of their comfort zone.
There are some superb scenes here. The cinematography is fun, the mix of genres is interesting, and although a bit slow and pandering in places, the film kept surprising me. There's a lot to like here, but the balance between both worlds is a bit off and the film lacks that little extra touch of magic to make it unforgettable.