Mukuro Trilogy

Three short films from Katsumi Sasaki, bundled into a neat little trilogy. They're all pretty gory and low-budget affairs, but they're no ordinary, run-of-the-mill splatter films. Sasaki's signature is more cinematic, not quite focused on the gore (though it is very much present), but with a keen eye (and ear) for atmosphere.

The shorts all revolve around revenge, though the execution is slightly different for each short. The first one has a strong nihilistic finish, the second one has crazy cult vibes and the final one is a more classic female revenge narrative. You won't really be watching these films for the plot or characters though.

I expected something cheaper-looking, more akin to the straight-to-video horror we've seen from Japan this past decade. But the films are aptly styled (I noticed special thanks for Ken Ninomiya in the credits of the first short, I'm not surprised at all) and come with strong soundtracks. The gore is pretty in-your-face and each short has at least one truly gruesome moment. Good fun if you like your horror hardcore and stylized.