Watches
July 04, 2015
Not quite as mad as I'd hoped it would be, especially taking Wakamatsu's other films into account, but fans of the Japanese New Wave will find a film with plenty of charm. The first half is rather impressive, almost reminiscent of a milder Tetsuo, it's the second part that comes off a little half-hearted and drags the film down rather than giving it a fitting finale.
When a boy is murdered in Tokyo, his father is absolutely devastated. The man lives in a small rural town, but he is determined to find his son's killers, as the police are quite lax. He travels all the way to Tokyo and follows his trail to Shinjuku, a place teaming with rampant revolutionaries. He isn't quite prepared for what he'll find there but pushes on regardless.
Wakamatsu is known for not being afraid to push people's buttons, and the premise of this film gives him carte blanche. Maybe that's why the result was just a little disappointing, as the clash between 60's rural and urban Japan isn't quite as grotesque as I'd hoped it would be. Other than that, it's another Wakamatsu that once again highlights his unique style.