20130923: Horror Review--Tokyo Gore School

Tokyo Gore School

1. Fundamentals
1. Japanese live action feature length film, 2009, NR, 109 minutes, horror.
2. IMDB: 5.8/10.0 from 79 users.
3. Rotten Tomatoes: 'No reviews yet,' for the meter; 25% from 37 audience ratings.
4. Directed by: Yohei Fukuda.  Screenplay: Kiyoshi Yamamoto and Yohei Fukuda.
5. Starring: Yusuke Yamada as Fujiwara.


2. Setup and Plot
1. Fujiwara, president at a Tokyo school, becomes a target listed on a website.  He seeks to find out why.  He has become part of a game, involuntarily, where others wish to learn his 'secret' for points and prizes.


2. Running and fighting are frequent activities.  He helps a girl named Yoko, and finds those willing to be allies. He is reluctant to join others.


3. He has a secret that he must protect, and figures that he must win the game.


4. That does not work out well.


3. Conclusions
1. One line summary: Bad Japanese high school fighting movie, with no adult supervision in evidence.
2. Final Rating: 4/10


4. Scores
1. Cinematography: 5/10 Grainy, soft focus, odd filters.  Jumpy framing. Zooming errors.  Sections that are dark with low contrast.


2. Sound: 5/10 Badly recorded, irritating, industrial techno music.


3. Acting: 3/10 Running, jumping, screaming, fighting, leering, mugging.  Not much dialogue.  Much of what little there is is taunting by bullies and murderers.


4. Screenplay: 3/10 Motivations seem murky throughout the film.  The protagonist seemed dissociated from school, parents, food, a place to sleep, and shower after about twenty minutes.  The game was the thing, and the winners of the game seem to be the best bullies.  Oddly, there seem to be no interactions with police, even considering the multiple murders committed in the name of the game.