I heard about this movie a few years ago but it took a bit of time to track it down. And it was certainly worth the hunt. It was completely and utterly different than anything I was expecting. Everything that I had heard about it underlined the extreme gore and violence, to the point that I figured that is all it had to offer. However, when watching it, I didn't seem to notice the violence at all. I was totally engrossed in this world of criminals and assassins. I think the single most interesting thing about the entire film was the choice of the hero. Sure it's technically Ichi, but it's really Kakihara's movie. Ichi is a bit distant and overly emotional for viewers to root for. And the audience is almost forced to root for Ichi's opponent. Kakihara is by no means a hero (He tortures his way through the entire movie, mostly inflicting pain on people who seemingly don't deserve it.) and yet the audience is drawn to him. Miike deserves immense praise for taking a seemingly disgusting character with little redeeming value and making him the sympathetic lead. I doubt any mainstream American film would ever have the guts to craft this sort of narrative around a sadistic and yet (somehow) likable lead. I strongly recommend this film for anyone who is looking for a completely different cinematic experience. I also think that even people who do not typically enjoy gory films can find something to like in Ichi, it truly is a film like no other.
Review of Ichi the Killer
