Reincarnation (2005)

   
Directed by: Takashi Shimizu

Written by:
Takashi Shimizu & Masaki Adachi

Starring:

Yûka .... Nagisa Sugiura
Karina .... Yayoi Kinoshita
Kippei Shiina .... Ikuo Matsumura
Tetta Sugimotto .... Kazuya Omori
Shun Oguri .... Col. Hart
Marika Matsumoto .... Yuka Morita
Mantarô Koichi .... Yamanaka Producer
Atsushi Haruta .... Norihasa Omori
Miki Sanjo .... Ayumi Omori

Release Dates: Tokyo International Film Festival: October 27, 2005; Philadelphia International Film Festival: April 3, 2006; Helsinki International Film Festival: September 15, 2006; After Dark Horrorfest: November 17, 2006; Gérardmer Film Festival: February 3, 2007; Limited Theatrical: April 12, 2007 (Russia)

*Images courtesy at: www.beyondhollywood.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rating:

 

A Japanese actress named Nagisa Sugiura (Yûka) whom was so excited for winning a part in a fact based horror flick on a murder that took place in a hotel about a crazed, local professor whose murderous rampage at a hotel left 11 guests dead, including his young son and daughter.
The filmmakers start to shoot in the area where these people were murdered and Nagisa is expriencing some hauntings on the people who were once murdered there including two little kids named Chisato (Mao Susaki) and Yuya (Hiroto Itô) as they seem to follow her as well as holding this doll with a broken eye which seems to be drawing her attention and acting evil towards her.

 

There's a nice scene with Nagisa Sugiura acting eager for her tryouts along with a good shot on people like Yamanaka Producer watching her audition in which the moments on this showed alot of spunk to it.
We have a good shot on her doing a film shoot and then a nice close up shot on her eyes growing wild and screaming in terror as well as a good disatant shot on her passing out.
A good shot on her in a subway and then turning her head with a good shocked stare at a child holding a doll and staring at her as well as a shot on her falling on some tracks with a subway coming towards her which looked creepy when she tries to call to her. Next there's a nice camera shot looking down on the subway with this child underneath looking up on her giving it a good haunting feel.
There's a good camera shot looking up on Nagisa in the hotel with ghostly figures walking up a corridor in the area and then she turns her head when she thinks she sees something and they're gone as all of this had nice timing.
A good moment with Yuka Morita talking on her cell phone in a library and then spotting a ghostly face staring at her across by a shelf of books with an empty space appearing and her freaking out as well as a good shot on some ghostly hands grabbing at her and then dragging her up while Yayoi Kinoshita comes in trying to look for her and she vanishes right on time with the camera rising up over the library. This looked terrific.
There's a nice shot on Nagisa looking at the model display of the hotel and then suddenly she's in it.
A good anxious conversation between Nagisa towards Ikuo on the what she's seeing in the hotel with him being blunt towards her which was energetically done.
A perfect discussion between Nagisa and Ayumi Omori acting upset about telling her the history of what happened to her family in the hotel and showing her a doll with a good close up shot on the doll.
A good shot on Yayoi entering the front doors of the hotel holding a doll in the mist with ghostly figures walking towards her with her freaking out which looked good as well as spotting Nagisa looking half dead walking too.
A good shot on a ghost of a hotel maid hung and then she moves which makes you jump a bit as well as Nagisa who spots her does well getting scared screaming. There's many good shots on people mysteriously dying around the hotel as well as Nagisa running away or screaming in a corner. There's also good takes on her running outside around the streets with zombie's coming up to her as the moments on this looked very freaky and twisted. There's also a terrific scene with her in a corner getting scared while the doll walks up towards her talking to her with the face changing and looking evil. A great special effects during that moment.
Bottom line is that this is one of the most creative Japanese horror films during the millenium in the same vein as One Missed Call or the Ju-On flicks but delivering more scares and made on a good budget too.
There's many great effective scene's with the hauntings as they did look like real hauntings and not some low budget flick that they can't afford to pay for haunting effects.
Plus this one was nearly Americanised too with their influences using bits of elements like Dawn of the Dead, The Shining and Child's Play. At the same time the story was a bit more original in some spots with what was going on.
Even if it's spoken in Japanese language the story is still great to watch and can please any fan of foreign horror films.
The ending is very strange and definetely leaves a door open for a sequel so let's keep our fingers crossed that there will be one. In fact, they should make an American version on this flick like they did with One Missed Call and Ju-on (It was retitled The Grudge as I know I will really dig it if they do since I dug those one's mentioned.

The acting is hard to tell since it's spoken in Japanese but yet it looked very strong especially with lead actress Yûka (Nagisa Sugiura) showing excellent characteristics aliong with good emotions and screaming too when she is terrorised by the doll or ghostly objects. She pumped up the energy big time in this flick. A good reaction on her in a scene after she is handed a script and acts natural jumping for joy that she got the part.
Kippei Shina (Ikuo Matsumura) showed a great serious attitude and bluntness to his role. He really brought his part out very well as a serious businessman for the film.
Miki Sanjo
(Ayumi Omori) had a nice supporting role in the film as one of the family survivors of the killings showing a good depressed attitude talking about what had happened and having a nice basket case reactions to all she did in the film.

Some bloody shots on people as well as blood spluritng out here and there

We hear some nice moaning windy type of music for the creepiness of the story as well as lots of deep classical violin music for the film which sounded terrifically well done along with some chants for the opening sequence all brought together by Kenji Kawai.