[JFelix]

Originally Posted by orf

The only thing I find confusing about 'Ichi the Killer' is its lack of defined sides. Who's really the bad guy, and who's really the good guy? It seems like Kakihara and gang are off to seek vengenance for Boss Anjo's death (which was done by Ichi), or is Ichi really the protector of the world, removing those pesky yakuza members one slice at a time.

In my opinion, and I'm sure since it's a miike movie, it's possibly true, there are no 'good' guys in Ichi the killer, only varying shades of grey. Even Kakihara is given a great amount of sympathy- all he's looking for is true love really. Sure, it's love in the form of torture, but it's love, damn it!

Kakihara is just an element of homosexuality that Miike LOVES to inject into his movie. So far there's about... two miike movies I've seen that hasn't had any homosexual characters/scenes/obvious innuendo?

Originally Posted by orf

Spoiler (Highlight or Triple Click to Read):

Nope!

Spoiler (Highlight or Triple Click to Read):

That's Jiji. The boy at the end is Ichi. I think Ichi figures out he's being manipulated, which is completely freeing to him since the whole rape was a trick by Jiji. Once Ichi figures this out, Jiji realises he cannot control Ichi anymore and kills himself.

Miike's a bit too fond of non (Or trick) endings if you ask me. I love the guy, but sometimes the endings, though once you put them together sort of makes sense, that doesn't make them any less staggering (I debated the ending of 'City of Lost Souls' with a bunch of friends afterwards and came to a conclusion which makes sense, but is still maddening.)

Originally Posted by orf

Is 'Ichi the Killer' just the BDSM version of a superhero movie? Or am I just delusional?

It's a manga adaptation. I think that says it all

Originally Posted by orf

From what little I know of Miike, I seriously doubt this movie has any real philisophical point to it. The fact that it's based on a manga makes my point even more solid. There's nothing in 'Ichi the Killer' that makes it some deep art film. It's pointless and is just an action/exploitation movie in the truest sense. But that's the genius, I think. Most exploitation movies come off as just that --- exploitation movies.

Miike always makes a point to mention he makes movies without any sort of philisophical point to them- he has mentioned in the past that there's no deep feminist meaning to 'Audition'. He does seem to favor movies that you do have to piece together though (see the multiple arguments about Kakihara's ultimate fate.)

Originally Posted by orf

But 'Ichi the Killer' comes off as an exploitation movie with a deeper point --- a pure delusion. But, isn't Jijii deluding Ichi into thinking these yakuza guys are the grown-up kids that picked on Ichi in high school? The movie is a whole delusion. Everybody in the movie is delusional. Ichi is delusional from Jijii, Kakihara is delusional because of his thinking that Ichi is a sadist by himself (though Ichi does show differently with the demise of Karen), and Karen is delusional because of her thought that she could give Ichi a blowjob, maybe fuck him AND talk like she's some S&M freak without getting her throat slashed in the end.

I think the feeling of deepness (A phrase not to be used when talking about 'Ichi the Killer') is even though it's an exploitation movie at heart, it does not treat its characters as slabs of meat, these are characters that actually have plot around them, backstory, desires, fears, they're not one dimensional and waiting for eventual death.

If you take out the gore (Which there isn't as much as people would claim there is, in my opinion. But maybe I'm just desensitised.) you would still have an interesting story, in my opinion.

Originally Posted by orf

Karera Musication's (a Boredoms side-project) soundtrack suits the movie very well, also. It's minimalistic and doesn't overcome all the wonderful sound effects of blood being spewn.

I like making note of the soundtrack since I'm such a boredoms nut. (damnit, I'm sad that Karera Musication didn't do that LA show...) I fully suggest if you enjoy 'Ichi's soundtrack to check out the boredoms 'Super AE' and 'Vision Creation Newsun' album, which are much more amazing. Also, portions of the album 'Gold and Green' by ooioo (ALSO a boredoms sideproject. But there's millions of them.) was used for the Ichi the soundtrack, which is also something to look out for.

Originally Posted by orf

Compared to the few Miike movies I have seen, this one is still my favorite, and I think it just might be for a long while.

You just need to see more :P

It's my personal favorite miike movie because he finally got the balance between violence and plot right. The plot is interesting enough that you're not on the edge of your seat waiting for the next gore explosion.