Matt Cooper Films

Kidan Piece of Darkness (2016)

An anthology of short horor tales by various directors offers mild thrills and creative takes on the traditional ghost story. This collaboration consists of segments by Mari Asato, Hiroki Iwasawa, Eisuke Naito, Yoshihiro Nakamura, Hajime Ohata, and Koji Shiraishi. The short films are unconnected save by theme, with the framing device of a narrator who has heard these tales from anonymous individuals. There are several featuring children, school pupils or teachers, but there are no overlapping characters. While the stories each have a unique take on hauntings, they struggle with a lack of characterisation and deeper exploration of themes due to their restricted length, most around the ten minute mark. The best stories are those that tie everyday fears to their supernatural antagonists; for example a later tale about a mysterious pregnancy, and one concerning a group of primary school children playing in a graveyard who are injured one-by-one. Others, such as the early tales of the shadow man, or the red woman, appear far more superficial in their narratives.

Overall, the film is an interesting experiment by the directors to put together an anthology, and you get the sense that some used the opportunity to try out new ideas. The direction is solid throughout, as might be expected from such a talented group, particularly in the use of framing and editing to evoke a feeling of unease. The sudden appearance of a bloodied figure before the film cuts to black is a perfect example of an effective way to shock the audience while leaving them questioning exactly what they just witnessed. There are several themed around suicide, relationships, and children, all common tropes in this genre. “Kidan Piece of Darkness” offers an easy watch and it moves along at a good pace. Unfortunately, the abundance of ghosts has a pernicious effect: rather than increasing tension it feels more like flicking through an encyclopedia of ghosts without spending time to really feel any kind of emotional attachment to the characters, or terror of the ghouls themselves. A good introduction to Japanese horror, but perhaps too tame for long-term fans.

Matt Cooper Films

Liverleaf (2018) by Eisuke Naito

A bullied high-school girl exacts bloody revenge in this violent thriller. Haruka Nozaki (Anna Yamada) has moved from Tokyo to a small rural town, where she is bullied by her classmates. The ringleader Taeko (Rinka Otani) holds a grudge against Haruka after she becomes popular with Mitsuru Aiba (Hiroya Shimizu), a quiet, yet resolute male classmate. The bullying spills over to Haruka’s family, leading eventually to the gang, along with Rumi (Rena Otsuka), a victim-cum-perpetrator who they manipulate into their schemes, burning Haruka’s family alive in their home. Haruka’s parents die in the blaze, but her sister Shouko survives on a respirator. Despite some feeling remorse for what they have done, Haruka shows no mercy as she brutally executes her tormentors.

“Liverleaf”, based on the manga by Rensuke Oshikiri and directed by Eisuke Naito, is a dark, brutal, film that shows the horror of bullying and the damage that it causes, exaggerating in part its literal effects to expose the true hatred and fury it can provoke. The opening forty minutes are hard to watch as Haruka is repeatedly picked on by her classmates, and we have instant sympathy for her as we watch her struggle. The film changes tone abruptly following the death of her parents, ramping up the violence with punctured eyeballs, severed fingers, and blood-spattered kills. Given what has come before, we are completely on Haruka’s side and the film is aware of how over-the-top the response is, infusing the brutality with dark humour. The kills are largely matter-of-fact and happen almost on a whim for Haruka. It feels as if she is simply following a set path without giving too much though to how she will take her revenge. The gore does begin to become more gratuitous as the film progresses and it is hard to fully grasp whether there is a deeper message about generational violence, or the harms of bullying, particlarly when considering the character of Aiba. Haruka’s potential love-interest has a character change that seems out of place, and done primarily to shock the audience. It leaves Haruka feeling completely isolated and makes the film an unremittingly pessimistic experience. Similarly, teacher Minami (Aki Morita) has her own issues that are largely explored in a single outburst to parents but which has little impact on the story. These characters are no doubt intended to add more colour to the straightforward revenge plot, but result in creating confusion.

The cinematography is exceptional, capturing the wintery landscapes of the small rural town, the icy woods, and snow-carpeted streets. We feel the bitter cold as keenly as the frigid morality of the protagongists. There are interesting visual clues too such as Haruka’s red coat and lipstick reflecting her bloody enterprise. “Liverleaf” is an entertaining revenge thriller, full of heart-wrenching moments and gloriously extreme violence, however some may wish for a more meaningful conclusion.