This is the first film I've seen by director Shohei Imamura.
Fukushû suru wa ware ni ari (Vengeance Is Mine)
This is not the best start to my director introductions series where I am intentionally selecting movies to watch from directors I have heard a lot about but have never seen any of their movies. I picked this one because I thought it had a lot of promise. I have a natural affinity for Japanese films, and for sometimes strange and violent Japanese films at that. But I am not a fan of films that are so heartless.
The beginning was actually quite promising, being introduced to the protagonist killer at the point of his capture, talking to the cops in the shadows of the back of a police car during a long take. But if the rest of the movie is supposed to be an investigation into his life and how he came to the point of being a murderer, it is fruitless in that there are no real answers other than the fact that the guy is basically just a selfish jerk who grew up with a lot of other selfish jerks. There are a few good people, but they aren't portrayed in a way that evokes much sympathy from me.
I see potential in the way the film is constructed and presented though. There are some scenes here that I wouldn't call great, but different enough to be worth interest. And Imamura does have several other films also available on the Criterion Collection which usually makes me want to see them more. But unfortunately I'm a bit less interested in seeing them after the relative emptiness I felt after this film.
Rating: 6/10