User Reviews

I have no idea what to say. It's impossible not to go "What The Hell" like, a 100 times until the end of the movie. I can't even describe it.

===1. STORY - 6/10===

The story's pretty much about a father searching for his lost daughter, who has been missing for about a week. Every step closer to finding his daughter, sheds a new light on his daughter's true colours. Quite an adventure. It gave me new ideas and tips on to how to create a real thrilling story.

The downside is, watching this movie made me walk over to a corner, get down into a fetus position, and rock back and forth. It was REALLY violent, REALLY disturbing, ABSOLUTELY depressing and OVER THE TOP disgusting.

The upside is, however, was it wasn't one of those films with random killing and stuff. The movie actually had a story. Everything'll be explained throughout the movie until the credits. All they did was add a little more bonkers into every action they did.

===2. ACTING - 9/10===

The acting however, was absolutely fantastic. Akikazu, Kanako, and everyone else. They all did an amazing job. The movie's true aim was to show that you can't trust anybody but yourself. In the movie, you think that the character seems nice, but next thing you know, they just go ridiculously crazy.

===3. CINEMATOGRAPHY - 9/10===

The cinematography and imagery were REALLY good. It really gave the vibe of a dark,cold and sad world.

===4. SOUNDTRACK - 8.5/10===

The music's really good too. Playing some classic Dean Martin hits while a murder is taking place. It really gave me the feeling of uneasiness they wanted to deliver.

===5. OVERALL - 7/10===

Never watch this at a family gathering.

I watched this movie because I loved the film "Kamikaze Girls" which was made by the same director. But instead, I got a film with a 'slice of hell' mushed all over it.

Moral To Story: Never do drugs.

It is very violent. More than that, it is disturbing, depressing and desperate. We follows our protagonist, former detective and divorcée Akikazu Fujishima (Koji Yakusho) as he searches for his missing daughter Kanako (Nana Komatsu) and learns about her secret life. Through this search, different dark sides of the society emerges which make you antsy in your seat.

The more we go along, the more disturbing and depressing the movie seems to portray. None of the characters are lovable. All the institutions: family, police, and schools are malfunctioning. The movie depicts a sick society which appears to be OK but is buried with lots of problems where people are betraying each other and families are and non-communicative and destructive.

All characters are pathetic in different ways though they may not be innately devilish. Somehow something goes wrong and everything falls into this big chaos or trap where people do not know how to show their care or use the wrong way to show their love which end up causing more damage as they resort to violence and betrayal.

A very sad movie that paints a tragic side of Japanese culture, or can it happen in any culture, regardless of economic development? People yearning for love, care, respect and recognition and identification, but what they meet is betrayal, ignorance, bullying, and violence. Very twisted characters and relationships that make you feel so disappointed and horrified with humanity.

On the surface, or in the beginning, you see angels who seem to be your revelation. Kanako appears to be such an angel. But not until his cop father starts to look into her disappearance does he realize how much he understands/misunderstands his daughter, ditto his wife and vice versa. Similar misperception happens at school and in the police station.

Perhaps it just serves as a warning sign to us all: in many ways the people around us could just be like that if we hit the wrong button. Look at all the random shootings in the US. And the terrorist attacks. We would not know when they will turn against us and we just have to constantly remind ourselves to be alert.

Very good acting of the cast in creating a haunting atmosphere. I would not like to befriend with any of the characters.

Amazing editing. SO many storylines working together to make the scene. The movie keeps getting intense.

A jaded Japanese detective reevaluates his faded memories of his estranged teenage daughter when asked by his ex-wife to investigate her disappearance in this one-of-a-kind crime drama directed by Tetsuya Nakashima. The film is assembled with a very vibrant visual style that varies from rapid fire edits to bouts of animation to slow paced, leisurely shots that bask in the beauty of Christmas lights. The film also begins in a curious anti-narrative manner as the protagonist's memories are mixed with clips of his daughter partying and the police quizzing him. Narrative point-of-view is also broken for several flashbacks told from his daughter's boyfriend's perspective. Given the plot and stylistic touches, the film is perhaps best described as 'Kill Bill' meets 'The Third Man' and it gets points for originality alone. The dialogue is full of philosophical quips too about how some of us are not "cut out to be a human being" and how easy it is "to fall into a hole so deep" that you keep falling. Yet, for all its daringness and intelligence, the film does not entirely work. The actual solution to the girl's disappearance is mundane and the value of all the red herrings is debatable, especially the question mark placed over the true nature of his relationship to his daughter, but it does cause one to think. The ultimate messages at hand are relatively simple (not everyone is who you think they are; some vices in life are dangerous), however, the emotional roller-coaster is a hard experience to shake. This is an effective film in that it gets you in the protagonist's mind and forces you to question how you would react. The Harry Lime dynamic also works well with a protagonist as naïve as Holly Martins. This is not however the easiest film under the sun to endure.

Perhaps one of the most nauseating films I have laid my eyes on, "World of Kanako" is certainly not for everyone. The Japanese psyche is an enigmatic one for outsiders like me, as the country seems to be an epitome of an outside appearance of civility combined with an internal repression of schizophrenic darkness.

I can't imagine a movie like this playing in neighborhood movie theaters in America, but then again, most of those movies are vanilla time-fillers anyway. "World.." is an extremely unpleasant movie and will leave a bad taste in your mouth, kind of like what Tarantino would make if he was high on crack and decided "the hell with you." One thing I will say is that this movie is "memorable."

I had previously seen an earlier film helmed by Tetsuya Nakashima, namely Confessions (2010). I seem to remember that one dealt with some disturbing material involving high school kids. Well, this latest film from Nakashima also delves into these particular waters. In this one we have an older central character, a man who is an alcoholic, violent and a bad father. He is a former detective who is on the hunt for his missing daughter. As he progresses in his investigation, layer by layer he discovers more and more of his teenage daughter's horrendous double-life.

This Japanese mystery-thriller was not unlike the South Korean film Oldboy (2003) with its complete absence of likable characters populating a world where every part of society is rotten. If anything, this movie is even more extreme in this regard. It's a very violent film, although its heavy stylization meant that the nastier elements are less disturbing overall. In truth the style that the film presents its story is possibly both its strength and its weakness. It is made up of rapid edits, with memories and present day occurrences being interwoven together. It is a bit full-on I have to say and thank heavens for the rewind button! It can be hard to follow if I am totally honest and you will need to be alert to keep up with this one. So I think the presentation can be a bit of an issue, however, it is also this very complex editing that ensures that the story is more compelling. Once you look back on it, the story has certain weaknesses, with an ultimate resolution to the mystery not necessarily being as interesting as the journey we take getting there. But the journey is interesting and dynamically told and, in fairness, I am sure this one would benefit from a re-watch given that there really is a lot going on. In addition to the relentless editing, there are also anime and comic-book graphics interspersed throughout, as well as twee Japanese schoolgirl material mixed in with disturbing and violent stuff; while there is a constant reference to 'Alice in Wonderland' with the idea of a girl falling down a hole that just keeps on going. It's a heady mix of ideas all things considered and I have to say that its ambitious presentation made this one a film well worth seeing.

The World of Kanako ("Kawaki" or "Thirsty" in Japan) is based on the 500+ page novel "Hateshinaki Kawaki" ("Neverending Thirst") by Akio Fukamachi.

Without giving the end of the movie away, it's as though this film had two different directors at the helm. The first half of the movie is a stylish and frenetic (yet cohesive) ride that is one part "Oldboy", one part "Battles Without Honor and Humanity", topped of with "Batman" from 60s TV.

For the first half of the movie, the plot seems to be going somewhere. Characters are introduced, investigated and revisited. Each scene is a step forward.

Then it gets messy. Characters and subplots appear out of nowhere. The Batman graphics are forgotten. The homage to the 70s is forgotten. The plot is in disarray and scenes are dragged out miles beyond their nodding-off points.

It is clear they tried to cram every bit of the novel into the film adaptation, which usually results in such a mess. That's a little more frustrating considering its coming from a culture where it's generally accepted that less is more and what's left unsaid is often more important than what is stated. And in this case, after two hours, this film does really feel "Neverending".

I don't understand how this movie can only get a 6.8 rating. There's not much to say about its cinematography except that it's brilliant and beautiful. A lot of people somehow complained that it was "dizzying" which I cannot attest to. The scenes do cut so fast sometimes and there were instances were I had to catch up with the distinction between flash backs and present scenes. One tip is to pay attention early on, but a second viewing is not at all discouraged.

The story was well thought out. There are many layers that can engage the viewer and put you on the edge of your seat. A lot of questions are asked, you're not sure if you should love/hate the character, different possibilities are played out, and when you get to the revelation near the end you get mind blown but not so much that it seems absurd; in fact it fits in perfectly and the tragedy is justified. Basically there was no dull moment in this movie.

Not all questions are answered for you, though, especially with how the father feels about his daughter. He keeps calling her a bitch but it's hard to buy into that and you know there's so much more, be it a simple paternal love or something darker and more complex, if you dare to consider that.

I would recommend this movie to anyone who can stomach the violence and often repressed side of the human psyche for the sake of cinema and let the mastery of visuals dominate your experience. I won't get tired of watching this movie over and over again. I hope its gets released internationally and get the recognition that it deserves.

A father searching for his kid, very similar style like Confessions (2010) which i've just realized, share the same director Tetsuya Nakashima. Nana Komatsu the cutie playing Kanako's nice to watch, also the main lead, Koji Yakusho playing her dad acted well as a bad person. It goes back and forth between 2 characters at different times. Some parts are very distasteful but they keep the suspense & mystery going, it got me interested enough to stay watching till the end to find out what happens next. The resolution of the story's quite beautiful too. This film's unexpectedly bonkers.

So yeah, most certainly if you really enjoy mystery suspense films with some craziness particularly like Confessions (2010) or Oldboy (2003) , i think you may appreciate this flick too.

7/10

"The World of Kanako" opens with a quickly edited five-minute sequence of people doing nasty stuff and saying nasty things, where I can almost piece together what is happening, but not quite. Then the main character is informed that his daughter is missing, and we get an opening credits sequence akin to the intro to a pulpy crime drama show. Looks like my kind of film, I thought.

Before I go on any further, I should stress that all the people in this movie, with very little exceptions, are bad people. There is nary a redeeming quality to be found among them. That said, they are all acted very well, and have very distinct qualities (all of them bad). There is our main character, Akikazu, with whom his actor, Koji Yakusho, is obviously having a lot of fun. Although he doesn't have more than two emotions, anger and fury, Yakusho manages to keep him fresh and entertaining throughout. With a less talented actor in this part, the movie would have been unwatchable.

My favourite side character in the film is police detective Asai, played by Satoshi Tsumabuki, who stands out for constantly smiling and licking a lollypop. He is obviously annoying to our main character, but never to us as audience, which is a feat very few actors pull off well. He also brings a lot of humor to the film, which is always welcome in such a bleak world as the one of Kanako.

The plot of the film, as mentioned above, kicks in after Akikazu's daughter, Kanako, has disappeared. Now he's looking for her, slowly revealing her true character in the process. Which includes a lot of violence in all of its shapes.

The film is very unpleasant to watch, with many a scene that made me cringe due to its extreme violence. Some of it is darkly comical, some of it is perverse, all of it is over the top. I personally liked that, because it is very true to the characters, and it's nice to see a movie push boundaries in such a blatant and bold way. "The World of Kanako" is basically an exploitation film, but it's done with enough style and wit to not make it seem pointless.

The editing style of the film is also very abrasive. It reminded me of "Spring Breakers," which I enjoyed a lot. If you liked that movie too, you might like "Kanako." I don't think it worked as well here, though, because unlike "Spring Breakers," this movie has fairly complicated plotting at times, and the intentionally confusing storytelling got quite irritating. Which is also true to the characters, I suppose, but unlike the extreme violence, this element of the film seemed more to be done for shock value.

The biggest weakness of the film is that the story, after a reveal fairly early on, basically stalls, and everything Akikazu learns after that point is just an extension of that information. This makes the movie's more uncomfortable elements seem very shallow, because there is little else driving the film forwards other than nastiness, and I wasn't invested in anything that was happening. I guess the director was going for a "violence begets violence" kind of message, but if so, the movie could have been at least half an hour shorter and it would have had a bigger impact.

To top it all, the resolution to the film comes out of nowhere and is very tedious to watch. I don't want to spoil it, but to me, it felt like I was cheated.

"The World of Kanako" is certainly an interesting film, and I get why somebody might like it, but it didn't have much of an appeal to me outside of its sheer extremeness.

I just seen the movie and i am speechless, one thing tho it made me scared of good looking Japanese women. Seriously after the movie i felt you cant trust anyone.

There is a mixed emotion and feeling after i seen it and i ain't sure what to say. I do like Asian movies as they are different, they make you think, sometimes to much. When it comes to the disturbing parts of the movie and then i don't mean the bloody parts, its a bit like Swedish movies who can be when they put their mind to it very disturbing, you get a bad feeling in your stomach.

Like in some other reviews i also felt a bit Tarantino over it and i cant say i think Tarantino makes a lot better movies, more rather if he seen this i believe he wish he had made it.

A messed up, deadbeat father is looking for his even more messed up and depraved, missing harlot of a daughter in the shady, gang and drug ridden underground of some Japanese city. It's very stylish, reminiscent of Tarrantino at times, and it starts out quite intriguing, but ultimately it leads to a rather unsatisfying conclusion. Some things are quite unrealistic and not very believable, but if viewed as hyperbole, it's a pretty decent portrayal of the pure evil of borderline personality disorder. The underlying moral of the story is very obviously that parenting and a healthy family are important, but the movie lacks the emotional component that would make the audience relate with the characters. The "cool" 70's music and style is also quite out of place for a movie that tries to be dark and serious. Bottom line: Watchable, but unsatisfying.

Overall this film was a bit of a frustrating watch. It's a pretty interesting story overall, but the cinematography is supremely annoying, with constant cuts every few seconds like the entire thing is one long action sequence. It seems counterintuitive to do this for a suspense film.

There is not a single likeable character to root for either. Kanako, who is the focus of the film, really has no discernable reason for being the way she is revealed to be. Felt absolutely nothing for her throughout. Her father is really just a jerk to everyone he meets, and physically assaults multiple schoolgirls and rapes other women throughout without consequence. The story is rife with disturbing scenes as such.

I actually think the film gets a bit better as it progresses, culminating in a decent ending. By that point however, it doesn't really make up for the first part having more jarring rapid-fire camera cuts than a Steven Seagal action sequence along with a disjointed storyline.

If you're into gore and parody-level dialogue, you might enjoy this. Not one I'd want to watch again though.

This is one of those films that you need to pay attention to. It is about Kanako Fujishima who is a bright and beautiful high school student. She is 'the cool set' all by herself and everyone wants to know her. Then one day she goes missing with no trace and no apparent reason for having done so. She lives with her mum who has divorced her father due to his atrocious behaviour.

He was a cop who quit the force around the same time and has become a drug and drink dependant security guard ever since – a state of affairs which has done little to improve his behaviour. However, when their daughter goes missing he is called by his estranged wife to find her. Thus begins a search in which he wants to find his daughter, but in doing so he uncovers a whole side to her that he had never imagined.

Now this is a film that I completely loved and was a bit bowled over by to be honest. It starts a bit full on with plenty of blood splatter – a theme that is repeated rather a lot throughout the 114 minute run time. Ex cop Akikazu is a real 'piece of work', brutish, violent, paradoxical and about as likable as a bout of gangrene.

He explodes onto the screen is a flurry of abuse which he sort of maintains throughout. He drives a 1970's Nissan Gloria which is in keeping with a lot of the styling here. That being the opening sequences are very seventies and full of Batman like words imposed in cartoon on the screen – mainly violent or profane. There is animation throughout too. It is violent, it is bonkers in places and to my amazement I actually laughed a couple of times. There are a few minor issues with continuity but nothing that could possibly detract from the overall impact of this great piece of Japanese movie making.

This movie comes across many subjects related to the problems in Japanese society most notably bullying and disregard of the youth to everything around them. Kanako, devoid of any sensitivities or emotions is exactly the spitting image of her father, an alcoholic man who was abusive to his wife and child. Not only is his own daughter stuck in this vicious violent circle, but a whole generation of young Japanese as well, addicted to hard drugs, involved in crime and prostitution and of course ultimately recruited by the yakuza. It also doesn't help when the police is an accomplice with the crime syndicate. The movie does corroborate the "sick society" well, but I really didn't like the cinematography. It's all too shaky and the camera is always on zoomed in to the actor's faces. The colors are also nauseating. The only reason I bothered with this movie despite the bad ratings is for Tetsuya Nakashima, who also directed the wonderful Memories of Matsuko which I highly recommend.

This is a completely wild, over the top flick. It is made up mostly of 3-4 second long, tight shots. Shooting and editing this must have been really something. There are loads of blood, gore, rape, torture, madness, betrayal - good heavens. And yet it is entertaining, because you can't take any of it very seriously. Does that count as exploitation?

Unlike the streaming universe, which requires consistency, film still allows for creative excess. Consider for example Nicholas Winding Refn who sets a scene so perfectly you actually think you are in the film. At the other extreme we have director Nakashima who in this film seemed to be experimenting with a crossover between a movie and a comic book. Written by someone on drugs who just violated parole. Maybe it will work for you. It didn't for me.

I don't like too much violent, but honestly Well-made movie. Brilliant cinematography and editing I have to learn.

Yes you could say that is quite the pun in the summary line I used there. Sorry not sorry I guess. But apart from that and me riffing off another users pun (slightly), the movie really knows what it wants to tell us. And while that is never easy to watch, it also never gets boring either.

There is one scene in particular that I myself almost could not recover from. It is so vile, so brutal, that it was shocking and appaling to a degree where I would understand if people would stop watching - and maybe even feel a different, more negative way about the movie. Since I was able to watch Clockwork Orange, I guess I got over that too. Now I'm not comparing those to story wise. But when it comes to violence and how it is being used, I feel you could connect them.

Maybe the only thing that you could attest any similarity between the movies. This is way over the top for sure and not for the faint hearted or squeamish. There is so much violence (any form of it), you might get desensitized about it ... in the movie that is of course! I don't believe after this you'll have to go to anger management. And if you do, it does not have anything to do with the movie. The main character (and others in here) might have been better off, if they had used some of those classes ... but then you'd have a different movie I suppose ... really well made, but also as brutal as it can be ...