Audition (2001)

A different way of telling a story

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

Well it starts out innocently enough but quickly becomes one of the more disturbing horror movies I've ever seen. There are several parts that are uncomfortable to watch and will make you feel like 'maybe I shouldn't be watching this' but it's one you'll never forget. This is an extremely unique and engaging watch with scenes that will be ever embedded into your memory.

This is "the goriest movie ever?" Wow. Hardly.So I've been told, anyways. Sure, it came out 17 years ago, this is my first/only viewing, I've seen so much gore in my life (movies in movies, that is) and yet, this is practically Rated PG. Well, after watching two straight nights of Asian carnage cinema: Ichi the Killer (★★★★★/10 Stars) and Dream Home (★★★★★★★★★/10 Stars,) I was recommended Audition to fall into that category and from what I was told, I agreed. Never saw it, always meant to and this would be a great trilogy in as many days to finish off with.So, with these expectations, I relished in the first 20-30 minutes that seemed so normal, so cute and so good. I saw it as a lighthearted, romantic comedy/drama that was a little refreshing from the previous two movies I watched recently. But, boy did I smile. I was waiting patiently for the big bomb to hit, the huge scare that would make me jump since it was "supposed to" get extremely violent/bloody soon.40 total minutes had passed. Then, 60. 80. And at about 100 minutes, we're still in the same sweet, built-on-a-lie love-lost story. Sure, there were hints throughout this isn't what it seems. In fact, they flat out and verbally tell you that. So, I knew I was watching the right movie, but I began to question the whole "goriest movie ever!" statement/reviews I've heard during the almost two decades since its debut.Sure enough, the last 20 or so minutes, it gets somewhat gruesome. Nothing for me to look away from the screen, which I did a ton in 2001's Ichi the Killer. (Yeah, yeah, I can only take so much. Anything to do with teeth or eyeballs are off-limits for my own eyeballs.) Not a second did I say to myself: "Well, this is from 2000, maybe it was considered gory back then " Nope. I've seen plenty that had 10x the gore and all-throughout the movie – not just in the last act. That all said, the movie I saw (minus the exploitative 20 or so last minutes) was so cute, charming, well-acted and shot, it's overall recommended. Plus, the final third of the movie isn't bad on its own. It just certainly doesn't live up to the hype. ***Final thoughts: The bridge movie in my "trilogy of terror" is the best: Dream Home and the only Asian one shot outside of Japan. If you like Asian dark humor, suspense, blood and guts, that's the Home to move into.

There are a few moments of explicit gore, but nothing even marginally scary or suspenseful about this film. The plot is sadly kind of pedestrian, the dialogue is juvenile, the ending predictable, and I found myself struggling just to keep my attention focused on the screen. The lead actress does an adequate job of her role, but otherwise, this film is a real yawn. I'm a big fan and a bit of a connoisseur of Asian horror films, and so my opinion is not based on not understanding the twists or not appreciating Asian-style horror. But horror films should keep you guessing. They should shock you, disturb you, and the scenes should linger in your mind long afterwards. This movie offers none of those things. I suspect a lot of the reviewers who gush about what a masterpiece this film is are folks who will gush over anything that the media claims is genius, just to seem as though they are cultured and have a sophisticated sense of what qualifies as "art". If you want something that messes with your mind, you're much better off seeing "Ju-On" or the deliciously twisted "Tale of Two Sisters." But as for "Audition" being a top-ten Asian horror film, I wouldn't even place it in the top hundred. Two stars out of ten.

After watching this film, I finally understand why so many people have had such strong reactions to it over the years. It's gut- wrenching, disgusting, and surprisingly emotional. This film, a favorite of many horror directors, proved to be a wild ride from start to finish. It began on a deceptively optimistic note, playing like an offbeat romantic comedy until halfway through. Then, little signs start to slop in-- for example, camera angles that don't feel right in an upbeat setting. The people around Aoyama start to get suspicious, and that's when the film begins to slowly descend into a spiral of madness. The sounds, to me, were the worst aspects of the climax. Everything sounds more authentic than in any film of this nature I have ever seen-- in fact, to compare this to any other films feels absurd now. Is this the hardest-to-watch film I've ever seen? Not quite-- though some might disagree with me, I had a slightly harder time getting through Kim Jee-woon's I Saw The Devil (2010), but this film was decidedly a close second.Proceed with extreme caution. It is not for everyone in the slightest, but if you can survive it, it's pretty damn amazing.