MovieChat Forums > Uzumaki (2000) Discussion > Completely Asinine

Completely Asinine

posted 20 years ago by rollinstock18
33 replies | jump to latest

Ok, here's an example that not every form of Japanese entertainment is good. Granted, I loved "Ringu" and " Ju-on" and several other Japanese horror films, but this was just stupid. I imagine that some pretentious self-proclaimed "film experts" will come here and either say I'm just not intelligent enough to have understood the true meaning of the film, yet will not say what it was ( hmm..wonder why), or another possibility is that someone will give an explanation about three pages long that will contain information that can only be obtained through extensive research. Well, if you can't get the message to me IN the film, then you failed to make a good movie.

Uzumaki is creepy, has wonderful effects and a unique style, and that is to it's credit. However, these ideas alone don't justify this film being made. It is never explained WHY this curse is happening.

The entire film goes from ridiculous to creepy. And several characters are just not realistic at all, like the japanese teenage drama queen with the glasses, or Yamagutchi, that annoying prick who keeps jumping out at the main character.

[–] troika19 19 years ago

I didn't like Uzumaki at first but enjoyed it more when I wasn't in a serious mood and watched it again, I'd recommend reading the Manga though great stuff but equaly unexplained.

People take movies to serious these days.

[–] film-snob 19 years ago

I was disappointed in it as well, and I love Japanese horror. But that's all I'll say as I don't want to add fuel to the fire here.

[–] CherryGooGoo 19 years ago

Thanks so much for the very insightful, and not at all patronizing: "japanese horror doesn't follow the scooby-doo logic we grew up with." Believe it or not, some people can watch a movie, 'understand' it, appreciate what the director or who ever is trying to achieve, and still not enjoy it.

I agree with the other reviewers who were disappointed. Like any movie, I'm glad I watched it. But I wouldn't want to see it again, and it certainly doesn't make my DVD Christmas Gift list.

[–] Susan22 19 years ago

I've been wanting to see the movie for several years as it was highly recommended to me. However, although some of the images are wonderfully creepy, I thought the acting overall pretty terrible, the female lead particularly acted (poorly) as a complete wimp, and that there are too many inconsistencies for me to enjoy the movie minutes after finishing watching it.

[–] nuclearpop 19 years ago

I agree. This movie isn't all that great. I enjoyed it for it's sheer weirdness though. Though, I agree with most of the people here when they say that you don't really need an explanation. The whole movie is seen through the two characters, and that's it. They never figure it out, and neither do we. Like a spiral, it sucks us into nothing. Which probably wasn't a very good thing considering it got pretty boring now and then. But I respect that it dosen't want to really give us any answers. You don't see that in western films too often.

Not to sound like one of those, "THE BOOK WAS BETTER" people. But, I've read the comic, and in my opinion it's so much better than the movie. There's a lot of stories that weren't in the film. The whole thing with the snail-people is expanded. The town, goes NUTS... And we get to find out what the whole deal with Dragonfly Pond is. It also starts very simple, with stories dealing with spirals, and ends with this horrific and epic, almost Lovecraft-esque ending. Granted, it dosent "explain" much either, but it's quite a satisfying ending.

I'd love to see this film remade. It'd be interesting to see what it would be like with the original finale intact.

[–] Ezehorden001 19 years ago

Could you explain please -specially with wath happened with kirie at the end-? In my coutry was almost imposible found the movie, and the Manga is non-existant.

[–] bluemonday-2 19 years ago

i thought it was supposed to be funny. wasnt that sort of the point for it to not make sense??? please dont take things so seriously.

[–] Noparanoiarh 19 years ago

The movie is based loosely off the first volume of the Manga Uzumaki. Through out the movie has bits and pieces of the other two volumes. Ultimately the ending is what you make it. They all gave in to their desires and paid for them. Kirie and her boyfriend both suffer the same fate as the others, so don't think she lived now. Uzumaki the movie is great, it is a taste of what the manga is. So if you didnt enjoy the movie, then look FAR away from the books and go watch the ring or Ju-on over and over.

For it being to artsy, *beep* that, it is just what junji ito probably wanted.

[–] Jefferson_Spaceplane 18 years ago

More like completely Asianine

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[–] bladeage 18 years ago

O RLY?

[–] yakowitz 18 years ago

WoW.... some of you missed out on a really fun entrancing film. It was quirky, funny hypnotic, scary, unusual... What were you looking for? After I watched the film, I kept thinking about the film so I sought after the manga it was based on. Read it if you have the chance. After doing so, Though it couldn't include everything, and had to change a few things for simplicity sake, I was amazed at how this film kept the feel and movement of the comic. This director loved the scource and it shows. This is a B movie, and a damn good one. It deserves another viewing by some of you i think. This time enjoy the ride.

[–] xridingthebusx 18 years ago

uh, i think the movie is supposed to mimic the spiral in the movie. the guy wants to leave town, then a person gets obsessed with the spiral and kills them self, a person commits suicide to be noticed, the guy wants to leave town after this, a person gets obsessed with the spiral and kills them self, a person commits suicide to be noticed. the movie itself was a spiral, it just goes around and around, the movie is supposed to make the viewer as intrigued by it as the people are of the spiral. thats my take on it. also the beginning and the ending may also hint at the fact that it is just a story being told by someone who is crazy, the japs like that kind of explanation alot.

oh and the mom didnt kill herself to get the centipede out of her ear, it was already out, but she somehow found out that there was a spiral in her ear and was trying to get rid of it too.

[–] azderoth 18 years ago

I thought Uzumaki was entertaining. Other than that, I don't see what all the fuss is about. Some people get irritated that that they can't understand a movie; that origins aren't explained [As if something must be understood to be enjoyed], or that there is some amount of ambiguity (or in the case of this movie, a tight budget). I don't care. Explanations are a waste.

I see Uzumaki having three positive attributes: 1)It was entertaining, 2)It didn't overstay it's welcome, and 3)It was pretty f uc king different. I hardly see movies these days with the sheer amount of enthusiasm and creativity that Uzumaki possesses, and that is a good thing.

[–] Lumig 18 years ago

Why does every movie has to have an explanation?
Probably the worst fear is not knowing why things happen...think about it