Kaiji! SPOILERS AHEAD

I just watched Kaiji!

It's one of the best movie I've watched in recent years. In fact, I like it better than Sherlock Holmes.

Plot-wise, taking the ridiculous premises (of a corporation's cult-like employees following their president's instructions to build an underground empire by tricking hopeful, follish people into great debts and then enslaving them underground) for granted, is excellent. There was not a single point during the 2hr 5 min movie that was slow moving. Everything was fast, but well explored. And this is one of the very very very few movies which made me go "Oh no, don't end so soon. More more more" as I watched.

There were times when my heart went doki-doki, and it really felt so nerve wrecking that I was clenching my chest! Especially the scene at the bridge, just before the people started to get onto the bridge. It was sooooo tensed! I felt so afraid for the people! And just a while later, I started crying, because the middle age man for whom Kaiji went to the underground site with decided to give up. He decided to commit suicide. But before doing that, he cheered Kaiji on, saying that Kaiji would definitely be able to cross over safely. He trusted him, and even gave Kaiji his coupon, entrusting him to pass the money to his daughter. He's not just trusting that Kaiji will be able to make it out of that hell, but also that Kaiji will not covet the money. And then...Kaiji, after deciding that it was futile trying to persuade the man, turned away and started inching forward. But he continued to tell the man that the man's life isn't nothing. It isn't....and then...he turns back, only to see nothing behind.

That was also wthe part where I loveeeeee the cinematography. Beautifully done! When Kaiji turned around and starting talking to the man, the camera was filming from his back. But when he turned back to look at the man, the camera switched angles and filmed from his front, slowly drawing into a wide angle to include the area behind Kaiji, where the man was supposed to be standing. Yet...he was gone, without a word. So beautiful. There were many other scenes that be really beautifully shot, but I can't really remember.

Characters were not exaggerated either. The bad guy isn't pure evil. He's just very elitist and full of himself. But he's not the crazy pyscopath kind of villian. He is fallable too.

And of course, Kaiji. He's a simple guy, a loser maybe. But he's not the male version of mary jane. He falls to temptations too. He trusts others too easily sometimes. But when he wants to, he can cheat others without caring about the consequences his actions have on them (well, they deserved it anyway). In the end, he's just another person trying to live. And when he survives, he indulges in good food, feeding his humna desires. No big talk about what he has learnt from the ordeal. Just...enjoying his freedom. 

A great movie, and I'm going to get the dvd. Loved it!

The only waste was that Kenichi-kun didn't appear much, and he had to die so suddenly. But...I'm really glad for him, and his acting. Yappari an experienced actor! Tatsuya-kun is pretty good, though not as polished as Kenichi. Still, he totally owned the character and will most likely be my favourite character this year. =)

[EDIT] I was browsing the Kaiji wiki and saw this---> 編の製作が決定し、2011年に公開が予定されている。

YATTA! I hope it's the same people, coz Kaiji has escaped already right? =/ Don't give me some other random people....but if it's called Kaiji, it should still have him ne.

 

( A small fan project under the cut )