Kamisama no Pazuru
2008 / 134m - Japan
Sci-fi
3.5*/5.0*
God's Puzzle poster

Watches

June 25, 2009

3.5*/5.0*

A slightly disappointing Miike. Not because it's a bad film, but because the potential was there to make something more out of it. It's one of those plots that could've turned into one of the all-time Miike greats, but it lacks the touch of the most inspired Miike to make it really stand out among the many other films in his oeuvre.

The story revolves a set of twins, one of which is a hardworking student, the other an aimless loafer. They get mixed up in a scientific discovery that is bound to rip apart the fabric of our reality. Underneath it all lies a simpler romantic plot where one of the twins is trying to woo the girl who made the discovery.

The film is roughly divided into two parts. The first hour is mostly there to set up the story, the second hour brings the action and excitement. For once though, I prefer the slower first part, as the latter lacks the outlandish details that are so typical for Miike. It's definitely not a bad film, the film grabbed my attention from start to finish, but it just didn't feel fully realized.