Shrill Cries: Reshuffle

A follow-up that takes a little time to figure out. It's part sequel, part reboot. Or, as the title already indicates: a reshuffle. The first film was interesting, but it lacked a confident director and/or a slightly bigger budget. This second film hasn't solved either problem, so the conclusion is the same: fascinating, but imperfect.

Rena's dad is getting mixed up with a shady woman. When Rena finds out that she is hooking up with some junkie gangster, she tries to warn her dad, but he won't listen to Rena, telling her he is going to marry the woman. When she confronts Rena, things spiral out of control and Rena kills her.

The film jumps from drama to horror quite briskly, and the setting is nice. Performances aren't that great and the pacing does have some issues, but the horror elements are fun enough and the film does manage to keep you on your toes. An easy recommend for fans of off-kilter Japanese horror, but not a highlight of the genre.