Jisatsu Sâkuru
2001 / 99m - Japan
Horror, Mystery
3.5*/5.0*
Suicide Circle poster

Watches

December 25, 2003

3.0*/5.0*

July 18, 2023

3.5*/5.0*

An odd Sono that made its way to the West based on the popularity of other Japanese horror films. This is something very different though, which is probably why it caught me (and many others) off guard the first time around. Watching it back now I enjoyed it quite a bit more, but it's still not among Sono's best films.

A mass suicide shocks Japan. More than 50 high school students gather in a station and jump in front of an oncoming train. The police are puzzled, more so when a string of human skin is sent to them and suicides keep multiplying. A mysterious website seems to be the key to unraveling the mystery.

The opening scene is a true classic, but once the investigation gets underway the film slows down too much. The performances are strong (not too surprising if you check the cast) and there are several scenes that jump out. The ending too is an absolute delight for fans of Japanese kookiness, only Sono would hone his work considerably in the following years. Good, but not great.