Trick the Movie: Last Stage

Pretty much in line with the other Trick movies. They start out pretty fun, but can't really keep the momentum going, and they always end up being too long to keep me fully engaged. It's a shame, because the potential to be something nicer is definitely there and it's not like Tsutsumi can't do better.

The cheap TV look is a big part of the problem. The film simply looks cheap, the special effects are pretty bad and the direction is mostly functional. Luckily the cast is on point, with solid performances by Yukie Nakama and Hiroshi Abe and the comedy is pretty noteworthy too, but it's not enough to elevate it above mediocrity.

When Trick gets pleasantly weird, its potential becomes clearly visible. Sadly these moments are quite rare and stand out compared to to the rest of the film. While it never gets truly bad or boring, I'm always a bit disappointed after seeing one of these films. I can never escape the feeling that this should've been much better.