Reincarnation (2005)

Director: Takashi Shimizu

Writer: Takashi Shimizu, Masaki Adachi

Tagline: Death Is Only The Beginning.

Actors: Yûka, Karina, Kippei Shiina, Tetta Sugimoto, Shun Oguri, Marika Matsumoto, Mantarô Koichi, Atsushi Haruta, Miki Sanjo

Runtime: 1h 35m

Category: Ghost, Horrorfest, Japanese, Psychological, Slasher

Synopsis: Thirty-five years ago, a horrible tragedy befell the tenants and staff at a local hotel. A man brutally murdered the staff and guests, and then turned on his own family. His wife was the only survivor. Eleven people died, including the killer who committed suicide. Today, an up incoming actress gets an audition for a part in a new horror movie. The movie is to be a rendition of the murders that took place at that same hotel thirty-five years prior. Upon receiving the script, she becomes plagued by horrific visions and horrible nightmares in which she is inside the hotel being chased by the killer. Her fears come to a peak when she is filming a scene in a makeshift model of a hallway from the hotel. The film crew disappears and she becomes convinced that she is the reincarnation of the daughter of the killer. In a final hoorah, she realizes that she is so much more important to this ghostly reenactment than she understands.

Review: I had no expectations about this movie whatsoever. I think it helped. This being the last review of the After Dark Horrorfest series, I would have to say that it was a success. Apart from a couple bombs, I thought that it was pretty cool. This movie though…was really weird.

From what I understand about this movie, the souls of the murdered people from the hotel reincarnate themselves and act out that horrible day again and again. Stuck in an endless loop with no chance of freedom, they seek out other people and “move into” their bodies, so to speak. I like the concept and the story but it was very confusing. It took me a while to understand, what little of it I could, just what the hell was going on. I finally came up with the “endless loop” theory. This section is kinda hard to explain considering I don’t quite understand it myself. But the story was pretty cool.

The acting was actually decent for a Japanese horror film. Most of the time the actors over exaggerate and overcompensate. But I was surprised by this one. The main character did a believable job and was able to make me feel her fear. Honestly…I can’t really say too much more…she was the only one who stood out. The rest of the cast seemed to just be there. But she did a good job.

The effects were choppy at best (no pun intended). I thought that the blood could have been way better and the killing scenes could have been wicked awesome. But they weren’t. Not even the morphing and face-overs were that cool. The only effect I liked was the doll. That thing will give me nightmares for days to come. And when it came “alive” I almost fudged my boxer-briefs. Because first you say it then you do it.

Rating: This one was difficult…13. I did like the doll effects, Yûka’s acting, and the story…but everything else seemed almost…elementary. I’m sure it wasn’t but if you’re gonna have a movie in the After Dark Horrorfest series, a series that was supposed to be too scary for general audiences, it had better be damn good. Unfortunately, it didn’t deliver enough bang for my buck…thus…(13of25).