Reveiwed by-Paul Cooke
When an attractive young woman receives a letter , sent to her brother who has been missing for several days , she feels compelled to seek out the female correspondent and fellow class mate. Kaoru travels to the isolated village of Kozukata , but upon entering through a connecting tunnel she leaves behind her the sanctity of normality and steps out into an reverie Twilight Zone.
The town inhabitants are preparing for the annual festival of scarecrows and the straw filled Kakashi , as they are known , delineate the reborn souls of the dead.
As the night of the festival nears Kaoru transcends the veil of local xenophobic tranquillity as the , ‘ Wicker Man ’, like residents portray a ritualistic acquiescence drawn from the unseen , yet intuitive and unerringly perceived ghostly presence.
With the current trend of Japanese tales of terror , played out in the guise of long black haired female evil spirits , the structured eeriness of Kakashi gives substance to the formula with satisfying result. From start to finish taking its viewer on an uneasy journey that delivers a conclusive outcome that is both evocative and puritanical.
The claustrophobic haven of emotional purgatory , where the missing and the dead frequent , makes for an assiduous viewing experience that holds the attention throughout. Creaking stairs and confined spaces are etched into the viewers psyche along with the preternatural wind and the hauntingly visual imagery that asks the question , is what Kaoru experiencing dream or fantasy or perhaps something altogether more frightening as to comprehend ?.
Running in at under ninety minutes Kakashi is a journey that may be undertaken by a varying appreciative audience , seeking both cerebral stimulation and a chilling night in around the home cinema system. True gore hounds may feel left out , though the change of underwear moment arrives when a young girl comes back to life , guaranteeing that more than just a mark on your memory is left.
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Bitch Slap Rating 3.5