[KFCC] Kakuto Review

Story: Model/Actor/Director, Yusuke Iseya (Casshern, Dead End Run) delivers his directorial debut about three buddies who have their friendships put to the test after Ryo (Yusuke Iseya) loses a cigarette pack full of ecstasy that was given to him by the local yakuza. Ryo and his friends have only a few hours to find the drugs before his coked-out yakuza boss (Susumu Terajima) seeks his revenge.

Review: With Kakuto, Yusuke Iseya conjures up his own addition to the ever-growing list of aimless youth films in Japan. It is immediately recognizable that Iseya has found a new approach to the dark subject matter as we delve into the opening animated sequence, narrated by Ryo. Soon after we are bombarded with flying numbers across the screen as we listen to a variety of unusual phone conversations from the unmet characters.

With a strong introduction like this, expectations tend to grow, which could potentially ruin the film. Luckily this is not the case. Kakuto managed to maintain a consistent pace right up until the end. Although the pace was slower than many other films of the like, I never felt myself becoming disinterested. But, I can understand why this film may not be everyone’s cup of tea, especially if you go in with the grand expectation of seeing another Blue Spring. The path Iseya chose to take with Kakuto was clearly simpler and maybe even more believable. Violence was not a necessity here, although drug use played an important role in the film. Relationships and character development were the main tools utilized in the film.

The eclectic mix of characters brought a lot of entertainment to the seemingly slow film. Hassei Takano (Kairo) and Atsushi Ito (Battlefield Baseball) were perfectly cast as Ryo’s two friends, Makato and Naoshi, who combined with Yusuke Iseya created a believable rapport between the three main friends. Other characters included: a kleptomaniac teenager, two stoner yakuza, a laughingstock cop, and an extremely eccentric, drugged up yakuza, played by none other than the great Susumu Terajima (The Blessing Bell).

As for the technical side of the film, Kakuto was shot entirely on DV, which helped the film maintain a realistic, yet stylish, atmosphere that aided in composing a fresh viewing experience. The music added a much-needed sense of excitement in this not so exciting film. In some cases, the filming, editing, and music teamed up to accurately depict the colorfully chaotic world of hallucinogens, as well as the lightning fast, emotional roller coaster of uppers like cocaine. Makes one wonder how much of this was taken from personal experiences of the young director. Hey you’ve got to research right?

Surely this film will not be for everyone, especially since it is definitely on the slow side. The film focuses more on the importance of characters’ relationships as opposed to providing entertainment for the sake of entertainment. Because of Iseya’s particular approach to relationships, I got the feeling that Kakuto was somewhat of a personal film for young Iseya (who is still in his twenties).

Kakuto successfully tackles the familiar concepts of aimless youth and teenage angst, well known in Japanese cinema thanks to notable films like Pornostar, Blue Spring, Kid’s Return and Kyouki No Sakura. While much less violent, Kakuto was still able to compete with the fore-mentioned works in its own, unique way. Relying heavily on developing relationships to portray the common feelings of uncertainty, the film was able to accurately display what it’s like for Japanese youth to transition into adulthood in present day Japan. Fans of the genre will be pleased.