Over Your Dead Body (Takashi Miike, 2014) Now that was a horror movie! This is a very unusual film but not in the over the top/gonzo style that Miike became famous for. The oddness is much more subtle with Miike taking his sweet time. The epitome of a slow burn, there are points where the pace is so languid it feels like the film is taking place underwater which just adds to the creep factor. Everything feels slightly "off", uneasy vibes are felt from the very beginning. Even Ko Shibasaki's performance feels somewhat alien which is by no means a criticism, she's actually quite on point considering the directions the story takes.
While not an all out bloodletting, "restrained" isn't really the right description for the film as the results are plenty potent when Miike lets the blood flow. There's even two instances that recall the, erm, "fetal" horrors of Imprint. Of course the film is ripe with all sorts of unnerving imagery. Just wait for the doll. Then there's the production design and direction which are all on another level. Those scenes taking place within the actual play are jaw-dropping. I also have to be "that guy" and droll over Shibasaki for a second. Blimey Charlie. There. Got that out of the way. Be on the look out for a tip of the hat to Verhoeven near the end too.
This is seriously one of the best horror films I've seen in a long time. Miike is still king.
