Was this review helpful to you?
It's not a sequel - It's a completely different movie!
I'll have to agree with the review made by AkitoKouyou - It really was like watching a completely different movie, when compared to the first one. And honestly; it was. (Do you guys know the "sequels-that-are-not-actually-sequels"? Because this is one of those things.)If you are trying to spook yourself for the night; this movie is not it. Rather than something scary that would make me unable to sleep for the next week, I found this movie tragic and pretty saddening. So for me, as a horror movie, it's pretty disappointing.
The movie does have good points though. It's not a *bad* movie. Is it great? I wouldn't say so. But it does have a certain value to it. It definitely has more story than the first "part", or the original movie. If you have heard of the urban legend of "kuchisake onna", I'm pretty sure you would also consider this story more likely to be the "backstory" of the legend. The first movie seemed very unlikely to me.
In the first movie, we started of with a rumour of the "kuchisake onna", which gave it the horror / spooky atmosphere from the beginning.
I think that this movie has failed to bring that atmosphere to the viewer, as the movie has started with cheerful music, bright settings and overall a very cheery vibe. This has continued to more than halfway through - and for me, it just felt too prolonged. It's not bad to start off on a cheerful note - But it was just dragging on and on, that I just said, "Heck! Am I even watching the right movie? Isn't this just some slice of life?!" It did a good job in explaining everything though, and the plot twist, although expected, really was a plot twist.
For someone who has no idea what this movie is about, it'd be sure fun to watch, as from the happy-go-lucky atmosphere it becomes a very dark concept.
Would I watch this movie again? Probably not, unless someone wants to watch it with me.
Would I recommend it to my friends? Yes, but not as a horror movie.
I do suggest you watch the first part and this part as two separate movies, and not as a sequel and prequel. They have nothing in common... And if you expect that, you'll be very disappointed. (I hoped for the continuation of the first part soooooo bad!!!)
Was this review helpful to you?
A happy Sawada's family consisting of father, mother and 3 daughters; the first daughter, Sachiko, who's about to married; the second, Yukie is trying to live independently and the youngest, Mayumi is enjoying her high school life, and they are as a family look so normal and happy.
Until one night when Sachiko and Yuki went to Tokyo and by chance Mayumi decided to sleep in Sachiko's room, Sachiko's ex-boyfriend breaks into the house, enters Sachiko's room, and pours sulfuric acid on Mayumi's face, thinking it was Sachiko lying in the bed. He then kills Mayumi's mother before being shot dead by her father. Mayumi survives the ordeal, but is left severely disfigured due to the sulfuric acid. This is where life of Sawada's family starting to ruin.
A cruel social life, enough to destroy someone, it can be seen here how rumors and gossip destroyed Mayumi even her friends were reluctant to befriend her because her face became ugly and her slit-mouthed. Actually the remaining members of family embraces her but yeah eventually they're holding psychological burden, especially the father. He lose her wife, killed a man, and he actually heard the rumors for sure, his life completely destroyed and can't hold it all.
You could say the ghost in the red dress that was seen by Mayumi appeared because his father died, not directly related but psychologically Mayumi is getting more down and bring up sort of mental illness which later will get worse and the ghost or demon takes full control of her.
It's definitely different with the first film, even though this film seems like a prequel but it doesn't have anything to do with the first film, different characters, different approaches, different focus. I'll say this is better than the first, this is more well-crafted even as a drama or horror. Not like the first that I think pushing too much to horror slasher and has cliche horror script.
This film is drama horror and use Mayumi's story to scare and spread horror, if you follow the story carefully it will make you feel horrified and there's a jumpscare but it doesn't seem like it's meant to be the main weapon. Fortunately, Kotaro Terauchi execute the film very well so the drama and horror can blend well together.
Lastly, you know Kuchisake Onna famous line? the "Am I pretty?" even though Mayumi appearance not that creepy but for me when she asked it to Sachiko in the end was more impactful and horrifying than in the first film that kinda make the words sounds annoying and no more sacred.
Was this review helpful to you?
