The Great Yokai War // movie review

by Chris   ⋅   May 31, 2006   ⋅   Comment now   ⋅    RSS

With director Takashi Miike, you’re never quite sure what you’re going to get. Whether stoic dramas (Sabu), gonzo comedies (Zebraman), gross-out masterpieces (Ichi the Killer) or radical takes on tried and true genres (Gozu), you can be sure you’re in for something you’ve never seen before. This film has been described as a live action Miyazaki tale, and while it certainly has a lot in common with Spirited Away, it’s definitely more Miike than Miyazaki. In fact, this cinematic tale of fantastical goblins and heroic tweens is actually a remake of a 1968 children’s film of the same name. That’s right, Miike’s doing remake-family fare this time! But hardcore Miike fanatics need worry not, for the film is infused with many of the energies found in his best work: the wonder of The Bird People in China, the playfulness of Zebraman, and the surreal wanderings of Gozu. The film is both roaringly funny and bittersweet, playful and menacing, confoundingly absurd and completely convincing. With its hyperactive message of peace, respect, and triumph through inner strength, it is a modern fable in the truest sense. As such, it ranks with some of his best work.

At 10 years old, I-nou Tadashi finds himself in brand new school in a brand new town. A timid city kid on the tough country block, he is teased relentlessly by his peers for his small size and odd nature. But things are about to change for young Tadashi. When attending the local village festival, he is dubbed the festival’s Kirin Rider, a folkloric hero who famously saved the town from Yokai (Japanese ghosts and goblins) by traveling to the local “Goblin Mountain” and retrieving a powerful sword from an ancient Tengu (a Yokai with a rather prominent proboscis); an honor that extends long after the festival concludes. Tadashi comes to the realization that he will have to follow in the original Kirin Rider’s footsteps. But his journey will be all the more complicated, for something has been stirring in the world of the Yokai. A hatred fueled by human wastefulness has given rise to a destructive power. Unless Tadashi can overcome his fear and find the hero buried within, the world of man and Yokai may never be the same again.

The main draw for most viewers of the film will definitely be the Yokai. If you took the denizens of the Mos Eisley cantina, the crazy creatures of Destroy All Monsters and Matango, and some of the baddies of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and threw them all in a mixer in the middle of the desert, you still wouldn’t have the sheer variety of creatures on display in The Great Yokai War. You’ve got Tengu. You’ve got nekomusume (cat girls). You’ve got an amphibious river sprite, Kawa-hime (Mai Takahashi). You’ve got a blue guy with a huge, resizable head. Giants. Hands. Giant hands. Stretchy neck ladies. Googley eyed monsters. One-eyed hopping umbrellas. And that’s not even scratching the surface. The sheer number of prosthetic effects on display is staggering. And the fact they all look amazing? The word “impressive” just doesn’t suffice. The CG effects used in many of the scenes are a mixed bag, ranging from excellent to merely passable, but given the amazing quality of the practical effects work I’m not going to complain.

Variety of monsters aside, the film would be unwatchable if the performances were lacking. Thankfully, this is not the case. In the role of Tadashi is thirteen year old Ryuunosuke Kamiki. Child actors can make or break a film. Usually they accomplish the latter (see: The Phantom Menace, Kill Bill 2), but in the case of Kamiki, he definitely helps his character ring true. Initially he is quite annoying, cowering and screaming at any sign of danger. But as his character matures, and his confidence manifests itself, so does the audience’s affinity for him. Chiyaki Kuriyama and her Jennifer Gray nose play Yagi, a Yokai with a whip, a blonde beehive, a skintight white outfit (or two), and aspirations of world domination. Her character is mega-evil, even stooping so low as to punch cute forest Yokai in the face. Kuriyama is well up to the task, I might add. She just has a sort of mean nature about her. Most of her performance consists of menacing looks, threatening glances, and lithe, sexy combat poses, but for what it is she pulls it off nicely. Aside from the aforementioned two, there are really no standout stars per se in the film. This is not a gripe, but rather due to the fact that all performances are of a comparable, pleasant level of quality. All performers serve to further carry the viewer down the path of suspended disbelief. Whether major characters, minor emotive roles, or comic relief, none ring false.

In closing, this is probably one of Miike’s best efforts to date. His 64th film, it further evidences his growth and maturation as a filmmaker. It does help to have some sort of background in Japanese folklore when watching this film, and sure, as with near every one of his films, many Miike tangents (of which I am a fan) are introduced and discarded, and certain plot elements are never resolved, but I don’t really see these as problematic for general audiences. The film is wildly entertaining to a degree rare seen these days. Grab some Azuki beans and check this sucker out.

Special note to parents:
Though I would say this as an excellent children’s film, there may be a few sequences that could indeed frighten some of the young’uns, most notably those involving the “Yokai transformation pit.” I also must admit quite a few adult liberties are taken in the filming of Kawahime’s perma-slick legs and Yagi’s sinfully short skirt. However, I think it’s safe to say most children probably won’t notice these things (but with their access to the internet these days, you never can tell).

Chris Nelson is a Java Developer in the Silicon Valley. He is currently studying for a Software Engineering degree at San Jose State University.

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