Audition (1999) Short Review
Poster
Audition
Release Year: 1999
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 1 hour and 55 minutes
Viewer’s Rating: 8/10
“Please love me. Only me.”
Audition is a Japanese film is about a widower (Ryo Ishibashi) who holds a mock audition with a help of his friend, a film producer, in which young beautiful women would come under impression that they are auditioning for a role in a film but reality so that the widower will date and eventually marry the winning contestant. The widower then goes head over heels for a woman named Asami (Eihi Shiina) and chooses her as her new date, only to fail to realize the woman’s true self behind her reserved and beautiful facade.
I first came across this film while watching Bravo’s 100 Scariest Movie Moments, and since this film was ranked #11, it caught my interest so I decided to watch it. And I somewhat regret doing so. No, not because it was a waste of time or the movie was so bad, but because this was one of the most unnerving and disturbing films I have seen. The first half of the film is quite slow and may seem like a romantic drama but it all twists into a sick horror mystery flick as the protagonist and the audience notice that there is something wrong with the woman. And I warn you: this movie is not for people who have weak stomachs or even weak hearts. There were some graphically violent (or just graphically disturbing) scenes and images that made my face grimace. I also even thought about considering to vomit right on the spot. There are no supernatural elements in this film unlike many other Japanese horror films. This movie is believeable as it portrays the worst date/affair possible. In addition, this film defines the phrase: looks can be deceiving. Asami is really one of the most frightening female character on screen; who would think that a woman who has an appearance of an angel actually turns out to be a devil? On the other hand, her long black hair and her white attire resembles that of a Japanese ghost which serve as a hint to her true persona. Once again, if you have a tendency to empty your stomach upwards instead of downwards, the graphic scenes of feeding on vomit, torture, disembowelment, beheading, and neck snapping are not for you.
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