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Hellevator: The Bottled Fools (2004)

Directed by Hiroki Yamaguchi

Overview

Luchino’s routine morning elevator ride up from her subterranean home on level 138 to her school many stories above turns horrific when the elevator operator is ordered to pick up two passengers from floor 99, the maximum security level. What starts as psychological manipulation soon turns wholly physical as both the cruel convicts and Luchino’s own dysfunctional past are unleashed. And then every passenger must fight for his or her survival.

Length 96 minutes

Actors

Viewing History (seen 1 time)


Date Viewed	Device	Format	Source	Rating
12/17/2010	TV	DVD	Rented	6.5 stars
				(Average) 6.5 stars

Viewing Notes

I ordered Hellevator (2004) a.k.a. Gusher No Binds Me a.k.a. The Bottled Fools from Neflix because I very curious to see another performance by Luchino Fujisaki, who is wonderful in Edmund Yeo’s Kingyo (2009). And altho she’s not given that much to do in Hellevator, Luchino is very good here, her first feature film. The film itself is very interesting. The director Hiroki Yamaguchi was awarded a limited budget based on a short he did and was able to create a convincing dystopian future in where everyone lives inside a giant structure with hundreds of floors for living, shopping, prison, etc.

The effects & props are believable. The film focuses on one elevator full of passengers when things go awry when a couple of violent prisoners are boarded. I was engaged the entire time wondering how this would resolve. Very solid watch. Yamaguchi demonstrates a very promising style and eye for direction; sadly Yamaguchi hasn’t gone on to direct anything else.

Edmund told me that Yamaguchi was the one who introduced him to Luchino. Also interesting that Luchino replaced her given name “Rukino” with her character name from Hellevator.

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