Movielogr
Chaos (2000)
Directed by Hideo Nakata
Twitter Facebook Google+Overview
A kidnapping for ransom seemingly goes off without a hitch, but as one thread left unsolved suddenly reveals many more mysteries, the whole operation threatens to descend into chaos.
Length 103 minutes
Actors
Masato Hagiwara | Miki Nakatani | Ken Mitsuishi | Jun Kunimura | Yûna Natsuo | Taro Suwa | Manabu Hamada | Michi Yamamura | Tetsushi Tanaka
Viewing History (seen 1 time)
| Date Viewed | Device | Format | Source | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05/22/2019 | TV | DVD | Library | 8 stars |
| (Average) 8 stars |
Viewing Notes
Since the Kinetic Visions series started at Doc Films I have been thinking about this movie. 1) Hideo Nakata is part of the series and 2) I’ve been trying to recall this specific film but wasn’t sure which film it was. All I could recall about the film is the apartment and kidnapping (I believe we may have screened this at a movie night back in the day). The Kinetic Visions series had me researching titles and descriptions and I came to conclusion this was it. I was right!
Most of the other plot details I forgot but pieces of it were familiar (like the opening in the restaurant and other spoilery things). It was very nice to finally see this and put my mind at ease. The film is as good as I had rated it on IMDb (8/10). I’m curious why its overall rating 6.7/10 is lower but if I had to guess it’s probably the second half machinations as the setup is gold. The entire thing is very Hitchcockian. Like I could totally see this as a film noir yet in the vein of ROPE or DIAL M FOR MURDER. It has those kind of beats. Perhaps it’s not as splashy as those but I love Nakata’s subtle turns as he spins this mystery. I wonder if this has been remade because it’s the perfect kind of story that would work in any country.
I forgot how mesmerizing Miki Nakatani is here. She’s radiant and a great femme fatale. She’s been in other films I’ve seen but never has stood out like this. Even in Densha Otoko (Train Man) where she’s supposed to be “perfect” her portrayal isn’t near the level of this. And her presence here definitely improves this film bc you believe what men would do for her, to be with her.
With other Nakata films getting the restoration / Blu treatment I hope this one gets it bc it’s in need of an update. I’d like to have more of his films on Blu.
Sadly this wasn’t programmed at Doc Films (only so many slots to go around and plenty of directors to touch on) but Will Carroll, the programmer, would’ve added this one if he had the space (he couldn’t get RINGU bc of a rights dispute with Arrow Films). I would love to see this on the big screen.
No comments yet. Log in and be the first!