Takashi Shimizu is known for his ghost horror films like The Grudge and the lesser known Shock Labyrinth. His latest Tormented is actually a direct sequel to Shock Labyrinth although there is very little talk of the two films being connected. While Labyrinth was fine, it was a bit all over the place and was received mixed reviews. Can Tormented 3D step it up to deliver more that the fans love or will it be another convoluted addition to the genre.
Tormented 3D follows a young boy with an unusual friendship with a stuffed toy rabbit. With his father lingering on the brink of insanity and his sister struggling between life and death, the boy sinks ever deeper into the bizarre relationship leading to a shocking series of events. While this works fine as a standalone film, it will make more sense if you see Shock Labyrinth. In this film the main characters see the previous film in the theater and have supernatural consequences in regards to the rabbit aspect. From there this film pretty much goes its own path using the rabbit symbolism to an even bigger scale. This film is better structured than its predecessor which may be why they tried to create an all new film experience and succeeded. The imagery of human sized stuffed rabbit is really disturbing creating an unnerving film experience if you really see what is going on. There are some really cool uses of the rabbit to create some strange moments that builds the bizarre nature of this film.
Takashi has once again delivered a thought provoking film that works even if it is a bit confusing and out there. That is most likely the reason it does work and is way better than the previous film. If you've enjoyed his previous films then you will be sure to enjoy this bizarre tale. While not all that scary, there are some strange moments that come off a bit creepy making it work well. It's recommended you check out the Shock Labyrinth prior to watching this, but if not you will not have any issues following it, but it will create a broader understanding of what is happening.
Tormented 3D follows a young boy with an unusual friendship with a stuffed toy rabbit. With his father lingering on the brink of insanity and his sister struggling between life and death, the boy sinks ever deeper into the bizarre relationship leading to a shocking series of events. While this works fine as a standalone film, it will make more sense if you see Shock Labyrinth. In this film the main characters see the previous film in the theater and have supernatural consequences in regards to the rabbit aspect. From there this film pretty much goes its own path using the rabbit symbolism to an even bigger scale. This film is better structured than its predecessor which may be why they tried to create an all new film experience and succeeded. The imagery of human sized stuffed rabbit is really disturbing creating an unnerving film experience if you really see what is going on. There are some really cool uses of the rabbit to create some strange moments that builds the bizarre nature of this film.
Takashi has once again delivered a thought provoking film that works even if it is a bit confusing and out there. That is most likely the reason it does work and is way better than the previous film. If you've enjoyed his previous films then you will be sure to enjoy this bizarre tale. While not all that scary, there are some strange moments that come off a bit creepy making it work well. It's recommended you check out the Shock Labyrinth prior to watching this, but if not you will not have any issues following it, but it will create a broader understanding of what is happening.