Raigyo (1997) User Reviews

sex is vigorous as too is the killing

[christopher-underwood · 6/10 · 27 February 2009]

Bleak and bloody, this doom laden little number nevertheless has quite a lot going for it. The dialogue is good and the cinematography, excellent with an interesting use of filter, presumably reflecting the mood. The sex is vigorous as too is the killing. Both too are on the surface meaningless; wrong victims and the wrong lovers, and yet these events are pregnant with under the surface meaning and for each of the protagonists there lurks a deeper truth. I found the seeming CCTV footage of crowds at a metro station puzzling as the closing images and was left wondering if this was the police, half heartedly trying to work out who did what to who and why.

Pretty bleak Japanese drama about mental anguish.

[HumanoidOfFlesh · 8/10 · 2 July 2007]

"Raigyo" tells the story of an emotionally disturbed woman who meets amoral guy whose wife is just about to give birth.The man and woman have sex in a love hotel and after sexual intercourse he is murdered.The survivor goes on to meet a man still grief-stricken over the murder of his child-and this encounter will also conclude in yet another death.Surprisingly bleak and depressing little film that deals with such themes like mental distress and alienation.The script is fantastic and there is very little sex and nudity,thus it's hard to classify Zeze's film as pinku eiga.Still if you enjoy watching powerful Japanese cinema you can't miss it.8 out of 10.