"X Game" ("X Gêmu") could have been much more than it turned out to be. Why? Well, the movie had a tendency to drag on in long scenes that could have been shortened down by some more inventive editing. Plus, the storyline was fairly weak.
If you want to make a torture movie like this, and don't plan to play on a solid storyline, then at least make sure you have some cruel and grotesque torture scenes that will make the audience squirm, and not just some half-hearted attempts to do so. Which was sadly, what director Yôhei Fukuda had done here with "X Game". "X Game" seems like a light version and more audience-friendly version of the "Saw" movies.
The movie takes place mostly in a classroom with only four characters there along with two hooded wardens. As such, there was a lot resting on the shoulders of these four, and ultimately they didn't really manage to pull it off. It wasn't because of their particular performance, but because the movie was suffering from a bad script and storyline.
However, compared to the Japanese movie in the same genre, "DeathTube", then "X Game" fared much better. Both movies aren't particularly memorable or noteworthy, though.
And there were some awful errors in the movie. The worst one was the animations on the TV. How could the person behind the whole act possibly know which number of punishment was on the piece of paper drawn by one of the four contestants without showing it to the camera? But still, miraculously, the person knew and could play the appropriate animation on the TV. It was just ridiculous.
For a Japanese horror movie, then "X Game" is a low ranking entry to the genre, and compared to many other heavy-weighter's in the Japanese horror genre, then "X Game" is hardly worth the time or effort.
The ending to the movie, when you find out who is actually behind the things that happen, was actually nice, and does come as somewhat of a surprise. Which was far from predictable.
I wasn't impressed one bit by the movie, but still managed to sit through it all. I can honestly say that this movie will never make a second trip to my DVD player. It was had no value to support a second watching.
If you want to make a torture movie like this, and don't plan to play on a solid storyline, then at least make sure you have some cruel and grotesque torture scenes that will make the audience squirm, and not just some half-hearted attempts to do so. Which was sadly, what director Yôhei Fukuda had done here with "X Game". "X Game" seems like a light version and more audience-friendly version of the "Saw" movies.
The movie takes place mostly in a classroom with only four characters there along with two hooded wardens. As such, there was a lot resting on the shoulders of these four, and ultimately they didn't really manage to pull it off. It wasn't because of their particular performance, but because the movie was suffering from a bad script and storyline.
However, compared to the Japanese movie in the same genre, "DeathTube", then "X Game" fared much better. Both movies aren't particularly memorable or noteworthy, though.
And there were some awful errors in the movie. The worst one was the animations on the TV. How could the person behind the whole act possibly know which number of punishment was on the piece of paper drawn by one of the four contestants without showing it to the camera? But still, miraculously, the person knew and could play the appropriate animation on the TV. It was just ridiculous.
For a Japanese horror movie, then "X Game" is a low ranking entry to the genre, and compared to many other heavy-weighter's in the Japanese horror genre, then "X Game" is hardly worth the time or effort.
The ending to the movie, when you find out who is actually behind the things that happen, was actually nice, and does come as somewhat of a surprise. Which was far from predictable.
I wasn't impressed one bit by the movie, but still managed to sit through it all. I can honestly say that this movie will never make a second trip to my DVD player. It was had no value to support a second watching.