Violence Voyager (2018) User Reviews

A gloriously off-kilter ride that is destined for cult-film status

[eddie_baggins · 8/10 · 6 October 2019]

Make no mistake about it, if Violence Voyager wasn't an animated outing, this disturbing, captivating and wild ride into the deranged would've been the type of film that may never have even seen the light of day, too much for audiences to bare, audiences who would've been unable to digest its eccentricities, ultra-violence and crazed plotline.

Born out of the mind of Japanese filmmaker Ujicha, Voyager utilises the painstakingly long to do "gekimation" animation process of creating hand-painted cardboard cut-outs no bigger than playing cards and using them against painted backdrops with real life effects thrown in, it's an odd, beautiful and creative way to tell a story, that is unlike anything you've seen before and likely to see in the future.

For all the creative magic on show here in Voyager, it would've been for naught had Ujicha failed to deliver on the storytelling front but thankfully Voyager's unpredictable and eventful plotline will keep those that fall under the films spell hooked from start to finish.

To be clear, Voyager is not for everyone, it's probably not even for 99 out of 100 of people but for those that are willingly to be participants in this journey to an amusement park that you won't want to be lining up to visit, Voyager will be an absolute delirious delight.

Born from Japanese creatives of old that includes robotic infused sci-fi and Kaiju themed monsters, Voyager is a body horror that feels like something David Cronenberg may conjure up in his most depraved of nightmares, as Japan based American boy Bobby and his one and only friend Akkun spend one of the final days of Summer exploring their local mountainside where they stumble upon the mysterious Violence Voyager amusement park.

To say much more about what transpires within Ujicha's tale would be a disservice to the films oddball happenings and unnerving moments but suffice to say viewers that are offended easily or those that find blood thirsty horror too much to bare (even in cardboard cut-out form) should stay well away from Voyager as there's unlikely to be anything here that would make them think that this outing is anything more than a sensationalist event, with goals to shock and offend in equal measure.

Search deeper in the film however and accept it for the unbridled ride that it is and Voyager is one of the most unique, energetic and artistic creations to reach feature form in some time and establishes Ujicha as a unique filmmaking voice, happy to explore the human condition just as equally as he is comfortable brutally murdering adolescents.

Final Say -

Hard to describe in words, Violence Voyager is best seen to be believed and while not for mass public consumption, Ujicha's vibrantly creative trip to the extremes is a gloriously off-kilter ride that is destined for cult-film status.

4 water pistols out of 5

what have I just seen?

[mjfhhh · 7/10 · 24 August 2019]

Bobby and Akkun are two schoolboys who stumble upon a remote amusement park. Not quite sure about entering they are lured in by a charismatic park manager... the entertainment inside looks a little silly even for the young kids like Bobby and Akkun... but as the boys delve deeper into the park its dark secrets begin to emerge and it's not long until all hell breaks loose.

There are moments when you walk out of the cinema and ask yourself : what have I just seen? VIOLENCE VOYAGER is a horror movie that is entirely made of cardboard puppets. This is not an animation, the puppets are just being moved across the screen, but it creates an eerie feeling that all is not what it seems (the same feeling the movie characters experience when they enter the amusement park).

While the puppets' expressions look silly and over the top and their voices are often grotesque and the dialogue is clumsy, what produces laughs from the audience is also scary as hell. This is what a Brothers Grimm fairy tale must look like in a child's imagination, and for a grown up like me it is a Junji Ito horror manga coming to life.

There's not much to say here, but to suggest you experience it for yourself. Created by one man this is a unique film that will either make you walk out of the theatre straight away or will have you mesmerised.

A profoundly original romp that is almost a masterpiece

[NeoAkiba · 8/10 · 18 August 2019]

Judging by the trailer alone, Violence Voyager gives the impression of a flashy puppet show. However, seeing the film in action proves what a unique and diligently crafted piece of cinema it is.

Taking place late in summer, two boys (Bobby and Akkun) stumble across a mysterious theme park known as Violence Voyager; which paints itself as a participatory attraction, in which you must fight robots to save humanity. After finding the more nefarious meaning of the park, the film transitions into a majestic and beautifully presented motion horror comic that completely defies expectation.

The aesthetics of the film are beyond reproach, with lovingly crafted characters dangling in front of the camera against rich backgrounds of varying complexity and thematic significance. It's difficult to really describe the style of the cinematography beyond saying that if you can imagine a puppet show shot and edited together like a motion picture then you might be somewhat close to describing it.

The fluidity of the film is startling, and is a testament to Uchija's talent. Although the mouths of the characters don't move and their range of spatial movement is limited the sense of emotion and the use of exaggerated facial expressions really bridges the gap where actual characterization would normally be found.

This characterization plays into the tone of the film that feels like a horror comic or science fiction/horror anime from the 80s or 90s. This is further bolstered by a whimsical sense of humor that permeates the entire film. You need not consider Violence Voyager to be a dramatic masterpiece, there is no pretense that it is one, but the deft blending of body horror, comedy and suspense is remarkably palpable through the entire 120 minute run time of the film. There is an undercurrent of humor running throughout Violence Voyager that is almost like a life line; cutting through any treacle and weaving together disparate shots into something that is constantly moving and entertaining. An example of this is a bat that is saved early in the film, who we learn later is an incredibly hungry boy, but that is best saved for you to see. This running joke is indicative of the sense of identity the film possesses; a loving poise that is truly appreciative of its audiences wish to be entertained while not distracting from the events at hand. It's all incredibly cohesive.

Beyond the arresting visuals and spirited action of the narrative is a measured, punchy soundtrack that evokes a real sense of horror films from the 1980s. This plays exceptionally well into the unfolding narrative and further smooths out the incredible sense of progression the film possesses. The voice acting in the Japanese dub is also extremely entertaining and has a lot in common with the tropes of "Coming of Age" anime and Japanese dramas of the late 80s and early 90s.

The action only stumbles when Uchija forgets, or doesn't bother to elaborate on certain elements of the story which seem significant. Some of these elements are paramount to the plot and are quite literally just vomited out near the end of the film. It's disappointing as if he had paced the drip feed of information surrounding the mythos of the Violence Voyager theme park and its unhinged caretaker a little bit better it would have made an already highly enjoyable narrative even more cohesive. The film almost doesn't seem long enough. An extra 10 minutes would have provided ample opportunity to give more context to some of the more bizarre body horror and strengthened its impact beyond a simple explanation that: "this thing is necessary for this thing to do this".

Above all else, however, Violence Voyager is bordering on being a masterpiece of modern animation. The adroit blending of mixed media to create a traditional cinematic experience that completely defies audience expectation coupled with a refreshingly original story and some excellent humor tucked into an already satisfying narrative makes for an unmissable film. Small missteps in the pacing and content of the narrative hold the experience back just enough for it to miss the mark of perfection, but being this close is an extraordinary achievement and one Uchija should be very proud of.

Violence Voyager is an utterly unmissable film. If you consider yourself to be a fan of experimental animation, animation in general or just science fiction or body horror, then you absolutely must see it. Highly recommended.

Labours of Love

[werewolfgal13 · 7/10 · 26 April 2019]

Just saw this at the Calgary Underground Film Festival and am kind of at a loss to describe this film. I'll admit I was very disappointed that the version screened was an English dub as the Japanese cast was stellar and I'm a big fan of both Daisuke Ono and Naoki Tanaka (from Cocorico).

Violence Voyager is very firmly rooted in the ero-guro-nansensu movement, with a heavy emphasis on the grotesque and absurd. The animation is done with painted paper cutouts that occasionally interact with 3D elements, this style is very similar to the 2007 version of Dante's Inferno which was animated with cardboard puppets. Everything about Violence Voyager is a labour of love, from its creation by one man, to the creation of the park in the story (also by one man), love is the main motivator of all characters. There are many references to kaiju and tokusatsu films ( I mostly spotted Gamera monsters like Guiron). This film is not for the easily disturbed and there is a lot of body horror, child nudity, and violence. While there's a lot of laughter to be had it's mostly out of bewilderment and general absurdity rather than the genuinely comedic. In all this is a great film to go blind into if you love the truly bizarre and underground, or have a passion for guro. Skip the English dub if you're able.

A new visionary master waiting to be discovered by the masses!

[Stay_away_from_the_Metropol · 9/10 · 30 January 2021]

I cannot believe how few people have seen this thus far! This is a bit of a masterwork from a new visionary just waiting to be discovered by the masses.

First of all, I just have to say how grateful I am whenever I witness someone still making what I've always referred to as "children's horror". There was a brief period of time, mostly through the 80's and the early 90's where this type of dark fantasy with child protagonists was quite common and popular (along the lines of The Neverending Story, Nicolas Roeg's The Witches, The Peanut Butter Solution, or Nickelodeon's classic Are You Afraid Of The Dark series). Nowadays this a rare sub-genre, especially to find visionary gems in. Well, Ujicha is here now for those of us who appreciate it. His film definitely nods to other iconic works and products of the past, but tastefully and subtly (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles anyone?). In the big picture, Violence Voyager always maintains its own ground as its own singular thing.

Ujicha's unique style of art and the way he animates it is wholly his own and endlessly stimulating. I've never seen anything quite like it. It's always slightly discomforting, and then, it gets far more visceral than one would expect, which actually has the exact same trajectory as the movie itself. This appears to be done through paintings and cutouts of said paintings, then using layers to create depth, with pretty minimal movement that created a dreamlike vibe almost comparable to the early segments of Belladonna of Sadness, or something. Then, the extra magic touch, is when he uses physical gasses and liquids to add a certain life to the scenes - every time this occurs it is equally effective and satisfying. It's ace.

What begins as a seemingly normal day for a bunch of innocent children quickly spirals out into an absolutely twisted little adventure. Thematically, and even visually, the movie does go some places that one would certainly not expect based on the tone of the beginnings of the film. If anyone's gonna do this, it's Japan - and I love them for it. This isn't a film that you're going to want to show to your actual child - a lot of it would be nightmarish and perhaps traumatizing, both visually and psychologically. But, if you've got a wild enough 12 year old, they might be ready for it. Not just trying to plug my own work here, but Violence Voyager matches the tone of my first fiction novel, Popping Cherries, more so than almost anything else I have ever seen - so of course I feel a natural bond with it - I love this kind of stuff! I dream of doing a graphic novel or animated film of it some day - and this is a beautiful example of how this kind of work can be done right.

I watched the version with English dubs, considering it was the only version available on Amazon Prime Video. The voice work definitely could have been better, but after the first five to ten minutes, you just get used to it. My only qualm with the entire experience was that I felt some of the voice work could have been a little less cheesy, and the audio mix in general was a little strange - I would have mixed it differently myself. There were some really cool music cues on the film score that were super buried in the mix when they could have been cranked up for vibe and effect in a lot of sequences. I did love when all the grotesque sound effects were all up front in the mix though - that's always a ton of fun. Any way, I acknowledge the fact that this movie would probably be best viewed with the original Japanese audio - a solid reason for me to buy the Blu-Ray, I suppose. This is a movie I would actually love to add to my small collection.

Remember the name Ujicha and see this movie! I can't wait to explore more of his work. Burning Buddha Man next! Very exciting!