Review of Eko Eko Azarak 1: Wizard of Darkness (1995)

Why review this movie you ask? Well, I was looking for good Japanese and Hong Kong titles at my local video store when I came across the second installment to this movie (review after this) and was enamored by it. It's a type of movie you would think can only be done in anime style and that no one in their right mind would actually make a live action of this (they said that about PGSM too and now look what happened). The genre and the movie's theme fits the site's profile for science fiction fantasy and is a highly recommended viewing in terms of curiosity and if one is already familiar with J-Horror and J-Fantasy films.

Synopsis w/ minor spoilers:

Murders have been occuring around Tokyo under mysterious circumstances. A high school student analyses the killings drew a pentagram to coincide with the locations of the murders. The center of the pentagram was a local high school. The high school itself seems normal enough, with a few twists here and there including touchy-feely teachers and teacher/student lesbian love affairs (Have I gotten your attention now?). Enter Misa Kuroi, a very mysterious if not astoundingly beautiful teenager (played by Kimika Yoshino who's #8 in our heroines gallery) who just transfered into that very school. From the beginning she has attracted both criticism and admiration for the students, especially one of the boys. She then later began to exhibit her hidden talents in the arcane arts. One night, 13 students were made to stay behind to retake a test after hours. When the students begin to realize that they are trapped in the school and with the very first death, the horror begins.

Review:

From the beginning of this movie, I could already sense the impending doom the characters will be facing. It's never a good sign in a horror movie whn people starts dabbling with witchcraft. From what I was told, they actually used real recorded incantations and chants for this movie and that alone gave me the chills. Predictability here is minimal since you never really know who or what is doing the killing. Some of the way the people were killed was similar to the style they used in Final Destination (tm) except that you never really know it will happen until it did happen. Kimika Yoshino gave a great performance as the heroine in this movie. She excuded confidence and a cold apathy towards fear yet you can see the stress and toll the situation is having on her. Even though she had the understanding of the horror they faced she couldn't avoid being helpless herself. The other characters were pretty much cannon fodder except for a select few who actually had a character and they did well in expressing the emotion of utter terror. The only problem I had with this movie is that it felt rushed and there could have been more done with some of the significant parts of it. I wouldn't want to spoil the ending, but in my opinion it could have been more climactic.

All in all, it's a great fantasy-horror movie with pretty female Japanese students to fetishize about (I think this was also the main theme of the movie). Take it too seriously and you will not enjoy it. Take it and enjoy the genre, and you will have fun.