31 Days of Horror: ‘Dead Sushi’ Review
Stars: Rina Takeda, Kentarô Shimazu, Takamasa Suga, Takashi Nishina, Asami, Yui Murata | Written and Directed by Noboru Iguchi
This Japanese film, directed by Noboru Iguchi (Tokyo Gore Police, Robo-Geisha), is one of those films that is unique to its region. It blends action, comedy and horror with splatter gore and over-the-top sequences to creature a truly distinctive concept.
It’s a love or hate thing, some might say. The whole way in which films like Dead Sushi, and others like it, are done will certainly bring conversation to the table. The performances often border on ridiculous but have a particular and peculiar charm to them that will divide opinions depending on whether or not this type of movie is “for you”.
Dead Sushi follows a girl, who is skilled in kung-fu by the way, who is also the daughter of a sushi-chef. She finds the expectations placed upon her too much so she absconds and finds a job as a waitress. Through the company she works for we learn about a man who is attempting to create – wait for it – killer sushi. I said killer sushi. Nope, that’s not an error, I did say killer sushi. The girl then has to find a way to fight back against, yes, the killer fucking sushi!
The bedlam, bizarreness and outlandish storyline does not disappoint as the movie progresses. This wont be for everyone, that’s for sure, but if you’re a fan of this niche genre of film then you will absolutely be entranced by how much fun this movie is. The inclusion of wild martial arts sequences just makes the film all the more entertaining. It’s one of those films that will, given the chance, entertain anyone. It’s just so bright, spunky and silly that it’s incredibly difficult to take your eyes away from the screen.
I’m a fan of Noburu Iguchi and his previous work, like Machine Girl and Robo-Geisha, are some of my favourite comedy horror films to come out in the last few decades. This is an excellent continuation of the films that preceded it, bringing yet more wacky brilliance to the world. The way that the film refuses to take itself seriously at any point and commits entirely to its pure ludicrousness is what makes it so good.
It is a hard film to pick at and find negatives about because it almost welcomes criticism depending on your personal feelings about these sorts of releases… Killer sushi? Yes, please, and don’t be stingy with the wasabi!
Dead Sushi is out now on DVD and Blu-ray from Monster Pictrures.
