Audition

Audition




You know the old saying ‘Good things come to those who wait’? Well, Audition works on that principle and, depending on whether you’re a Gore Hound or not, it might just work.

After losing his wife and suffering through the grief, Aoyama(Ryo Ishibashi), a middle aged businessman, decides it is time to find a new wife. With the help of his Filmmaker friend, they hold auditions to find the lucky bride, disguising it as casting for a new movie.

Despite his friend’s warnings that he doesn’t know anything about her, Aoyama instantly falls for seemingly sweet Asami(Eihi Shiina). At first everything runs according to plan with Asami responding to Aoyama’s charms, but things take a turn for the graphic later on.

As Aoyama investigates Asami’s past, he discovers the trauma she has endured and, in turn, inflicted on the men in her life. There is a very clear female empowerment message at the heart of this film, as we witness Asami take her retribution in truly horrific ways.

The last twenty minutes of the film is the grisly pay-off for the preceding ninety minutes of slow, but ever increasing tension. This overlong build up to the finale might not suit Western audiences, who are used to being flung headlong into the action straight away. I’m not up on my Japanese culture, or even my Takashi Miike movies, so maybe this is a commonplace feature.

But, as I say, the pay-off will please any Gore Hounds out there, but not people who can’t stomach a man having his foot sawn off with Piano wire.

Verdict 6/10
The ever-so-slow build up will bore most, but the violence does arrive late on.