Tomie: Unlimited-Tomie: Anrimiteddo (2011)

Directed by: Noboru Iguchi | 85 minutes | horror, thriller | Actors: Miu Nakamura, Moe Arai, Maiko Kawakami, Kensuke Ohwada, Aika Ohta, Kôichi Ôhori

What can you expect when the director of idiocies like ‘The Machine Girl’ and ‘Tokyo Gore Police’ promises to make “something more serious”? Of course a lot of cheap-looking gore and crazy horror scenes, but surprisingly enough also a careful attempt at tension building and character development. Director Noboru Iguchi pushes his boundaries and that results in an entertaining – and sometimes quite exciting – splatter horror thriller.

‘Tomie: Unlimited’ revolves around the shy Tsukiko (played by the Japanese pop star Moe Arai). The girl witnessed the death of her sister Tomie (Miu Nakamura) and has been quite traumatized ever since. A year after her sister’s death, Tsukiko suddenly hears a knock on the door of her parents’ house. When she opens the door, Tomie is at the door. Alive! Or not? Tsukiko soon discovers that something isn’t right with her sister, who was supposed to be dead.

‘Tomie: Unlimited’ is based on the manga of the same name and you notice that immediately. Tomie’s death looks grotesque and implausible. In a comic book or anime, a crazy death scene can still make an impression, but in a real live movie, the bizarre death (something with a huge cross-shaped spike that suddenly falls from the sky) looks very ridiculous. Fans of Iguchi are used to cheesy and gory gory scenes, so there’s nothing new under the sun in that regard. What makes ‘Tomie: Unlimited’ special (for Iguchi fans anyway), is its attempt to tell an organic story. The director’s work is actually nothing more than a series of gory horror scenes, but with ‘Tomie: Unlimited’ he tries to deepen his characters and pays more attention to the story. A good move.

Arai is well cast and knows how to turn the shy Tsukiko into an empathetic character. The mysterious Tomie is played very strongly by Nakamura who continuously attracts attention with her scary smile and mysterious look. She puts down a nasty villain. The greatest asset of the film is really Iguchi himself. He manages to present an atmospheric, terrifying film that at times reminds one of the first ‘Nightmare On Elmstreet’ and ‘Hellraiser’. Also in terms of special effects, which are also made in a traditional way, although a lot of CGI is also involved.

Iguchi wants to show too much – which is commendable – and that results in some cheap-looking scenes. By being more suggestive, you can generate more tension. Keeping pace is not the director’s forte. But that comes as no surprise. However, ‘Tomie: Unlimited’ is a well-crafted thriller with splatter horror passages. Sometimes horrifying, sometimes ludicrous. In any case, a must for anyone who has a warm heart for Iguchi.