Lumberjack the Monster is a 2023 Japanese horror thriller about a ruthless lawyer seeking revenge on a masked serial killer.
Directed by Takashi Miike (Audition, Ichi the Killer, One Missed Call, Blade of the Immortal) from a screenplay by Hiroyoshi Koiwai based on the novel Kaibutsu no Kikori by Mayusuke Kurai. Produced by Shigeji Maeda and Misako Saka. Executive produced by Hiroyoshi Koiwai.
The Oriental Light and Magic (OLM)-Warner Bros. Discovery production stars Kazuya Kamenashi,
Nanao, Riho Yoshioka, Keisuke Horibe, Minosuke, Shidô Nakamura, Kiyohiko Shibukawa, Shôta Sometani and Reon Yuzuki.
Plot:
Akira Ninomiya (Kazuya Kamenashi) is a remorseless young lawyer who doesn’t hesitate to eliminate anyone who stands in his way. One night he is brutally attacked by an unknown assailant wearing a “monster mask.” Although he miraculously survives the assault, Ninomiya becomes fixated on finding the attacker and getting revenge.
Meanwhile, a series of gruesome murders occur in which the victims are found with their brains removed from their bodies. While police conduct an intensive investigation, Ninomiya seeks revenge against the assaulter. Who will uncover the truth first?
Reviews:
“The bigger issue with the film is one of pacing. It’s hard to believe that a story so rich with schlocky potential could end up being so dull […] Koji Endo’s score works overtime to generate tension, but the film’s big set pieces — including a climactic showdown in a derelict house that looks like the Haunted Mansion at Tokyo Disneyland — are a snooze.” ★★ The Japan Times
“The plot lacks Miike’s ultraviolence but on the contrary, it becomes very interesting with the three-sided duel that he proposes. The director shows that after more than a hundred films he is not stuck with the same cinema. There are enough script twists to last the duration of the film and the dynamics that mean there is less and less action.” Moviementarios [translated from Spanish]
“The script goes a long way and Mr. Miike makes the most of it. The action scenes are tremendous with the particularity that they are not placed as the main feature of the production. To this we must add the appearance of Kazuya Kamenashi , an idol in Japan as the vocalist of the group Kat-Tun, and who here masterfully recreates a cold guy, lacking in scruples and little given to doing favours for others.” Terror Weekend [translated from Spanish]
Release:
Having been released theatrically in Japan on December 1, 2023, Lumberjack the Monster will stream on Netflix on June 1, 2024.
Trailer:
Technical specs:
1 hour 59 minutes
