Evil Does Not Exist - 💥💥💥

Director: Ryusuke Hamaguchi
Writer: Ryusuke Hamaguchi
Release Date: 5th April 2024

Hot Rating: 💥💥💥

Synopsis: In the village of Mizubiki, widower Takumi (Hitoshi Omika) and his daughter Hana (Ryo Nishikawa) face a real estate company's plans to build a glamping site, opposed by the residents. Representatives Takahashi (Ryuji Kosaka) and Mayuzumi (Ayaka Shibutani) try to persuade Takumi. After Hana goes missing, both parties true characters are revealed. 

Review: As his previous work has shown, Ryusuke Hamaguchi is a master of subtlety, preferring to suggest rather than overtly state. His latest film, however, is a little too obtuse to be as enjoyable as previous hit, Drive My Car. Independent of comparison, Evil Does Not Exist just doesn't provide the same level of empathetic characters. Yes, audiences are encouraged to align with both the villagers and the talent agency representatives, but when the drama escalates, there's less of a sense of catharsis as there is a sense of hollowness, further still, confusion at what has just unfolded. That being said, there's still a lot to enjoy in the film's deeply atmospheric aesthetics, namely, the controlled slow panning shots that sketch out the Japanese countryside. While not as universally resonant as Drive My Car, Hamaguchi still reaffirms his directorial bona fides, though this opaque offering warrants only a lukewarm recommendation.

Image: YouTube