"A tough, energetic chase film from Japan in the late
seventies, based on a true story, with a strong performance by Ken Ogata as an
outwardly charming con man and serial killer. It differs from the formal style
of the great Japanese filmmakers like Ozu, to whom Imamura was
an assistant. When Imamura started directing, he wanted to make films as unlike Ozu’s
as possible, and Vengeance Is Mine is the best example of that. He leaves all judgment of his characters to the viewer, and the film is both operatic
and contemporary. Beautifully photographed, it’s at times surreal and at other
times plays like a documentary, which some viewers have found confusing,
especially Imamura’s fracturing of the timeline. Those who love film and know
Imamura’s others, like The Eel and The Battle of Nayarama, will find this one
essential."
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