Silly, but entertaining

Being a big fan of 'Tetsuo' 1 and 2, plus Shinya Tsukamoto's other classic 'Tokyo Fist', I couldn't wait to see his take on supernatural horror. 'Surprised' is perhaps the best way to describe my reaction - not that 'Hiruko' is a bad film; it certainly does it's best to entertain, amuse, and decapitate as many Japanese Schoolboys as possible. It's just that it's a pretty forgetable movie; no trace of Tsukamoto's usual grim fascination with the dark side of human nature - here the horror is just for laughs, which is no bad thing... it just means the end result is pretty lightweight compared to his other films - a good laugh, to be enjoyed with a few beers or your intoxicant of choice.