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Ichi The Killer Details

2001 Certificate 18
  • Rated:
  • 60
  • from 8474 members

Prolific director Takashi Miike (AUDITION) keeps finding new ways to test the boundaries of on-screen violence. ICHI THE KILLER is a masterful piece of filmmaking, simultaneously funny and horrific, but it's only for viewers with strong stomachs. One character, Kakihara (Japanese indie film heartthrob Tadanobu Asano), a .. Read more

Starring Tadanobu Asano, Nao Omori, Shinya Tsukamoto, Sabu
Director Takashi Miike
Genres Horror, World Cinema

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Ichi The Killer cover art

Ichi The Killer

Prolific director Takashi Miike (AUDITION) keeps finding new ways to test the boundaries of on-screen violence. ICHI THE KILLER is a masterful piece of filmmaking, simultaneously funny and horrific, but it's only for viewers with strong stomachs. One character, Kakihara (Japanese indie film heartthrob Tadanobu Asano), a masochistic yakuza lieutenant, has slits in his cheeks through which he blows cigarette smoke and gleefully hacks off his own tongue to apologize for his impudence. Then there's eponymous assassin (Nao Omori), a painfully shy but sadistic young voyeur who wears a leather superhero outfit to work. Manipulated by the cagey and mysterious Jijii (English translation: "Gramps," Shinya Tsukamoto), Ichi lashes out and massacres those Jijii deems bullies, and basically anyone else who upsets his frail psyche. Jijii uses the demented lad to start a bloody war between rival yakuza factions. Miike's film is full of grotesquely over-the-top violent set pieces, including flying entrails, graphic mutilations, and even a severed human face splattered against a wall and slowly sliding to the ground. It's all captured with kinetic camerawork and hyperactive editing. It's not for everyone, but bolder viewers will find it uniquely entertaining.

Starring Tadanobu Asano, Nao Omori, Shinya Tsukamoto, Sabu, Susumu Terajima, Alien Sun
Director Takashi Miike
Studio SHOWBOX MEDIA
Run time DVD: 2 hrs
Blu-ray: 2 hrs
Certificate Certificate 18
Genres Horror, World Cinema
Language DVD: Japanese
Blu-ray: Japanese
Subtitles Blu-ray: English
Released DVD: 02 Jun 2003
Blu-ray: not available
Production year: 2001
Format DVD

Ichi The Killer (2001)

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  • Critics' reviews (2) of Ichi The Killer

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  • 1 stars out of 4

    Prolific director Miike continues to push at the boundaries of taste and permissable violence; Quentin Tarantino's output looks like Enid Blyton adaptations compared to the gore, sadistic tortures and slicing of victims seen here, all done with excessive

    • Halliwell's Film Guide
    • Posted 02 Mar 2006

  • 'All events and characters in the film are entirely sick, any resemblance to persons living or dead is a sad... read more on Time Out

    • Time Out
    • Posted 04 Nov 2008

  • Most helpful member's review of Ichi The Killer

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  • 33 out of 43 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 1 star

    hard to follow

    this film is foreign and although it has subtitles they only cover about 20% of the film! therefore i found it impossible to follow!!! unless you speak the languge i wouldnt bother even trying to watch it.

      • cheryl vinson from Sunbury on thames, england
      • Posted 04 Dec 2006 19:07

  • Most recent members' review of Ichi The Killer

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  • 5 out of 5 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    A Piece of Art. Gory art. But still art..

    I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Pure and simple. This film is beautifully shot, acted, written and directed. The storyline is just inspired and the performances (especially from Tadanobu Asano) are first class.

    Obviously do not watch this if you have ever been offended by movie violence, because this takes it to a whole new level. But this violence is integral to both the storyline as a whole and the charcter development.

    One character is a sadist, and the other a massachist. when you see the scenes side by side and the difference between the violent acts if makes so much more sense. The violence is brilliant in context, and that's exactly what it is.

    If you like our hyper-violent Japanese movies then this is perfect- if not I wouldn't really bother.

    You either love it or hate it. Just like marmite. (For the record I love marmite)

      • nat wicks from Newcastle
      • Posted 01 Mar 2006 21:53

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Rating breakdown

8,474 Member ratings
  • 100
879
  • 90
753
  • 80
1,411
  • 70
1,394
  • 60
1,485
  • 50
874
  • 40
619
  • 30
410
  • 20
404
  • 10
245

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    • Ichi The Killer - BLU-RAY Version

    • Ichi The Killer - BLU-RAY Version
      Prolific director Takashi Miike (AUDITION) keeps finding new ways to test the boundaries of on-screen violence. ICHI THE KILLER is a masterful piece of filmmaking, simultaneously funny and horrific, but it's only for viewers with strong stomachs. One character, Kakihara (Japanese indie film ...
    • Ichi The Killer

    • Ichi The Killer
      Prolific director Takashi Miike (AUDITION) keeps finding new ways to test the boundaries of on-screen violence. ICHI THE KILLER is a masterful piece of filmmaking, simultaneously funny and horrific, but it's only for viewers with strong stomachs. One character, Kakihara (Japanese indie film ...