Izo (2004)

Original title

イゾー

Directed by

Takashi Miike

Genre

drama film, fantasy film, action film

Country

Japan

Runtime

2h 08m

Rating

6.1 of 10 from 102 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

Izo is a surrealist period horror film about the spirit of a 19th century samurai and assassin who was executed by beheading. After his death, he travels through a symbolic and violent afterlife where he encounters various characters and experiences that transcend time and space.

surrealchaoticphilosophicalviolentatmosphericabstractdarkhauntingnihilistic

What happens

IZO is a 2004 Japanese surrealist period horror film directed by Takashi Miike. The main character of the film is Izo Okada (1832–1865), the historical samurai and assassin in 19th-century Japan who was tortured and executed by beheading in Tosa. Izo appeared previously in Hideo Gosha's Hitokiri (1969), then played by Shintaro Katsu. However, Miike's portrayal of the character (or rather his spirit) transcends reality (and time and space) and is more of a surrealist exposé of Izo's exceedingly bloody yet philosophical encounters in an afterlife heavy on symbolism, occasionally interrupted by stock footage of World War II accompanied by acid-folk singer Kazuki Tomokawa on guitar. Kazuya Nakayama plays Izo and the many characters he encounters on his journey include figures played by Takeshi Kitano and Bob Sapp. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

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