Directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi — Screenplay by Ryusuke Hamaguchi.
Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Evil Does Not Exist follows Takumi (played by Hitoshi Omika), a single father, who lives with his daughter (played by Ryo Nishikawa) in the snowy Japanese mountainside village of Mizubiki. When, one day, the local community is confronted by representatives of a corporation seeking to establish a glamping site there, he and his neighbors and friends voice their concerns about the plan and the possible pollution it would lead to. Later, when the representatives try to influence Takumi, things transpire that causes our lead to panic.
There is a lot to like about this film, but, on my first viewing, I was mostly disappointed that it didn’t work better for me or, you know, that I didn’t like it as much as I wanted to. There is certainly something here with its focus on big corporations and their lack of humanity, as well as capitalist greed versus nature and serenity. These points and themes are well-communicated through the occasional sound of gunshots breaking the harmony or the lengthy town hall discussion about the proposed ‘glamping project.’ This long scene makes good points, as well as features comedic awkward moments and silences that speak to the way representatives are out of their depth, but also that no matter what the local community says it won’t change a thing. Though it is always there, the tragic inevitability of this is foreboding but doesn’t overwhelm the film thanks to a soft touch.
I think this film will be challenging to a lot of people for two reasons. One of these is that it is definitely ‘slow cinema,’ that features scenes that go on for seconds longer than conventional films, though I thought it was intentional and worked as a way to emphasize the idea that in our great need or rush for development and fast thrills, we fail to see the beauty (and appreciate the serenity) all around us that is being trampled on. The second element is that the ending is enigmatic in a way that borders on frustrating. Although I get the central idea of the final scenes, I think it is important to remember that there is a thin and fine line between vague, conversation-starting, or ambiguous and, frankly, needlessly confusing. I say this because I feel like the choreography, staging, and sequence of events in the final scene are a little bit too unclear in a way that doesn’t do the film many favors.
Nonetheless, there is a lot to like here in addition to the way themes are communicated, I’ll add that Eiko Ishibashi’s rich score elevated the film quite a bit for me and added a lot to the overall impression of the events that unfold. On the whole, though, it was a fascinating feature with moments of greatness that, however, didn’t fully nail the landing for me, despite being so sharp and effective in its first hour. Perhaps a second viewing will change things for the better for me, but I expected a little bit more for my first viewing.
7.5 out of 10
– Review Written by Jeffrey Rex Bertelsen.
I'm Jeffrey Rex 