Customer Reviews
Good and creepy 
2008-10-10
Suicide Club was a good ride. Some parts very random and creepy but very different than any American flick I can think of.
Absolutely Superb 
2008-08-05
This movie in itself is not only one of the most original movies I have seen in a very long time but it is one of my favorite films period. Beautifully shot, great acting and a story line you may have to sit through a few viewings to get it all. Do yourself a favor and get this movie I suggest the unrated version to really get the full effect of this film. I'm not going to keep writing about this movie because i just don't want to give anything away .. just watch it
One of the Best Japanese Films I have seen in a Long time!!!! 2008-07-14
This film suprised me greatly being that it was one of the first Japanese films i have watched where the acting, the story and the entire presentation were up to par if not exceeding that of American film. I had seen a lot of other films from Japan and am pleased to say that if you love Japan, a good horror movie with plenty of both blood, guts, and a meaty story line that will have you thinking for years to come, this is a film for you!
One of the most iconic opening sequences i have ever seen in a film; 54 Japanese school girls jump in front of an oncomming train only to have blood, body parts, and just plain gross launched at Everything and Everyone in the station. After getting over the vast amount of shock one feels after seeing the opening scene, the story picks up and sucks you in, always making want more. The basic story synopsis is a slew of mysterious suisides rave Tokyo and the surrounding areas of Japan, and a lone group of detectives devote their lives and sanity to try and solve the case. Time and Time again, its seems the "club" is always one step ahead of the police, always leading to yet another horribly bloody and enjoyable (and even sometimes completly unexpected) suicide. While this film may not be for everyone, if you love everything Japan, J-horror, almost laughable and over the top blood effects, as well as one of the most contraversial plots to ever hit the big screen, you will most deffinately LOVE this picture. Please Enjoy. also, if you liked this one, i highly reccommend Noriko's Dinner Table, the second in Sion Sono's Suicide Club series.
A horror movie with meaning 
2008-05-24
*If your looking for a plot review, check out some of the other reviews*
Overall I though it was a pretty good movie, and one I plan on keeping. This movie takes one turn after another, that keeps you guessing until the end.
PROS: A refreshing idea, a thoughtful moral, constant twist that keep you guessing.
CONS: Some of the acting is bad, the dialogue is pretty basic, the blood scenes are either too much blood or complete fake looking.
WARNING: To all pet lovers, not to spoil the movie, but there is a short scene where a guy kills a dog & cat. You don't see the animals, but you can hear them. (I doubt the animals were really hurt, but it's enough to make you squirm)
Impressive but Gory Commentary on the Power of Pop Culture on the Public Psyche. 2008-04-14
SUICIDE CLUB (aka. Suicide Circle, Jijatsu Saakuru) is a bleak and dark satire that effectively masquerades as a horror film. Directed by Sion Sono (Strange Circus), this film is a shocking commentary on the effect of pop culture on a country's young population (and in general). Sion Sono is at his top form here, it has been said that the director decided to make this film after the true-to-life suicide of a close friend. With its shocking and disturbing imagery, it somewhat threatens to obscure the effective message that concerns the media manipulation of the population's moral system. Having the similar themes of sadness, desperation and frustration similar to films like "Battle Royale" or others by Takashi Miike and Kiyoshi Kurosawa, the film is one effective blend of gore, horror, dark comedy and a social commentary.
54 Japanese schoolgirls seemingly await to board a subway train. They hold hands and in unison, all 54 girls jump off the platform in front of an oncoming train with a smile on their faces. The resulting blood-splattering event may push even the most reasonable man to be driven insane (a horror fan will take notice). A bag is left on the scene, with a roll of patches of human skin, stitched together. Soon after, unexplained suicides are occurring all over Tokyo, more bags with stitched up human skin are found, and the authorities appear helpless to do a thing given the nature of the deaths, opening a murder case is a challenge by itself. Questions and more deaths arise, What is the purpose of the bag with stitched up skin? What does a supposedly innocent band and a website have to do with the suicides? The country is on the verge of social anarchy as the police turn to a cyber jockey called "The Bat" to shed some light on the mystery.
Those familiar with Japanese existential themes will no doubt be at home Sion Sono's impressive and disturbing "Lynchian-like" mind-bending satire. The director tackles the effect of popular culture head-on with a truly bleak vision as to how the media can affect how people dress, what to think and exactly what to watch on television. So why not have the media portray suicide as the "in" thing to do? So it is far-fetched, and quite an unlikely scenario; but one thing that cannot be denied is that "Suicide Club" certainly gets its point across. Sono seems to be saying that people has to learn to think for themselves, do what you believe is best and to not allow what TV and magazines decide what's "cool to do" and what's "hip" at the time. While the film has a very valid advice, it executes the message in a truly surrealistic manner, that it almost seems to unfold in a parallel reality where the bizarre and the macabre are not just a way to present the gory events but serves as a social commentary.
Numerous explanations for the suicides are suggested in the film; subliminal messages, a cross dressing Marilyn Manson wannabe, a curious website, they may all be the causes of the deaths but it never gives a clear explanation as to why. It borrows some elements we may have seen once before, but it still couldn't be denied that the film presents a very odd way of getting its message across. It is this lack of explanations that will definitely attract fans of Lynch-like films and the imagery will attract the fans of Takashi Miike's unorthodox style of execution. However, while this may be the film's greatest asset, it may also prove to be its greatest weakness. The lack of solid explanations will undoubtedly alienate and frustrate a lot of viewers looking for solid conclusions. No easy answers are presented, but keep in mind that the film also has a METAPHORICAL style, the effects of the media in America are quite powerful but not as intensely felt as in Japan.
With all this mayhem and disorder, a sympathetic and likeable detective named Kuroda is played by Ryo Ishibashi. Detective Kuroda is a very fortunate man with a beautiful wife and two wonderful children. However, the things that are unfolding may serve to destroy all he has in a very horrifying way. The film's cinematography definitely gives the proceedings a surrealistic and eerie approach that presents the gore in a partly distorted fashion. The overdose of blood and gore can be quite depressing to watch, after a few minutes, you may feel like you have to pause and watch something else. I experienced this same feeling when I watched Sion Sono's "Strange Circus" (the 2nd film I saw directed by Sono), I'm not exactly sure why I'm repulsed but at the same time drawn to this director's work.
While "Suicide Club" may not be a perfect film, horror fans will be drawn to its bleak and bloody premise. It is clever and insightful on what it is trying to tell the audience. The film is not for the squeamish, and a strong stomach is definitely required. The film is very graphic that makes it unsuitable for young teens which is such a shame, since the film does encourage young people to think for themselves, be independent rather than to just follow a crowd; youngsters are the most vulnerable to commercialism. But with the film's bloody and graphic sequences, it would be ill-advised for young teens to watch it.
"Suicide Club" is Sono's cry to move away from the brink of social collapse and a subtle commentary on the spiritual death of a society embodied by suicidal behavior. Quite ironic that youngsters are the ones to serve as martyrs as well as the adult's tormentors.
Recommended! Timidly, rent it first. [3 ½ Stars]
I dont get it 2008-02-03
A wave of unexplainable suicides sweeps across Tokyo after 54 smiling high school girls join hands and throw themselves from a subway platform into an oncoming train. Detective Kuroda (Audition's Ryo Ishibashi) and the rest of the police force are baffled as the bloodbath triggers a wave of suicides across the city. When a cryptic phone call tips off police to a strange website that appears to be tracking the suicides before they happen the question becomes are they really suicides at all? This outrageously bizarre wicked social critique in the form of a creepy and enigmatic detective mystery examines the despair of the disaffected Japanese youth and the influence of pop culture on their lives. From international film festival favorite to cult sensation Suicide Club is a study of contemporary morality that is gruesome darkly comic and vividly original.System Requirements: Running Time 94 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: MYSTERY/SUSPENSE Rating: NR UPC: 807839000580 Manufacturer No: TLA049
A recommended J-Horror 2008-02-02
This film is dark and disturbing, and probably one of the best J-Horrors to come out recently besides "Rampo Noir." It has haunting visuals and dialogue, and the acting is pretty good.
Now, while I understand the messages and morals behind this film, it can be confusing, so just take it with a grain of salt. There are many meanings and messages that you can find within the strange occurences. I am certainly not going to spoil the film for you by revealing what the movie is trying to convey.
Bloody, disturbing and terrific 2008-01-24
I'm just mad about asian horror/drama. This is no exception. Fifty school girls hold hands on the edge of the train platform, the train comes rushing in to the station, the girls start swingin their arms and singing and jump on the tracks, all you see is blood spraying up on people waiting on the platform and body parts, heads, legs, etc., flying around. The rest of the movie is the police trying to find out why the school children are killing themselves. To me it looked like some sort of subliminal message coming from the little girl singing group on tv. Why I don't know. enjoy!
The Content 
2007-12-22
This review will be short lived as 30+ five star reviews have already backed this movie.
I felt the movie was done in very poor taste. There is a way to handle the subject but it was almost as if they filmed this movie because "ohh suicide! What a marvel!" By no means am I bashing the movie because of the gore, gore is a part of our reality but the movie lacked a tasteful plotline. I have to say the skin shreds were a bit much as well.
I'm sure things like this do happen but when you put it into a film there's a line between being real and taking it too far. I strongly advise no one under 17 to watch this movie.
I'm sorry to those that did like it but this is just another person's opinion.
Brilliantly dark and disturbing, cutting-edge horror 2007-12-21
With an opening scene so shocking and disturbing as to be deemed infamous by many, 2002's Jisatsu saakuru (aka Suicide Club) grabs you by the throat, thrashes you around for an hour or so, temporarily morphs into some kind of weird rock and roll opera, gives you another kick in the solar plexus, and then bids you on your way - a little confused about what the heck you just witnessed. The film will probably be just a little bit too open to interpretation for Western audiences, but by gum I freaking loved this movie. While American horror directors seem to base all of their films on a shared database of five scripts, the Japanese are continuing to revolutionize the horror film day in and day out.
If you've ever heard of this film from director Sion Sono, you probably already know how the movie opens. You've got a group of Japanese school girls (fifty-four in all) talking and giggling one minute, and then joining hands and jumping in front of an oncoming train the next. I wanted to stand up and applaud right here in my room because it's so shocking and so well done. Yes, we gorehounds can critique the manner in which the blood first appears, but no one can question the effectiveness of so much blood literally going everywhere. Shinjuku Station almost instantaneously turns into Splatter City, baby. The cops, led by Detective Kuroda (Ryo Ishibashi) investigate, but there's not much they can do about a mass suicide - not until the pattern of suicides continues to the point that they have to consider the possibility that someone is murdering these kids in some kind of incomprehensible way. The second scene of multiple suicides is almost as unnerving as the first, and as time goes on individuals - including adults - begin taking their own lives, as well, a fact which sort of undermines any cult group theories. A couple of mysterious informers - one calling herself The Bat and the other a child who continually clears his throat after every sentence - as well as a distinctly weird web site provide some insight into the subject, but the clues they provide are pretty cryptic. Believe it or not, events actually take an even darker turn later in the film.
As is so often the case with Japanese horror, some of the deeper aspects of this film may not make perfect sense to those unfamiliar with Japanese culture, but I daresay any horror fan cannot help but be impressed by what goes on here (those who can't stomach a little blood and gore, though, probably won't last very long). It's a really dark story, and some of its central images are of the type that you won't be forgetting any time soon. I'll admit that the story didn't answer all of my questions, especially at the end, but this is horror on the cutting-edge and I loved every minute of it.
