Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
A lone woman walks, lugging a large suitcase along a dimly lit street, the camera following her like a stalker with ill-intent. However, as she disappears into the apparent safety of a cheap rental, a grotesque murderous monster awaits within its confines.
Written and directed by Doug Roos, the horror movie “Bakemono” immediately sets an eerie tone with its opening shot and tells the tale of several guests who fall prey to a supernatural creature waiting to rip them to shreds in a Tokyo Airbnb. But not only does this creature brutally kill its victims, but turns them into the worst versions of themselves before finishing them off. There’s plenty of blood, gore, and unsettling scenes of violence, and the film uses practical effects instead of computer generated graphic to depicts its gruesome supernatural villain.
“This city wears you down over time. It chews you up, pits you against each other, isolates you, and buries you under stress,” a character says midway through the film, summarizing the primary theme of the tale – how the rat race of big cities turns people into monsters. “Bakemono” is nihilistic in nature, featuring over a dozen protagonists throughout its 1 hour 42-minute runtime, with their gory deaths rapidly unfolding one after the other, almost without purpose. Those who appreciate nihilism will savor the meaningless violence, while viewers who prefer establishing a connection with protagonists will have nothing to grasp onto.
The large cast works both for and against the movie. While the substantial number of victims at the cheap rental magnifies the evil reach of the monster, some of the actors aren’t convincing in their bit parts. However, the two primary antagonists of the tale—the monster and the vile owner of the BnB—keep viewers anxious and terrified throughout the runtime with their gory acts. The narrative doesn’t follow a chronological order, presenting a jumbled sequence of the harrowing final moments of diverse victims. While this approach can be confusing, it simultaneously builds suspense, leaving viewers uncertain about whether any of the characters could escape their imminent demise.
The film consistently maintains an oppressive, discomforting, and eerie atmosphere, largely thanks to Doug Roos’ astute decision to forgo any background music and instead rely on intense ambient sounds. In the heart of Tokyo’s menacing urban sprawl, “Bakemono” emerges as a visceral exploration of supernatural terror. This film is not for those who can’t stand gore and is a relentless descent into a nightmarish realm where practical effects bring to life a creature that transforms victims into hellish nightmares.
Click here to watch the teaser for Bakemono on YouTube.
Read Next: Society of the Snow Review – Frosty Epic Delivers Chills
Also Read: The Ruins Book Review – Vine-tastic Horrors (Audio Version Below)