The Movie: Signal 100 / シグナル100
The Director: Lisa Takeba
The Cast: Kanna Hashimoto, Yuta Koseki and Toshiki Seto
The Story: A group of high school students are forced into a game where they are hypnotized to commit suicide on an unknown command. Where no one is safe from a sudden death, how can they avoid their fates?
The Review:
This movie is basically a combination of Battle Royale, Kinji Fukasaku controversial film that allegedly inspired the Hunger Games franchise, and Ringu, Hideo Nakata's iconic horror franchise that is still scaring audiences to this day. The story kicks off with a high school teacher sing a super freaky video clip to hypnotize his students and setting them up for a nightmare of death that can only end with one survivor.
The idea might not be original yet Lisa Takeba's execution is intense, entertaining, and filled with the type of bloody antics you are hoping will be delivered in a movie like this. The story has teen drama, doomed romance, diabolical double crosses, evil intentions, and honorable acts of heroism to go along with the copious amounts of gore filled deaths and dismemberment. Emotions are high and teen angst fills the narrative and you never quite know who is going to go next or how it's going to happen.
Signal 100 is a worthy entry into the world of Japanese horror and genre fans will be dying to experience its hypnotizing effects. Also, make sure to check out Miyatsuki Arata's original manga that the movie is based on.
Signal 100 is an official selection of the 2019 Hawaii International Film Festival.
To keep track of all my reviews and festival coverage please go to: TwoOhSix at HIFF 2019.
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