Redwarmin This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

Titreenp SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

ReaderKenka Let's be realistic.

Rexanne It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

Jqn_Hgar Izo is a recently killed warrior who wanders through time and space killing everybody in his way to find "divine retribution", silly plot huh? Well need I to remind you that this is a Miike film so get comfort in the fact that this is just the tip of the iceberg. I read a lot of user reviews on different websites that were mostly negative, accusing Miike of being a hack and that he doesn't even know what he's doing, i don't blame those people since i think in the end it's their point of view but I think they are wrong about this movie, there's more to it than just what you see, it's full of symbolism especially religious symbolism, the opening for example finds our protagonist a Samurai called Izo being crucified and then stabbed in the chest with a spear just like what they did to Jesus only more Miikesque, then he is somehow reborn in the shape of an undead killing machine, believe me this film is ruthless Izo kills almost everyone in his way while he's on the look for the organization that created him which is a metaphor for god if i'm correct but it could also be the Devil because i went out from this film with three interpretations 1) Izo is looking to kill god because he felt that despite him carrying the sins of the world he died a painful brutal death so he felt betrayed. 2) Izo is looking to kill the devil because he felt that he is responsible for the sins of the world hence Izo's Death. 3) (spoiler alert) the pretty boy Izo confronts in the end is both God and the Devil. This is only my interpretation of the film and i'm sure there's more into it than just this. Miike is in top form in this film ( I always thought he's one of the best working directors working today even though he admitted that he hates his job I still think he's doing a marvelous job) there's some really breathtaking action sequences here which is a trademark in Miike films, but what interested me the most is the "Tableaux" shown through the film, there's some very beautiful and creative imagery that only a genius like Miike can cone up with. This is a very good effort from Miike, this is his most experimental film (he had his share of those) absurd but at the same time very deep and thought provoking, this is a true Cult Classic and a must see for movie buffs, I guess Sion Sono's Love Exposure was a response to Miike's Izo in away but you never know, some themes are represented in both films but Love Exposure had a beautiful love story while Izo is an in-humanistic work of art.

moneenerd After seeing at least 20 movies in his filmography, this is by far and wide the worst Miike film I've yet to see.Great premise, but the execution is all wrong.A samurai is crucified on a cross in feudal Japan, and spends the remainder of his afterlife travelling through space and time at random, hacking and slicing away pretty much everyone in sight. While there are certainly those characters who might represent the ills of modern Japanese society (particularly religion and big business), some of the violence is just downright incomprehensible, including the slaying of innocent children and the rape of mother earth (seriously). I had no idea what Izo was supposed to represent, nor half of the villains he encounters, and, as a reasonably intelligent art-house film fanatic, it absolutely infuriates me that I had to come online to figure all this meaningless and half-assed symbolism out.I get it Miike; you hate religion, technology, government, law, major corporations (like the ones you make movies for... ahem), and women. You love to get your audience talking, and you certainly love making critics think you are a thematic genius even when everything you do is lazy (given, he does make about 5-6 films a year) and pushing them to find hidden meanings behind things where there are none (example: all the ranting and raving about AUDITION being a feminist film). But by the looks of IMDb and RT ratings of IZO, I think this 2 hour mind-f*ck was the straw that broke the camel's back.Bad CGI, bad fight choreography, bad dialogue, bad acting. Sure, it's an "art" film, and so those things should be secondary to theme, plot, and message, but when 90% of the film is made up of sword fighting, you could at least try a little harder to wow us.This should be paired up with Takeshi Kitano's movie TAKESHI'S (ironice, since Kitano is in this movie), for they are both the most over-indulgent films by otherwise incredible talents in Japan cinema. File this under I AM A F*CKING GENIUS AND THE AUDIENCE WILL EAT UP ANYTHING I RELEASE EVEN IF IT'S JUNK.On a side note: I am still stoked for your 13 ASSASSINS remake!

polysicsarebest It's hard to be familiar with the movies of Takashi Miike. Despite seeing the majority of his films released in America (and even a few that have yet to be released here...), it's hard not to feel like I've lost something in translation. I can appreciate the humor, the violence, the plots, etc... but there are usually parts that seem to lose me, and his movies typically require repeated viewings. It's not that I'm particularly new to the films he creates or the films of Japanese directors in general -- the point I'm trying to illustrate is that you have to WANT to appreciate his films. You have to work hard sometimes to get into what he's doing, because he often throws conventional plot points, "hooks" that grab you, and structure, out the window. Even his most fairly straightforward films take many detours into the bizarre (see the tank randomly showing up in "Family" or the rocket launcher that comes out on nowhere in at least two of his films!).So, it's not surprising that this is one of Miike's works that hasn't gotten quite the attention of the immediately-gratifying "Ichi the Killer" or "Audition". Using the "hook" of a sword fighting epic initially gets people interested in this film, but seeing no conventional plot line or point to what is happening turns most people off, it seems. This confuses me -- though I definitely didn't grasp everything upon the first viewing of this, I was still instantly amazed at what Miike has set up here: A journey through one man's tortured soul. Even if you don't feel like you understand everything that's happening, you still realize this film is genius -- maybe you just haven't figured out why yet.Upon repeated viewings, however, I figured out why. You have to kind of look in between the lines on this one. This film is powerful, epic, emotional, and even darkly comedic. Yes, on the surface this film is basically just a journey through someone's afterlife. However, beyond that, the film pours on the flashy imagery, ultraviolence, and powerful emotions to an almost suffocating degree. In a lot of ways, this film reminds me of "El Topo" -- a movie that is disguised as a genre effort (El Topo being a Western, this being a samurai swordfighting film) that uses the basic genre outlines but explores topics deeper than have ever been covered in the genre before...I think those who overlook this film simply were expecting a straightforward swordfighting movie, which this film clearly isn't. It's way better than that, and it's honestly probably the best film to come out in the last decade. It's one of the few films that have ever "moved" me. It is somewhat challenging cinema, and you might need a decent background in Japanese culture/mysticism/forces to totally understand everything in this movie. Unfortunately, most people won't bother. But for those who like to think a little bit, remember that this film REQUIRES repeated viewings.A masterpiece and easily proves Miike's talent more so than any of his other films so far.

fertilecelluloid A warrior travels through time and space and thoroughly butchers, in spectacular grand guignol fashion, almost everybody he runs into. Miike's "El Topo-like action-fantasy is a strange, stylish, confused melange of energy and anger, a poem to retribution, the sins of history, self-abasement and bloody ambition. High production values dominate and the action set pieces are quite beautifully filmed and choreographed. The blood spurts in glorious geysers and the theatrical stylings give the entire affair a kabuki feel. Unfortunately, the lengthy running time tests tolerance levels because there is little emotional weight between the sprockets. "Izo" is a cold film, a distancing film, but it has an intensity that is engaging and a sense of anarchy about it that recalls Oliver Stone's "Natural Born Killers". Although my favorite Miike films are "Visitor Q" and "Ichi The Killer", I enjoyed "Izo" in spurts (bloody ones, of course).