Odelecol
Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.
Glucedee
It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.
Aiden Melton
The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.
dbborroughs
Mad ramblings from Takashi Miike. It begins with a shoot out in Brazil, moves to a prison escape and then to the attempt of our young lovers to escape the city and get home. With an odd sense of disjointed place and a style that resembles a comic book collection in a blender this is a movie that could have only been made by Miike and have it work. Funny, touching, violent hip and cool in a very real way (the sort of hip that most filmmakers can only copy badly) this is a unique ride (well its par for the course for Miike). I find it hard to really explain the film because there is the desire to explain the gags and jokes and clever lines that go with each bit, and that would be telling. Is it a great film? No. But its a fun film (if you're up for it). Come on what other movie do you know where stop motion chickens have a kung fu style cock fight? (Okay so maybe the bits are better than the whole, but its still a great deal of fun)
MartinHafer
First, before you mark this review as "NOT HELPFUL", understand that there are two distinct groups of people: Those who LOVE the ultra-violent and gory films of Takashi Miike and normal, well-adjusted people. Those lovers of sick gore will say I "just don't get it" and anyone who is not drawn to these movies will probably agree wholeheartedly that these films (including this film, ICHI THE KILLER and THE AUDITION) are repulsive. It's not just the fact that everyone in this film is completely amoral and blood splatters abound, but the utterly unredeeming little touches Miike adds to the films that make the film sort of like a moral cancer. For example, this is the first movie I have ever seen with "TOILET CAM"--i.e., a video camera INSIDE the toilet so I can watch floating pieces of poo as well as a guy urinating into the toilet! And, because there's so much blood and violence, no real story was written for the movie--just scum killing other scum. Save yourself a lot of time and potential brain rot and just try to find a different film to watch! This film merits 2 points just because of some interesting camera and stunt work (apart from the poo).
Infofreak
The extraordinary movies of the astonishingly prolific Takashi Miike take most viewers quite a bit getting used to, so if you've never seen one of his difficult to categorize films before you're in for a wild ride! His best known movie is probably the modern horror classic 'Audition'. An utterly brilliant movie to be sure, but not really all that representative of the rest of his high octane genre-busting output. Many of his fans regard 'Dead Or Alive' as one of his greatest works, and while I certainly agree it is one of the most extraordinary and original movies released in recent years, it was way too uneven for my liking and marred by one of the most ludicrous endings I've ever seen. 'City Of Lost Souls' is a much less bizarre and extreme experience than 'DOA'. It reaches neither the highs of that movie, nor the lows, and therefore is probably as good a place as any to get into Miike's world, which is quite unlike any other let me tell you! The plot itself is a fairly standard lovers on the run thing that we've seen in countless movies before ('Bonnie And Clyde', 'The Getaway', 'Badlands', 'Wild At Heart', 'True Romance',etc.etc.) but with Miike "plot" is basically just an excuse for messing with the audience's mind and expectations. The multi-racial nature of the cast and the seemingly random and sometimes confusing geographic settings help disorientate the viewer, which allows Miike to slip in some memorable set pieces and images. One in particular, the chicken fighting scene, had me literally speechless, and is one of the funniest and most unexpected sequences I've ever seen. But still, unlike 'DOA', Miike never goes too far into sheer silliness, and that makes 'City Of Lost Souls' are much more consistent and enjoyable experience for me. Maybe if I'd watched this movie first then worked my way up to 'DOA' my reaction to the latter would be more positive, who can say? I would definitely recommend Miike novices to watch this one first before they explore his more outrageous movies. Love him or hate him, you cannot ignore Takashi Miike, a film maker who makes overrated fanboy faves like David Fincher and Guy Ritchie look like the slow kids in the back of the class.
Pedro-37
"City of Lost Souls" is far away from being the best Miike outing I've seen - but it entertained me a lot. Plot- and style-wise, it's closest to "Fudoh" (still my favorite Miike-film) and "Dead or Alive" but it lacks "Fudohs" determination, eye candy and subversiveness as well as the surrealism of both "Fudoh" and "DOA".The best things about "City of Lost Souls": The multi-culture cast, the cockfights (have to be seen to be believed), the hysteric violence, the style. For those who have seen Miike's "Audition" and now want to see more of this inventive director, "City of Lost Souls" would come as a surprise because many of Miike's movies are much faster and (if you want to call it that) emptier than "Audition". They're just plain fun. So is "City of Lost Souls".Rating: 7/10
