Director: Noboru Iguchi,
Starring: Rina Takeda, Shigeru Matsuzaki, Takashi Nishina, Kentaro Shimazu, Takamasa Suga, Takashi Nishina,
Running Time: 91 Minutes
Certificate: 18
Some may say never judge a film by its title, but when looking at the films of cult director Noboru Iguchi, they really do offer a clue as to the tone and content of his films. ZOMBIE ASS: TOILET OF THE DEAD, THE MACHINE GIRL, and ROBOGEISHA are just some of his B-movie classics he has unleashed on the world. Couple this with his addition to THE ABCS OF DEATH, that being F is For Fart, and you can tell if DEAD SUSHI is going to appeal to you. It’s lowbrow, it’s crass, it’s sick and funny, and it doesn’t try and hide its modest budget.
If you thought the zombie genre had had every drop of life squeezed out of it, then think again, as we look into the world of zombie food. In DEAD SUSHI, a virus brings the delicious Japanese delicacy to life as it seeks revenge against humanity. We find ourselves in a simple traditional inn where the guests are soon terrorized by their own meals. It’s not much of a plot, but it certainly allows for plenty of comedic set pieces. Iguchi aims a lot of the violence and humour (which is often the same thing in this film), at a bunch of corporate executives, and other characters who do not understand the beauty of sushi. This is in contrast to our heroine, Keiko (Takeda), who has shamed her father with her poor sushi making skills. She strives to perfect her craft, and what better way to do it than slaughtering the undead food. It’s the typical story of acceptance by ones parents, but with added stupidity and mirth thrown in.
The plot is most certainly secondary to the bizarre visual treats that Iguchi has to offer us. Connoisseurs of modern, advanced, computerised effects may believe that truly special effects should go unnoticed, or seam real. DEAD SUSHI sticks a well deserved middle finger up at such a notion and gives us obvious practical effects that are funny, but still manage to make the audience feel a little queasy. The fun is seeing how far the film can push its daft premise. Seeing a man’s face stretched out by a villainous squid causes laughs in how absurd it looks, as well as forcing the viewer to realise how all those old cartoons would look in real life. Talk about a childhood ruiner.
The name of the game is ‘fun’, and this should be filed under ‘Watch with friends’ and the more ridiculous the friends, the better. Sat alone may lead the viewer to a few chuckles, but there is no denying the premise can wear a bit thin. It could also be a wonderfully inappropriate companion piece to JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI. Noboru Iguchi knows exactly where his strengths lie, and with Rina Takeda making a lovable and respectable lead, it may not be high art, but it is exceptional fun. A zombie film with a delicious twist.
DEAD SUSHI is released on DVD and Blu-ray via Monster Pictures on 23rd September.
