Cold Fish

Disintegration and despair. The real concern of this film, however, is to attack the ideological notion that parents should encourage their teenage children to get a job in retail because it will supposedly help them transition to adulthood and maturity (although Murata also has a point).

Kind of an extremist repudiation of Fight Club, with the charismatic Tyler Durden replaced by an equally chaotic - but far more Establishment - antagonist, a brash serial-killing businessman whose Alpha Male tendencies repulse and captivate. For what it lacks in (pardon me) warmth, it compensates in sheer nerve.

A quiet tropical fish seller and his family have their lives taken over by a boisterous and seemingly friendly man who turns out to be a psychotic serial killer. A bleak and macabre film that revels in blood, guts and betrayal, plus an overwhelming sense of hopelessness. Stunning violence and excellent cinematography, including a couple of fantastic lengthy single take scenes. Note to self: watch more Sion Sono films.

While I appreciate the fact that Sono never pulls any punches and admire the skill involved (e.g. the one-take by the end), I wish he would apply his considerable talent to a more "normal" flick. That said, I don't want to dissuade those seeking out films that are on the extreme side because this is definitely original filmmaking. Just not my kind of thing, I guess.

One of those dark comedies where the protagonist ropes himself into something nefarious and before he knows it he's complicit in a lot of really heinous shit and has become a monster himself. The implication seems to be that the bigger fish will always try to grope and murder and manipulate its way into eating the little fish as often as it possibly can until someone, or something, intervenes and breaks the cycle, at which point all has probably been lost anyway.

What begins as a sort of surreal / tragicomic type of narrative ends up feeling empty and slightly exploitative. Sono always makes me grateful I watched even his misfires, though.

Beyond the true story, the crux is that of Peckinpah's Straw Dogs, where [Spoiler] a 'cowardly' man is slowly twisted by his emotional hostage until he explodes. The problem with the film however is that, compared to the other films I've seen by Sono (Love Exposure and the flawed Strange Circus), this lacks the depth to the characters and ideas they had, even if this is nearly 2½ hours long. As a result its extreme violence lacks the weight it needs to be more than just nasty violence.

Very intense and well acted mix between drama and hardcore thriller. The few dark humour moments are extremely funny.

23.05.2023 Kartal, İstanbul

The ending is quite brutal and gory, but it takes way too long to get there.

Sono obviously wanted to have his personal Straw Dogs but the direction, pace and the dynamics of both films are so different that it can't simulate same level of despair, fear or aggression even though it has much more graphic content.

Cold Fish estreava há 10 anos no Festival de Veneza. De fato é um excelente filme, mas depois de tudo que ouvi sobre ele em todos esses anos, confesso que fiquei meio decepcionada, talvez estivesse esperando um nível hard de punkice à la Miike, o que não é o caso. Mas certamente você não tem um minute de tédio assistindo-o, pudera tê-lo visto no cinema. BlurayRip no MakingOff.

Super creepy and some fantastic performances. Just keeps ramping up until an amazing climax.

This shit is harsh and has no mercy man stay away...

Essentially an extended attack on the concept of Alpha Male masculinity, in which the alpha male is a serial killer, and the abused Beta Male "mans up" by going psychotic. Needless to say, it's very dark. Sono's direction is always interesting, even if this doesn't always justify its hefty running time. And Denden is completely believable as said serial killer.

thoroughly entertaining, considerably well-acted, and pretty fucked up, man

Has moments of tension - some unbearable - but largely progresses in a slow, methodical manner, which while it may help the detached emotions our protagonist has it doesn't give you much reason to care, or to want to continue watching.

A man who avoids conflict at every turn meets a psychopath who solves issues by making people disappear. Depravity breeds depravity. Such fine premises for a horror, but despite the film's 146 minute runtime, it felt hollow and lacking, with the characters remaining largely underdeveloped.

Very long and very boring. Seemed to go on forever.

Another addition to the violent weird Japanese cinema. Would not call it an enjoyable experience but well worth your time.

A present of violence, humour, sex and blood, wrapped in thick paper of pure madness. Cold Fish is one hell of a joy ride if you have the stomach for it, and enjoy seeking out films that are on the extreme side. A bit too long though, and it took a while before it got to me emotionally.

Chill, horrific, dark, and even sometimes erotic....this is everything that most horror films try to be but always come up short of. Sono continues to master the WTF genre.

serial killer duud is fucking chill

What do you expect? It's a Japanese movie. Creepy, morbidly funny and weird. Can I say more? Did I mention it is Japanese? Craaaaazzyy stuff. And boobs.

Daaaaamn.

Dark, perverse, and sickly funny. This movie is incredibly enjoyable.

"Don't let me talk you out of it--after all, I'm no kibbitzer." - Jaime N. Christley

islevsiz aileye cocuklarin tarafindan bakmasina alistigimiz sion sono bu sefer uysal babanin siddet faktoruyle aydinlanmasini anlatiyor. uc karakterler, tuhaf olay orgusu ile meraki devam ettirebilse de karakterleri derinlestirememesi ile derdini anlatmakta zorlaniyor. s.sono ebeveyn-cocuk iliskisine takilip ayni yerde donup durarak kendini tekrar ediyor. boylece son donem japon sinemasindaki umutlar da sonuyor.