Haze

Director - Shin'ya Tsukamoto (Tokyo Fist, Vital)
Starring - Shin'ya Tsukamoto, Takahiro Murase (Bullet Ballet, Gemini), and Takahiro Kandaka (A Snake of June)
Release Date - 2005
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "You will experience the palpable feeling of terror and all encompassing sense of claustrophobia as you watch this intense exercise in basic fear and dread... "
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Down to the final three in the Solid Metal Nightmares set.  So far I've been through several ups and downs but for the most part I really enjoyed what was laid before me from director Shin'ya Tsukamoto.  However, I knew I wouldn't like all ten films but I've now reached the low point in the box set.  Haze is Tsukamoto's 2005 film that runs a little less than 50 minutes.  Honestly, it felt like hours to me.  Not every director can knock them all out of the park and this one is one of Tsukamoto's that couldn't go the distance.  

     The film follows a young man who awakens in a cramped corridor and bleeding profusely from his stomach.  He wonders aimlessly through the tight spaces but can see others frantically trying to get out through holes in the wall. After some time he crosses paths with a young woman and quickly learns that they are in an underground maze that is part of a sick game played by the wealthy.      

     The previous two films, A Snake of June and Vital, were very impressive so I went into Haze riding a high.  However, Haze just didn't work for me.  I found myself struggling to pay attention and the transfer, as stated when the film began, is dark due to the nature of the films negative.  The acting in this one is decent for what it is.  It's mostly a one man show but he carries the film fairly well.  He goes through the expected emotions and does a decent job at portraying them.  However, his aimlessly wondering through what looks like a sewer alone for a good bit of the film is painfully dull.  The story for this one could really work if there was more substance to the film.  The thought of wealthy people playing a sick game with people is always interesting to me.  Movies like The Hunt and 31 really hold substance in my opinion.  However, the almost pitch black scenery and lack of a story during the first two thirds of the film makes if feel like it was incomplete.  Not seeing what is going on mashed against the painfully slow moving film makes it difficult to finish.  Finally, the film  does have some blood but if its more than that the quality of the release is hard to see.  The main focus of this one is not the red stuff but the hell the young man goes through.  Overall, Haze has an interesting premise but is lacking.  Easily the weakest film in the set.