Another Heaven (2000)

Rarely in recent years has a film made me more angry than the Japanese horror movie "Another Heaven". Actually the last time I was similarily upset after a film was about half a year ago when I saw a horror film called "Session 9". But while that movie was just horribly written and staggeringly boring, it was the ludicrous story that made "Another Heaven" into a shockingly stupid experience. I am not exaggerating if I tell you that this is the dumbest, silliest, most preposterous plot I've seen in a long time.

By now, some of you might cheer "I like silly movies, that sounds like great fun!" - no, no, no, no, no. This film is not funny. It is not meant to be funny. What it achieved though is that after its end I was amused by myself after I could not stop cursing and ranting for 15 minutes even though there was noone else there. This does not play like a comedy. It feels primarily like a sincere horror movie.

The first scene though is actually amusing and there is an underlying sense of humor but it's far away from trash or comedy. The film starts with a police squad showing up at a crime scene. They find a dead man without a brain and of course they wonder what this is all about. After several bizarre murders that we all get to see in graphic detail, one cop called Manabu - the protagonist - even considers something supernatural as an explanation. If only that were a good thing and if only  that was all to be concerned about ... About half an hour into the film, I was like "Come on, now, that is stupid!", ... and it only got worse. There was one question floating around in my mind for the rest of the film: "Are you fucking kidding me?!" I could not trust my eyes! How could someone come up with an idea like that?

I have to repeat myself this movie is not funny at all. There are some jokes but they work entirely on their own and not on the level of the story. The story idea itself is not only beyond belief but also arbitrary in its progression and completely pointless in its outcome. I was covering my face when I heard what was the reason for all the mayhem going on.

Besides all the killing and chasing, Manabu (played by Yôsuke Eguchi) is struggling with his own life. He is uncertain about his feelings - also towards women. One girl in particular is hanging around and following him every once in a while. She is kind of a little dull but eventually - of course - turns out to be the most underestimated character. The arc is meant to be that the case and the confrontation with pure, inexplicable evil will make the police officer find enlightment and strip off a side of his character that blinded him from seeing the truth.

But that sounds way too complex than it really is. Sadly I can't go into detail about some of the laughable plot explanations. The movie goes on for over two hours and spends most of the time chasing the weird unknown evil. Some kind of subtext is provided by often very obvious, tedious dialog and by the relationship between the cop, the girl and "the thing". Also there is a sequence when the film superficially picks up the theme of violence in todays' societies and how it is widely available and part of our daily lives often playing for our amusement like in televion, movies and videogames.

The last scene of the film also includes one of those lame, sentimental and pretentious statements that bad movie endings sometimes come up with in such moments. It seemed like they think they really have a message, but it is just dull and trivial. "Another Heaven" is a film made by the devil to torture movielovers in search of something inspiring. "Another heaven" is actually another hell.

TRAILER:

Watch the Trailer for 'Another Heaven' on Youtube