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Eyes of the Spider
Eyes of the Spider *** (Not Rated)
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Reviewed By George O. Singleton
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Emptiness isn't misery, but the beginning of something new
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Niijima: Shoh Akiawa
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Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
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30 Second Bottom Line: A man seeks revenge for the kidnapping and murder of his young daughter and finds that like the killer, he too has a dark side.
Story Line: After finding his 10 year-old daughter murdered, Niijima simmers for six long years before he is able to exact revenge. He and his wife are dealing with the pain of their loss by keeping the girl's room in tact and going about their lives at home and at work. The wife seems to be doing well while Niijima wants revenge. After six years of searching, Niijima finally tracks down the man who raped and killed his daughter. At first he seems to be letting him off easy only to lose it and eventually he tortures the man to death. He buries him, hopefully along with the memories of what happened to his daughter.
Niijima begins coming home late after going out for drinks after work. His wife becomes concerned about his mood and how things are going at work. When Niijima meets an old high school friend, he is offered a job in an import/export business, that he later discovers is a front for a gang that is often at war with rival organizations. Soon Niijima is an assassin-to say he goes off the deep end would be a gross understatement.
Eyes of the Spider is a film about dealing with unimaginable pain and how one manages to live with it-or not.
Tell Me More About It: Like the film Brother, this too is very violent. The difference is the sense of purpose-right or wrong-felt here.
The scenes involving the woman Miki bring considerable sexuality to the movie. We see her nude on a bed; then she gets up and walks into another room to put on her clothes. She is also nude in several other scenes where she is interacting with male gang members.
Eyes of the Spider is somewhat disturbing because the ending raises the issue of revenge being truly therapeutic while implying that logic and therapy might not work at all. To open the door to the dark side of the psyche is a test we can only hope never to be given. We might not like the person we are confronted with.
Not Rated (nudity; very violent.)
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George O. Singleton © 2001
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