[FANTASTIC FEST 2018] ‘ONE CUT OF THE DEAD’ Review

Note: This is an expansion of a mini-review from Fantasia 2018, altered after a second viewing. This review is laced with some spoilers.

The cast a crew of a low-budget zombie movie find themselves in the middle of an actual zombie attack. The director decides that the actors should do what they do best: use it! Taking place entirely in one large, remote location and using one take, we reach the bloody conclusion…and then rewind to before this was filmed, and follow the crew prepping for a zombie TV network’s premiere event. This is a live broadcast to be done in one long take, something the enlisted director Higurashi (Takayuki Hamatsu) is uncertain can be accomplished. Then we go behind the scenes as they accomplish what it took to get the shot. What felt strange in the movie on screen is, in fact, the result of wacky antics from an oddball cast and crew. Things that happen in the beginning are paid off when you learn how and why they happened.

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Here’s what I said in my original review: This is a pretty clever comedy that’s kind of like if they were making a horror movie in Bowfinger. A lot of beats are well timed and there are some pretty hilarious moments that you never would have imagined were happening off screen while the zombie movie was unfolding. Some odd moments are well explained due to technical gaffes, and everything comes together so well. The credits roll over the meta behind the scenes of shooting the crew that’s shooting the movie, which is really amusing. This wasn’t at all what I was expecting from this movie, and I was pleasantly surprised. It’s not a gimmick flick, and it’s pretty great!

I originally reviewed Shin’ichiro Ueda’s One Cut of the Dead for Fantasia 2018 and it’s been stuck in my head ever since. Knowing where it goes and more importantly WHY it goes changes the movie entirely, so I decided that a second shot could change the experience. Even on a second viewing I found the initial 35-minute segment borderline unwatchable, even knowing that it will pay off. I felt maybe this was a mistake to watch again so soon, but then the back half of the movie charmed me even more this time. I was able to absorb more of the characters and appreciate the nuance that lies within the broad comedy. There are some terrific comedic performances from Yuzuki Akiyama and Harumi Shuhama, with Takayuki Hamatsu really standing out as a man trying to hold everything together and make it work. Character bits are laid out that pay off later, and I picked up a lot more of what I missed the first time out.

I haven’t seen any news about a release date, so I really suggest checking film fests in your area for upcoming screenings. I believe seeing this with a packed audience could be pretty rewarding, especially for people unaware of what they’re getting into. Highly recommended!