While Suicide Club is one of the more creepy and interesting contemporary Japanese films I’ve seen recently, it also failed to meet my expectations as a whole. On the one hand it’s shot really well, with a ton of hand-held camera movements and long takes, with a plot that straddles the line between traditional Japanese horror and detective mystery, but on the other hand the real message is lost somewhere in the second half of the film. It’s as if after nearly reaching the summit of a mountain the film decides to throw all logic and sense off a cliff – a fitting metaphor for a movie commenting on the disturbingly real problem of suicide in Japan. Apparently the sequel doesn’t really fill in the gaps either, which is unfortunate.

Sure, you can argue that the open-ended nature of the film leaves everything purely up to the audience, but when you spend practically the entire film leading up to something – come on, you mean those creepy kids had nothing to do with anything? – you can’t just stop all of a sudden and say, “Figure it out yourself!”.

Overall I just feel kind of let down. I’d heard so much about Suicide Club and it turned out to be pretty bleh.

What an opening!

A movie which leaves me feeling maybe it’s all worth it. All those piles and piles of unimaginative, derivative stories. This one is a detective story. Oh, a horror flick. A family drama. Once the formula is recognized, the obedient ending follows along like a dog’s tail. Not so, Suicide Circle.

Most movies are diversions. People watch them as such. Absorb a little melodrama. Phase back into reality with a souvenir keepsake called “the hook.” When a friend asks, hey is that movie any good, present the hook. Great special effects. Girl saves world. Robot dog. Whatever.

People killing themselves with apparent joie de vivre. I suppose that is the hook for Suicide Circle. Why? Why are they killing themselves? Why so happy? An answer is expected. Detectives throw out dragnets. Strange voices make ominous predictions. Answers never materialize. Instead, the movie turns around and asks, “Why expect an answer? Who are these people to you, and why do you care? Do you even know yourself?”

You. Yes, you. This movie is about you. Suicide Circle asks you to connect to yourself, not the story, not the characters.

Is that the meaning? Is there meaning? The story doesn’t say, but I love the fact that I still have access. I can search for meaning in this movie.

What is this movie about? What are movies? An object shaped like a roll of film. An audience applauding, not a performance, but a true intention. Clues overlooked by the characters, because they are in the movie. But we exist outside the movie. Or do we even realize it?

There is no real plot. The movie doesn’t develop into anything. The quality of the effects… This movie was developed around 2000-2002, am I right? The effects are really out dated, it’s really horrible.

I don’t recommend this movie. I recommend the manga/comic.

I saw this movie last night and I am still wondering what the hell happened…The ending was completely horrible and the entire movie was just jumbled. I’m disappointed :(