With so many movies to watch and so little free time, it is very difficult to plan out a viewing schedule and actually stick to it. I am pulled in many directions, between watching movies for pleasure and watching those that I’ve been sent for the sole purpose of sharing my thoughts on, here on the site. Still, I was lucky enough, this time around, to actually stick to a plan; I was able to watch a sequel to a film that I reviewed recently! The film I am speaking about is Daisuke Yamanouchi’s Red Room 2.
The Plot
Four more players have volunteered to be a part of the King game, in hopes of being the sole survivor and winner of a large cash prize. With a last-minute change to the participants involved, tensions rise. In order to put everyone at ease, the reward has been doubled to 20 million yen. Who will be the last man standing after this deadly game has run its course?
My Thoughts
Red Room 2 follows an almost identical formula to its predecessor. Our main cast consists of four actors. They are locked in a room and must stay there until only one is left.
The story of this sequel unfolds before our eyes just as it did in the original film, a year earlier; We are immediately thrust into the game. Our only reprieve from the violent rounds of play are the flashbacks to when each player is becoming acquainted with each other, before the game begins, and in between each subsequent round.
The cast is small, but consists of some very talented performers. All were able to portray their unique roles in a way that commanded constant attention. At no point will Red Room 2 make you feel bored or want to take a break to look down at your phone, like so many other films do in this day and age.
Locked in the singular setting room with the game’s contestants are only the table and chairs they sit at, the cage in which each order is performed, and a box of, er, toys…
As the game progresses and each player gets increasingly frustrated with their opponents’ strong wills, the use of the items in the box become more perverse and violent. The only thing limiting what can be done with these instruments is the imagination of each round’s King.
The Verdict
While Red Room 2 is only the second film I’ve seen of writer and director, Daisuke Yamanouchi, I can honestly say that I am a fan. This filmmaker is amazingly talented and is able to present his audience things that not many others can.
In a film about a game that can only have one survivor, Yamanouchi makes it about more than just the potential brutality. We are given unique and interesting characters that all have their own motivations and backstories.
Not one character is the same as any other and it makes for some fantastic interactions between them. The crude ex-officer divorcee, the shy religious girl with a mysterious dark side, the quiet melancholy loner, and the seemingly unbeatable professional all make the King’s game and Red Room 2 quite an enjoyable watch.
If you are a fan of films like [Jessica Cameron’s] Truth or Dare, Would You Rather, or the earlier entries in the Saw franchise, Red Room 2 is a film that you will want to get your hands on.
It features a talented cast, torture scenes that are as equally nauseating as they are erotic, impressive practical special effects, and a couple of memorable what the f*ck moments.
If any of this sounds like it would be up your alley, and it definitely should, be sure to grab yourself a copy of Red Room 2 on DVD. The film is available now from Unearthed Films.
This 2000 Japanese horror flick has very quickly become one of my favorites the extreme label has to offer and is a very worthy piece of cinema to have in any and all collections.
I give this film 4 bloody nose orgasms out of 5.
