People are voting emotionally.

Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

Absolutely Fantastic

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

TW: Rape, sexual violence. This is my first Imdb review and i'm writing it partly because this film was tricky for me to rate, partly with the hope that someone who isn't okay with seeing simulated rape can be spared from watching this, and partly because it really unsettled me and affected me. So the movie opens with a brutal and explicit rape scene, which really caught me off guard. I'm still left wondering why they included this. Although i understand that the movie is an exploration of senseless gang/crime related violence, as well as themes of sadomasochism (mostly sadism let's face it), this scene was extremely uncomfortable, and i'd much rather watch simple physical torture scenes over and over than be forced to witness the complete degradation and dehumanisation of not one but two women, repeatedly. This is what really got to me- there are multiple rape scenes and furthermore constant flashbacks to another incident of rape, this left me on edge throughout the whole movie and really distracted me from the core themes of hypermasculinity and violence among these men who seem to be completely devoid of any real emotion or compassion, and all the main characters are totally self involved, obsessed with their self indulgent fantasies. Although it would have had great potential as more of an action comedy with underlying deeper themes exploring violence, in the end it felt lacking in delivering any substantial message or insight, and really just became the very thing it was supposed to/could have been critical of. The characters were completely disgusting, but they seemed to be portrayed as neutral, not bad or good, which didn't make sense to me. Not only this but all 3 of the only women in this movie were brutally raped, beaten and killed. Granted most people were killed in this movie but the thing that really turned me off this movie was the emphasis on gendered sexual violence towards women in this movie. There was no reason for it as far as I can see, and contributed nothing to the plot. Aside from all this the concept of a "superhero" type character completely repressed and devoid of morality killing people who he thinks are bullies and crying while doing so was pretty funny, and as i said i wish this movie played up that comedy more, instead it left me feeling like it was making a mockery out of violence particularly violence against women, whose stories were treated with complete disrespect.

This 2001 movie is a typical Takashi Miike movie. Now that may sound like a bad thing, but trust me, it is not. Takashi Miike is a very gifted Japanese director with an eye for the absurd and outrageous.And "Ichi the Killer" (aka "Koroshiya 1") is indeed a strange movie, especially if you are not familiar with Japanese cinema and the works of Takashi Miike.The story is about a sadomasochistic Yakuza enforcer who is looking for missing boss. He happens to cross paths with Ichi, a troubled young man and a ruthless killer.Tadanobu Asano (playing Kakihara) really were memorable in "Ichi the Killer", and the make-up on his face was really interesting and left a lasting impression. And Nao Ômori (playing Ichi) was also memorable in the role of the psychotic killer. And Paulyn Sun (playing Karen) did bring a touch of odd charms to the movie in her role.What works for "Ichi the Killer" is the weird ensemble of odd and off-beat characters who were portrayed throughout the movie. And director Takashi Miike is really adept at coming up with such memorable characters, and it is what makes his movie so interesting.The story is very easy to follow, but does have some deeper layers and director Takashi Miike is skilled at presenting such story lines and manages to connect the dots and tie up all loose ends masterfully.All in all a very enjoyable and watchable movie. A movie that even sustains more than a single viewing.

Badass movie. BDSM, sadism, torture, mafia, yakuza, finally one of the most accessible Japanese movie for this kind of genre. Ichi is a freaky psychopath manipulated, despite his kid & shy looking he reacts like a heartless evil monster and kills with no limits or rules. Kakihara is damn "swag", pure masochist mafia boss who dreams of despair situations, only Ichi will give him the ultimate pain he's looking for. The story is really nice, and I strongly recommend you to read the original manga by Hideo Yamamoto which is clearly more gore than the movie. You're also welcome to see the OAV Anime to complete the knowledge of the story. And finally, you can fully enjoy the Original Soundtrack composed by Karera Musication who's a total blast. I have everything : Movie - Manga - OAV - OST > I'm a Koroshiya groupie ^^ Arigato.

Most people that watch this will group it among other two-bit slasher and shock films, which is a tragedy. Beyond the gratuitous violence (which is more cartoony than horrific) is an examination of the human condition, or more specifically, the extreme hedonist condition. That much is obvious, but the interest lies in the contrast of Ichi and Kakihara not with each other but with Jijii. His motive in all of this, in manipulating Ichi and obsessing with Kakihara, is revealed during the climax: upon finding Kakihara's body his face twists into a sort of butchery of sadness and happiness. It took me years to realize that in truth he does not feel both but neither; he is nothing, and his obsession with the two men that go to such extremes to feel alive results of his own desperate attempts to be; to learn to be. With both men gone he is left without an escape from his suffocating nothingness and hangs himself. In sum we are given a triad: the sadist, the masochist, and the nihilist. Ichi and Kakihara's existences may have seemed hellish and undesirable, the movie proposes, but Jijii's is far worse.