As the Gods Will Review
If there's one thing I love, its a good battle to the death series. Battle Royale will always be a classic in the "teens killing teens because I said so" genre. As the Gods Will is another addition to this bloody genre of movies, but how it stands against the classics is still up in the air. Let's begin, shall we?
Synopsis: Takahata Shun is an ordinary high school student leading a boring life. His neighbor and childhood friend is Akimoto Ichika. One day, a teacher's head explodes in class. Takahata and his classmates are forced to play a game of death without knowing who, why or how.
Not really a lot to work with in terms of plot description, but it was enough to get me hooked. The whole phrase "game of death" means a lot of blood, uneccesary killing, and an evil mastermind that's concocting the whole thing behind the scenes. Besides, psychological horror keeps me guessing like detective series, so why not give it a go?
Important Characters:
Takahata Shun - basically Yagami Light
Akimoto Ichika - basic childhood love interest
Amaya Takeru - psycho killer who loves....to kill
Breaking it Down: When I say that As the Gods Will is a beautiful film to watch, I mean it was a beautiful film to watch. From the very beginning its beautifull shot and we're hit from the very beginning with so much blood and gore fans of the series will be screaming with delight. Death by the Japanese version of "Red Light, Green Light" probably isn't the way most people wish to go but, one by one, classmates fall until one one survives: the one who presses the button on Daruma's back.
Right off the back, the movie sets a bloody tone that isn't reached but the desperation and need to survive is. Each "death game" is peppered with twists and turns that keep you watching, waiting, on the edge of your seat until the names of those that survive are announced. But, as with any YA or psychological series, the life of the main character is never put into question. We, at the audience, know that Takahata will find out some way to survive to return to his "boring life."
If you're an avid drama fan, and have seen Battle Royale, you'll slowly start to realize that the premise of As the Gods Will is more familiar than just another Battle Royale. The "only the survivors move on from each game" is reminiscent of Liar Game. The only difference is that, in most cases, the losers of each game are killed instead of put into debt while the winner's move onto the next challenge.
One particular problem I have with this movie is the lack of character development. The film goes through so many characters its hard to keep track of them all with a few only getting a few lines of depth before their heads are slammed against the floor or, in a brutal twist, split in half. Our main three, Takahata, Ichika, and Amaya, are shells filled with cliches to keep the plot moving forward. Takahata, the man bored with his life but a genius that can solve any puzzle. Ichika, the pretty girl next door there to help the main man. Amaya, the brutal killer meant to be a sort of "anti-hero." We never learn much about these characters' backstories, interests, or their thought processes besides what the dialogue allows.
A second, which still has me confused to no end, is that the reason behind these death games is never explained. There is a cheap reason thrown in there, Takahata was bored with his life and jokingly asked God to destroy it, but the whole thing won't be enough to satisfy any viewer. With the complexity of each game, there has to be a more complicated answer behind it all. Without one, the film's ending feels cheap and as if the director was banking on a second film to complete the story.
Score: 3/5
Final Thoughts: As the Gods Will has a lot of promise from its first few moments but quickly loses it as it goes forward. With all of the action and drama going on between the characters, it would have been better to adapt this psychological horror tale as a drama. It would have allowed more development of the characters and, possibly, a reason for why these events happened in the first place.