Fantastic Fest XVIII Review: In Kenichi Ugana’s VISITORS: COMPLETE EDITION, A Sitcom Of Demons And Humans, And Dancing

Fantastic Fest has come to a close and with this, what I thought was my final review contribution to the event now comes in the form of a look at one of the most peculiar indie horror films ever made. It’s bizzare as shit and out of this world, and just as unique as you could expect or hope for from any director in your pursuit of film consumption: Visitors: Complete Edition.

The film’s concept stems from Visitors, a 2021 short film by writer/director Kenichi Ugana who swept nearly forty festival audiences off their feet that year. As its been eight years since he began directing and experimenting with conceptually outstanding stories and aspects, Visitors: Complete Edition marks Ugana’s tenth film, taking his craft to new levels in his consistency as a storyteller.

Thus, this latest iteration of the celebrated horror comedy delves into an expanded tale of a dystopian Japan where a trio’s simple, quiet visit to the home of Sato (Ryuta Endo), a friend they hadn’t heard from in a while, turns into an otherworldly nightmare, following the removal of a charm from a dark room. Minutes later, an all-out splatter-gore brawl ensues with Haruka (Shiho) suddenly fending off her two other friends who’ve turned into demons, surviving the battle in the process.

That leg of the story ends about as weird as you might expect, but the weirdness doesn’t end there as the story jumps three months later where we meet a music producer named Kosuke (Keisuke Nomura) who wakes up in captivity with another captor who may or may not be human. Again, more oddities are abound as Kosuke barely escapes with his life with the sudden appearance of Haruka, now bound with a pair of chainsaws to both arms, and if you’re reading this and thinking that some epic, final battle kicks off with Haruka slashing her way through the demons, think again.

The final leg of this odd tale full of green vomit, fake blood, prosthetic guts, gruesome make-up, keenly-crafted horror set pieces, oddball humor and idiosyncratic aspiration in all its execution finds Kosuke faced with another uncanny twist after setting out in search of Haruka to thank her in person for saving his life. There isn’t much else I can write without giving away the goods of this supernatural comedy, but the mood results in a jubilant, almost poignant packaging that takes itself seriously just enough to remind you not to take it so seriously.

A key tagline to make note of here as part of this film’s promotion reads “Don’t think. Dance.” That’s pretty much the message Ugana gets across with his completed tale in what you might have easily summed up as an inspired cult-status action horror or even an almost cerebral cinematic allegory on immigration and the role fear plays in how we judge others. That’s precisely where my mind went during the second half of this jubilant escapade into Ugana’s ubiquitous hour-long madness, after which by the end I was promptly reminded of this film’s core point.

Screened for Fantastic Fest.

Lee B. Golden III

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Native New Yorker. Been writing for a long time now, and I enjoy what I do. Be nice to me!