NYAFF XXV Review: In HIGUMA!! THE KILLER BEAR, Eisuke Naito Unleashes The Beast!
Higuma!! The Killer Bear enjoyed its North American Premiere at the 25th edition of the New York Asian Film Festival.
Once again, I’m reminded that I still need to see Liverleaf, at least in fulfilling my growing purview of Asian film coverage. That film brought director Eisuke Naito in my view, and whose name eventually drew my attention to the latest in post-Cocaine Bear movie craze, Higuma!! The Killer Bear. Thus, the film starts off with Sora (Fuku Suzuki) observing a video game he’s developing which his mother is sampling.
This aspect of the film comes handy well into the second half of the film and serves as a useful plot tool per Sora’s growth as he’ll be forced to think on his toes with strategy and survival on his mind more than anything. Exactly how did he get to that point? Well, look no further than the seedy underbelly of scammers that his own family fell prey to, resulting in a tragic twist that not only curtailed Sora’s university hopes, but also compelled him to make a last ditch effort for some quick cash to help pull himself and his family out of debt.
Of course, the job isn’t easy and having to bite his tongue at the risk of suffocating his conscience only worsens the optics. Making matters worse though is his latest task involving chasing another illegal odd jobber, ex-JSDF Sakurako (Wan Marui), on the run with a peculiar jewel in her possession and his employer emphatic on its return to his possession no matter what it takes. Little do Sakurako, nor Sora and his fellow assailants know that their pursuit just landed them in the heart of beastly territory where lurks a hungry, voracious brown bear with an insatiable appetite for human flesh. Thrust into danger at every turn, Sora and Sakurako have no choice but to put aside their differences if they’re going to have any chance of making it back to civilization alive.
Even with my earlier interest, I was a little surprised at how much I enjoyed Higuma!! The Killer Bear for most of its duration. Indeed lead actor Suzuki’s role bears the usual penchants of the kind of underdog who falls short of being sharp when needed; Cue the haphazard stumbles and hiccups that end up putting him and the ever vigilant and lethal Sakurako in peril. In fairness though, it’s all par for the course with the character of Sora who eventually finds his strengths and motivation when it counts most. Flawed and flailing, Sora still retains his redeemability, making his comeback in the last half of the film all the more fulfilling.
I was especially surprised at Marui’s performance, as well as the addition of some mighty fisticuffs featuring the actress in several core scenes earlier on. Naito lets on with a handful of action scenes earlier in the story that would easily make him a candidate to direct a different kind of film. Actor Ukaji Takashi chimes in as a hunter whose alliances are totally worth questioning as the plot thickens, and it’s especially inviting to see co-star Joey Iwanaga get his licks in. Cornrows and all.
Of course, the centerpiece of all the hoopla in Higuma!! The Killer Bear is the prosthetic beast itself, presented with a mix of puppeteering and doable CG. Its overall look and practicality lends to the kind of film easily digestible by any horror fan who’s been around since the 70s and 80s, and I appreciate the level of effort that Naito and his team put in to bring the ferocious and bloodied, half blind creature to life, rewarding viewers with scenes that live up to all the violence and gore you could expect. Also, expect some cool off-camera moments with body parts flying in view to give the impression that this bear is a proper meat grinder and nothing else.
Considering this was my intro to Naito’s work, I’m gonna be checking out Liverleaf in due time. Higuma!! The Killer Bear is a worthwhile romp with plenty of heart and an absurd ending and mid-credits sequence that only a film like this one could get away with.
Native New Yorker. Been writing for a long time now, and I enjoy what I do. Be nice to me!
