Premonition DVD Review:

Killer newspaper film builds suspense with a thoughtful dilemma but nearly loses all sense with an action filled climax.

There are very few ideas which have not already been used many times in films, and because of this it seems that new elements are added in an attempt to layer the film. I assume that the hope is to take the film to a new level for filmgoers. In action films this usually means more unrealistic stunts and larger explosions. In horror movies it generally ends up resulting in more horrific gore. The only problem with this outlook is that the basic idea of the film can easily get lost amidst the top layer, which like the frosting on a cake is the least substantial. Japanese horror film, Premonition, goes in the opposite direction, simplifying an old idea of seeing the future. It nearly succeeds in remaining simple until the climax when a short burst of unexplained occurrences suddenly take place. The message remains standing at the end of the film, but only because of the strong foundation which is built in the first hour.

Hideki picks up a newspaper on a family trip and although it predicts a horrible accident which will result in the death of someone close to him, he does nothing. Three years later he is still struggling with the guilt of the situation when the newspapers begin showing up again. Suddenly he finds himself responsible for the lives of strangers, but he also discovers that helping them may mean the demise of him.

After a strong opening sequence Premonition slows down considerably. Information trickles out slowly enough that the premise is not completely known until more than halfway through the film. This works well, however, allowing for the questions about the future to have true resonance. Although some of this fades when a gory and horrific image comes onscreen, the film always manages to regain composure quickly.

The true meaning of the paper is never really explained, never made out to be the villain, which leaves a few key questions to be answered. There is no real way to know if the events would happen even if they were not seen on the paper or not, but this must be a question racing through Hideki’s head.

This is the second in a six-part film anthology of horror films from J-Horror Theater, the first being Infection. Premonition is not only a stronger film but also a more mature horror film as well. The look of the film is much more focused and well developed. It has a dark and brooding tone which is brought out wonderfully in the cinematography.

The DVD uses one of the moodiest scenes for the menu, which is more foreboding than anything else. The special features include interviews with the director and the cast, “The Making of” Featurette, a special effects featurette, and the Japanese press conference.



Ryan Izay