REVIEW:
This is not, I repeat, this is not another bad DTV slasherflick with a killer scarecrow. It's not even about killer scarecrows as you might think. Kakashi is already a cult classic from Japan and it's almost as weird and strange as Uzumaki. This is actually a very intense ghost story in the vein of Ringu, without copying Ringu like Phone did. So how is it like Ringu then? Well it plays the same way. It's a slow movie that takes time to develop and has a mystery that need solving. It's a really intense movie with many moments you will remember for the rest of your life.

Speaking of Ringu, the director, Norio Tsuruta, is actually responsible for Ringu 0 and while Ringu 0 looked good, it never managed to create the same atmosphere that surrounds this movie. Norio directs this in the best way possible, it's simple, yet creative, it's silent and it's mysterious. Mysterious is the keyword in this movie. The acting is also really good. Maho Nonami, playing Kaoru, overshadows the rest of the cast though, this is true talent.

I don't know why but I just love these small creepy villages horrormovies like The Locals, Dead and Buried, The Gathering etc etc. but they really appeal me. It's been two years since I saw Kakashi for the first time now, and it was actually the last movie I saw before I decided to start slasherpool and review what I saw instead of just watching it. Well, I thought I'd just review it because it's such an excellent movie and I recommend this to anyone who likes Asian horrormovies. This is truly a creepy movie and also one of my favorite Asian horrormovies, so do not miss this one.

GORE:
It's a ghost movie, so don't expect any gore, it does just fine without it.

SOUNDTRACK:
Excellent creepy piano score with a lot of creepy sound effects and drums. This couldn't have been any better actually. I am very pleased.

BOTTOM LINE:
One of the best Asian horrormovies that I've ever seen, you will have to watch this one no matter whether you liked Ringu or not. The movie tends to be slow at times but it will all pay off once the movie really gets started. Watch this one or you will regret it.

COMMENTS
Kakashi means Scarecrow in Japanese, so that being the title and having the plot about a strange town full of scarecrows makes for an interesting story. It's just too bad it wasn't that good of a story.

Like I stated above, the story is basically about a girl searching for her brother who has turned up missing. She searches his room to find a letter from a girl located in a small village. She goes to the village and meets up with a lot of the strange villagers. She notices a lot of scarecrows everywhere and eventually finds out that the people have a celebration of some sort that deals with the scarecrows.

This was a pretty decent film. I strayed away from checking it sooner, because of the negative reviews I read, but a few people I knew recommended me to check it, so I decided I might as well. The movie kept my interest and I like movies that deal with scarecrows and such, so that was a plus. I also like movies that deal with people going to strange towns for some reason.

My main complaint about the movie would have to be the fact that not much goes on. It goes on a rather slow pace and there weren't any decent scares. Some parts might have seemed slightly creepy, but having seen many good asian films as I have that have so many genuinely good scares, this just pales in comparison and I wasn't impressed.

The story gets a little weird as time goes on and despite the incredibly slow-pace of the movie, I was never really bored. There's not much for gore or even blood in the movie. I think there's actually a PG-rating for this, although I could be wrong.

The directing wasn't too bad and the movie had a nice dark atmosphere. I would have given this a lower-rating, but I found it to be a decent watch, at least once anyway.

OVERALL
A very slow-paced film. A decent watch if you're a fan of asian horror films.

Yet, as opposed to many other Japanese mainstream horror movies, the unassuming Kakashi is not a disappointment. Nothing much happens, but once one is tuned in, there are few reasons to expect anything anyway; Stephen King ingredients are not missed. Of course, people are turning to kakashi - nobody would be surprised by it, apart from the somewhat aimless heroine. So, asks the movie, why pretend it is a surprise?

Sure, it's going through the usual motions. There's even a reference to the 1978 Invasion of the Body Snatchers. But be indulgent with Kakashi. Like a reunion with a frail old friend recounting fragmented childhood memories, it makes one both feel weary and remember past, half-forgotten moments, as familiar as a dream - slow, atmospheric and perhaps lethal.