| Back in 2002, two premiere contemporary Japanese directors went on a duel. Not the type one would think of, like a duel to the death. No. It was more of a friendly duel, the weapon of choice: movie cameras.
The rules: a movie with two main characters, in a confined space. The whole movie is to take place in this aforementioned space. No more, no less!
The directors that went head to head were Ryuhei Kitamura and Yukihiko Tsutsumi. Thus, the duel became Kitamura-san: ARAGAMI (Action / Fantasy) vs. Tsutsumi-san: 2LDK (Dark Comedy).
Ryuhei Kitamura is the more popular one considering he's produced blockbusters such as AZUMI (2003), AZUMI 2 (2003), SKY HIGH (2003), ALIVE (2002), GODZILLA:FINAL WARS (2004), and of course, the zombie-martial arts cult classic VERSUS (2000), a personal favorite of yours truly!
Ryuhei Kitamura is understandably the favored one when this clash of the ultimate directors was being promoted. However I'll talk more about Kitamura-san and ARAGAMI, the movie he entered later on. In the meantime, right now we'll talk about Yukihiko Tsutsumi's 2LDK (2002).
First off let me just say that Eiko Koike is an absolute beauty! Plus she can act! But this movie is not just about her, of course. Her co-star/roommate in the movie, Maho Nonami, is also pretty, although not as cute as Koike-chan. She can however hold her own when it comes to ass-kicking, because that's what she does to her roommate Eiko Koike. These two girls demonstrates the meaning of absolute rage towards another person, be they acquaintance or--in this case--roommate!
Think of 2LDK sort of like a "mini-BATTLE ROYALE!" I know that's a cheap way of describing this awesome film, but just imagine it for a second. BATTLE ROYALE takes place on a deserted island where kids were on a battle royale--kill or be killed type of situation. As for 2LDK it's not an island but an apartment instead. The scenario is the same, where the two lovely ladies go on a battle royale-eque-ish, kill or be killed scenario. It's true, the plot is very simple, and a blast to watch!
To give you an overview, here's the scenario. Two attractive young girls are being housed in an apartment-type complex that has 2 bedrooms, 2 living rooms, 2 dining rooms, and 2 kitchens--hence the title 2LDK. Fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony, you see they're both aspiring actresses, and they're both auditioning for the same part; thus, the jealousy, and all-out hatred towards each other ensues.
Each and every scene that happens in the movie from the beginning to the very end is a masterpiece. Tsutsumi-san is a genius, let me state this now. It is without a doubt that Tsutsumi-san had a vision to keep the viewer's interest at an all-time high as you watch 2LDK. The way he does it is very clever, for instance he takes a normal conversation between the two ladies. What would've been an otherwise boring scene is only spruced-up by Tsutsumi-san by making their thoughts of each other audible--to the viewers, that is.
For example, while Maho's character is talking about her exploits of the day, Eiko's character is thinking; and while she's thinking, the viewer is able to hear what she's "REALLY" thinking. Eiko's character's thoughts are amplified, and we learn she's checkin' out Maho's character's very expensive (and shallow) taste in clothing and accessories. Meanwhile, while Maho's character is chatting, her "REAL" thoughts are also amplified, and the viewer is also able to hear what she's thinking of Eiko. It's safe to say that both of their thoughts about each other aren't very friendly, to say the least. On the contrary, we not only see how different these two women are. We can also hear how different they both are.
Very clever storytelling indeed!
The very obvious MacGuffin here is both of the ladies' reserved jealousy and hatred towards each other. This is the formula that drives this film. As per the duel's rules, the whole entire movie takes place inside the apartment, and Tsutsumi-san didn't have a problem with that at all!
The hatred of the girls towards each other starts from simple evil thoughts, and as the movie moves along, so does the hurt that these two ladies bring upon themselves.
The fight gets progressively more physical, and the damage more brutal. Let's just say there's stabbings, electrocutions, chainsaws, melee attacks with very heavy and blunt objects, egg throwings, body slams... The list goes on.
This movie is so whacked out, you will be taken for a shocking and joyous ride as you watch these two ladies attempt to kill each other over a movie part. Truly spectacular filmmaking. It's also safe to say 2LDK is the undisputed winner of the duel. I saw ARAGAMI first because Kitamura-san directed it--he was clearly my favorite to win the contest. However, after seeing 2LDK, I now have a newfound respect for Yukihiko Tsutsumi-san's filmmaking vision.
2LDK is an new breed of visionary moviemaking at its most limited. Tsutsumi-san showed the world that, despite a very limited budget, and a very limited amount of resources--not to mention set spaces as per duel rules--anyone (provided they have the same vision as Tsutsumi-san) is still able to make a movie that's as engaging as it is indulging for our guilty pleasure senses.
No doubt 2LDK is a guilty pleasure! It's just so damn good. It's the type of movie that will stick in your head and in your thoughts long after you've watched it. No doubt you'll talk about it because it's different, yet brilliant!
2LDK is indeed, without a doubt, another Japanese cult-classic! |
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