With the exception of Hideo Nakata and his Ringu (The Ring) franchise, Takashi Shimizu is probably the most recognized J-Horror auteur to hit US shores. Shimizu is primarily known for his many incarnations of the Ju-on/Grudge films and last years Danger After Dark favorite, the shot on video wonder Marebito (review here) which has recently been issued on DVD in the US by Tartan. Returning to Danger After Dark this year, Shimizu presents us with a more straightforward (and utterly average) J-Horror flick in Reincarnation.

The story of a film crew reenacting the murders that took place years prior at a creepy hotel is lighthearted and fun, but little else. J-Horror is quickly climbing the ranks of 'throwaway horror,' which is unfortunately the class that Reincarnation has ultimately fallen into. Stylized, but never ground breaking, Reincarnation stands as popcorn fodder through and through with little new to offer audiences.

Pale, ghostly faces peer out of the darkness. Rubber balls inexplicably bounce down hallways. Spooky dolls and creepy little girls with long dark hair abound in what can only be referred to as 'traditional' J-Horror at this point. We've seen it all before and in some instances, we've seen it better.

J-Horror has managed to become exactly the opposite of what I could have ever imagined it would become...it is now its own subgenre. It's become a joke, and American audiences (that have FINALLY made the discovery) are eating it up. It's almost as if these films are now being made primarily to be sold to the US. It's pretty sad in that it doesn't feel like it's about the films anymore.

Can You See How Reincarnated I Am?

Spooky mirror on the wall, who's the cutest ghost of them all? (Photo courtesy of the Philadelphia Film Society)

The real issue is that Reincarnation is a fairly inconsistent work and really only functions well as bits and pieces. There are moments that do indeed drive the film, like the grating sound of a 16mm camera along with the lifeless blank-eyed stare of the murderer as he's about to knife a child to death. The shifting realities are effective as well, especially when the actors mysteriously morph into the characters they are portraying. These are all creepy moments in their own right. But they are unfortunately few and far between.

Unlike the far superior Marebito, which took J-Horror in a whole new (and welcomed) direction, Shimzu falls back into all too familiar territory with Reincarnation and seems to become quite apathetic in the process. It's not so much that Reincarnation is a 'bad' film. It's not unlikely to think that my opinion may have differed if the film had been released 7 years ago. However, at this point in time, the broken down 'J-Horror' standbys are getting real old real quick. I think I've had enough.

I'm throwing out a recommendation for Reincarnation (just barely), but go in knowing that it's based off of a few of these fleeting moments of promising celluloid chills and not the entire film as a whole.

Thumbs Up You know why.