Why Don't You Play in Hell? (2013)
3.7 of 5 from 50 ratings
2h 6min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
Ten years ago, yakuza mid-boss Ikegami (Shin'ichi Tsutsumi) led an assault against rival don Muto (Fumi Nikaidô). Now, on the eve of his revenge, all Muto wants to do is complete his masterpiece, a feature film with his daughter in the starring role, before his wife is released from prison. And The F#$* Bombers are standing by with the chance of a lifetime: to film a real, live yakuza battle to the death...on 35mm! Based on a screenplay he wrote nearly fifteen years ago, 'Why Don't You Play in Hell?' sees Sion Sono with his talent and unique vision completely unleashed. The result is a frenzied, gleeful masterpiece which he describes as "an action film about the love of 35mm". Endlessly irreverent and wildly, hilariously visceral, 'Why Don't You Play in Hell?' is a Tarantino-esque ode to the yakuza films of yore, featuring an over-the-top, blood-soaked finale for the ages. - Actors:
- Jun Kunimura, Fumi Nikaidô, Shin'ichi Tsutsumi, Hiroki Hasegawa, Gen Hoshino, Tomochika, Itsuji Itao, Hiroyuki Onoue, Tak Sakaguchi, Tetsu Watanabe, Tasuku Nagaoka, Akihiro Kitamura, Megumi Kagurazaka, Motoki Fukami, Tarô Suwa, Donpei Tsuchihira, Takamitsu Nonaka, Hideo Nakaizumi, Nanoka Hara, Tatsuya Nakajima
- Directors:
- Sion Sono
- Producers:
- Takuyuki Matsuno, Tsuyoshi Suzuki
- Writers:
- Sion Sono
- Aka:
- Jigoku de naze warui
- Studio:
- Madman
- Genres:
- Action & Adventure, Comedy
- Countries:
- Japan
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- Not released
- Run Time:
- 129 minutes
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Reviews (1) of Why Don't You Play in Hell?
Make Movies or Die Trying – The F**k Bombers’ Way - Why Don't You Play in Hell? review by griggs
Watching Why Don’t You Play in Hell? is like being trapped in a cinema that’s caught on fire, and instead of running for the fire exits, you’re blocking the aisles and cheering. Sono throws everything at the screen–violence, absurdity, sentimentality–and somehow, it still, or at least smoulders in your brain long after. It make’s John Waters’ Cecil B. Demented look like a restrained Hollywood Golden Age studio picture rather than a midnight movie by comparison. It’s overwhelming, ridiculous, and weirdly moving. You don’t just watch, you get swept up in his deranged energy. And when the credits roll, you’re exhausted but strangely elated–like you’ve just survived something brilliant and bonkers.
Why Don’t You Play in Hell? is pure chaos in the best and worst ways. It’s like someone dared Sion Sono to make Kill Bill on a sugar rush–with yakuza, wannabe filmmakers, exploding teeth, and buckets of blood. And somehow, it all circles back to the mad joy of making movies. There’s an infectious love of cinema here, even if it’s wrapped in complete nonsense.
It’s messy, loud and deeply silly–but that’s sort of the charm. It plays like a home video with a Hollywood body count, and even when it doesn’t all hang together, you can’t help but smile at the madness. Sono clearly doesn’t care about polish or subtlety–he’s going for broke, and it’s oddly endearing.
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