Japanese Reviews Reviews

Short Film Review: Into the Blue (2018) by Yasuyuki Nakahira

Undoubtedly, a story set after or shortly before the impending end of the world has its appeal to creators as well as audiences. Even when produced on a small scale, but supported by clever writing and a distinct vision, an artist can explore the depths of the human condition, how we rate our own survival to that of others, if we are truly willing to share or whether social Darwinism will prevail. It is certainly a grim subject, but one which has resulted in many films, novels and series that have not only been highly successfully commercially, but also remain quite thought-provoking. In his short feature “ aims to explore some of the aforementioned issues as he tells a story set before the ultimate end of the world, creating a layered and almost dream-like atmosphere and tone, while also stepping into a few traps of the genre.

“Into the Blue” is screening at Japan Filmfest Hamburg

In the year 2029 an alien race (?) named Datara have arrived on earth, destroying first every major city before making their way to the countryside in search for the last few survivors. A few of them, among them a woman named Sohn looking for her daughter, await the arrival of the visitors from outer space, their approach announced through occasional radio broadcasts. At the same time, another woman makes her way to the survivors, killing some of them in her way, set on one target which is the mother looking for her daughter. As the two finally meet it might not only be the ultimate encounter for the woman before her death, but also a potential key to finding her daughter.

Within its running time of about 43 minutes, Yasuyuki Nakahira manages to create an atmosphere of omnipresent, impending doom. Much of the effect of the story is due to its great sound design which consists of a mixture of ambient noises, nature sounds and various other aspects emphasizing the danger the characters are in, but also how their world is slowly being swallowed up by a powerful force they cannot hope to beat. Whereas the design of the aliens as well as the threat they embody is mostly told through the aforementioned radio broadcasts, the real danger comes from the characters themselves, their growing isolation and their fight to stay alive, even though it may only be for a few hours.

However, “Into the Blue” may have some genre features inherent in its technical features, but it is most certainly a story deeply rooted within the aesthetics of arthouse cinema, and not necessarily the good kind. The use of static imagery, the silence of the actors (at least for the majority of the film) as well as their limited movement are just a few of the features resulting in an often dreary, even pretentious movie whose symbolism at times goes nowhere, although its images imply something where there actually is nothing.

“Into the Blue” is a frustrating short feature. While consisting of clever technical features, the overall impression of the story is dampened by a dreary aesthetic, artificial acting and pretentious ideas.

About the author

Rouven Linnarz

Ever since I watched Takeshi Kitano's "Hana-Bi" for the first time (and many times after that) I have been a cinephile. While much can be said about the technical aspects of film, coming from a small town in Germany, I cherish the notion of art showing its audience something which one does normally avoid, neglect or is unable to see for many different reasons. Often the stories told in films have helped me understand, discover and connect to something new which is a concept I would like to convey in the way I talk and write about films. Thus, I try to include some info on the background of each film as well as a short analysis (without spoilers, of course), an approach which should reflect the context of a work of art no matter what genre, director or cast. In the end, I hope to pass on my joy of watching film and talking about it.

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