A surreal, grotesque trip, mixing elements of Saw and Cube together. The movie got some good ideas but even the short running time of 50 minutes felt too long for me. Not much is happening, you just get some scenes of torture and gore (some well shot and made). Not bad, but nothing really good. I do not know if Haze is meant to be an allegory or for whatever theology or philosophy the story/movie stands, but to be honest, I don't care. Only recommended to hardcore fans of the two mentioned movies that need something new on the plate. Trippy it is yes, good, not so much.
12 Reviews
Claustrophobic nightmare on film.
andrew7324911 August 2015
Warning: Spoilers
A man wakes up in an endless black maze, with only a few inches of head room, forced to crawl around fruitlessly, all with no idea where he is or how he got there. The only respite from this is the torment he receives from various booby traps and his brief glimpses into chambers in which torture, dismemberment, and various unspeakable acts are committed upon other hapless victims by unseen agents. Yes folks, the word "grim" doesn't really even begin to describe this one.
Tsukamoto brings us a punishing, claustrophobic nightmare on film that defies explanation, including the obvious one that the characters are dead and in hell. While the "person wakes up in room with no idea who he is or how he got there" device is well worn, it remains so effective simply because it can be a metaphor for almost anything. Rarely is it used as well as it is here, despite the absence of easy interpretations.
I've never been great at speculating about the "true" meaning of a film like this, but I will say that it seems to involve the aftermath of an altercation of some kind in which the man and a woman in his life both receive stab wounds to the abdomen. We don't learn much more than that, but the last 5 to 10 minutes completely open the possibilities, and surprisingly, provide something resembling an upbeat conclusion. Well, sort of. Intriguingly, "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here" is not quite the sign posted here.
Speaking of the afterlife, if that's what this is, this particular vision of damnation is astonishingly similar to the one that has haunted me as long as I can remember. Being forced to crawl around in a dark, extremely tight space for all eternity is apparently the very personal conception of hell that I in fact share with many others, or at least with Tsukamoto. If you're one of us, then consider this a warning or, if you like, an invitation to watch. Suffice it to say, this is not for all tastes or moods. But if you want something that makes Cube seem like a cheerful, feel-good film, this might just be the one for you.
Tsukamoto brings us a punishing, claustrophobic nightmare on film that defies explanation, including the obvious one that the characters are dead and in hell. While the "person wakes up in room with no idea who he is or how he got there" device is well worn, it remains so effective simply because it can be a metaphor for almost anything. Rarely is it used as well as it is here, despite the absence of easy interpretations.
I've never been great at speculating about the "true" meaning of a film like this, but I will say that it seems to involve the aftermath of an altercation of some kind in which the man and a woman in his life both receive stab wounds to the abdomen. We don't learn much more than that, but the last 5 to 10 minutes completely open the possibilities, and surprisingly, provide something resembling an upbeat conclusion. Well, sort of. Intriguingly, "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here" is not quite the sign posted here.
Speaking of the afterlife, if that's what this is, this particular vision of damnation is astonishingly similar to the one that has haunted me as long as I can remember. Being forced to crawl around in a dark, extremely tight space for all eternity is apparently the very personal conception of hell that I in fact share with many others, or at least with Tsukamoto. If you're one of us, then consider this a warning or, if you like, an invitation to watch. Suffice it to say, this is not for all tastes or moods. But if you want something that makes Cube seem like a cheerful, feel-good film, this might just be the one for you.
Disturbing ambiguous nightmare, or maybe not...
Indyrod17 July 2009
Coming close to completing my collection of all the Shinya Tsukamoto movies, and this one is pretty hard to explain. A man wakes up in somekind of a concrete space, hardly able to move, and notices he has an injury which is bleeding. It's very dark, and you only see his face for quite a while and hear him think to himself about what is going on. He begins to crawl through tunnels, or maybe a maze, and comes across a woman also trapped and bleeding. Different visions occurs, like a force knocking on a huge door which he can't seem to reach, and multilated bodies floating on the surface of a source of water in this space. They begin a conversation about life, dreams, death, and what is happening to each other, and how to escape. He wonders if the world is at war and they are prisoners, or some pervert has locked them away for whatever reason, or is it really a very nasty nightmare or are they in hell. That's pretty much what is going on, at least for what you can see, because the movie is pretty dark until the last 10 minutes or so. Although the movie is only around 49 minutes long, that is plenty long enough for this type of ambiguous narrative. Being a huge fan of Tsukamoto, this movie to me is like a terrible nightmare, and that may be what it is, you have to judge that because the movie doesn't help you along much at all. But what there is that is so Tsukamoto, is the superior use of music and sound effects, along with some disturbing visuals. Interesting movie to say the least, and a must-have of course for Tsukamoto fans.
fireworks on a cold landscape - CONTAINS SPOILERS
oOgiandujaOo_and_Eddy_Merckx24 May 2010
Warning: Spoilers
A man wakes up in a dark claustrophobic space, he is wounded in the abdomen and does not know how he got there. This is not just a description of a prison, and wounds received from a sadist, this is an allegorical perspective on existence itself. Some have chosen to interpret this in a materialist perspective, I think that's valid, but I think there is also a distinctly Platonic way of looking at the movie, I elaborate on both below.
From the materialist perspective, we arrive into consciousness, ex nihilo, from nothing, and return to nothing. Born into pain, degrading into dust. In this view, life is a cold miracle, sentience an evolutionary adaptation: psychology a consequence of biology, biology a consequence of chemistry, chemistry a consequence of physics; a gob-smacking and dastardly chain of entirely coincidental and parasitic ectropy.
The stomach wound which the man and the woman he happens across have, may well also be allegorical. There is a tradition of love, recounted by Aristophanes in Plato's Symposium, which says that men and women are shards split asunder by Zeusian thunderbolts from original genderless beings. The trauma of this violent splitting is the natural state of existence. Humans are only whole again once rejoining. The male prisoner in the movie refers to his only remaining memory, of having watched fireworks alone on a cold landscape, and that there was no apparent organiser. This is the material world, where there is beauty there for us to perceive, a cold beauty, created by nobody. The only true way to appreciate the beauty of the display is with a companion, and we are shown the male and female later observing such a display. Who amongst us has not thought, on perceiving a wonder alone, "Oh, I wish someone was here to witness this with me." The man and woman in this movie unite to give each other the strength to escape the prison, this is the synergy of love.
Another more religious view is also to be found in The Symposium, the view of Diotima, which is that realising the true beauty of another person (as opposed to their physical beauty), through love, is a step on the path to the contemplation of the beauty of all things, and the beauty of the divine. Buddhism has a similar concept where true unselfish love (as opposed to the merely erotic) is a step on the path to enlightenment. You can see the scene of the prisoner as an old man luxuriating in the luminous white sheets on the building top at the end of the movie as a representation of this enlightenment, or peace. The beginning of the movie under this interpretation, is ignorance of beauty, the natural origin state of disquietude and upset, or the Buddhist term dukkha.
The whole movie was like a stamen loaded with philosophical pollen. The way it is filmed, so that we never really see the whole cell in the round, how we see things fleetingly and fractured is pretty epistemological. The male prisoner sees occasional glimpses into unreachable other cells where acts of dimly perceivable tremendous horror are played out. This speaks of the difficulty of contact, of true contact, where humans see each other, really see, look into another's eyes, seeing what they are about, their true beautiful core. For me, like Last Year in Marienbad, the film is about the will to love, about the nature of love, and the purpose of love.
From the materialist perspective, we arrive into consciousness, ex nihilo, from nothing, and return to nothing. Born into pain, degrading into dust. In this view, life is a cold miracle, sentience an evolutionary adaptation: psychology a consequence of biology, biology a consequence of chemistry, chemistry a consequence of physics; a gob-smacking and dastardly chain of entirely coincidental and parasitic ectropy.
The stomach wound which the man and the woman he happens across have, may well also be allegorical. There is a tradition of love, recounted by Aristophanes in Plato's Symposium, which says that men and women are shards split asunder by Zeusian thunderbolts from original genderless beings. The trauma of this violent splitting is the natural state of existence. Humans are only whole again once rejoining. The male prisoner in the movie refers to his only remaining memory, of having watched fireworks alone on a cold landscape, and that there was no apparent organiser. This is the material world, where there is beauty there for us to perceive, a cold beauty, created by nobody. The only true way to appreciate the beauty of the display is with a companion, and we are shown the male and female later observing such a display. Who amongst us has not thought, on perceiving a wonder alone, "Oh, I wish someone was here to witness this with me." The man and woman in this movie unite to give each other the strength to escape the prison, this is the synergy of love.
Another more religious view is also to be found in The Symposium, the view of Diotima, which is that realising the true beauty of another person (as opposed to their physical beauty), through love, is a step on the path to the contemplation of the beauty of all things, and the beauty of the divine. Buddhism has a similar concept where true unselfish love (as opposed to the merely erotic) is a step on the path to enlightenment. You can see the scene of the prisoner as an old man luxuriating in the luminous white sheets on the building top at the end of the movie as a representation of this enlightenment, or peace. The beginning of the movie under this interpretation, is ignorance of beauty, the natural origin state of disquietude and upset, or the Buddhist term dukkha.
The whole movie was like a stamen loaded with philosophical pollen. The way it is filmed, so that we never really see the whole cell in the round, how we see things fleetingly and fractured is pretty epistemological. The male prisoner sees occasional glimpses into unreachable other cells where acts of dimly perceivable tremendous horror are played out. This speaks of the difficulty of contact, of true contact, where humans see each other, really see, look into another's eyes, seeing what they are about, their true beautiful core. For me, like Last Year in Marienbad, the film is about the will to love, about the nature of love, and the purpose of love.
We are meat
pytolina6 July 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This movie, although only 40 minutes long, sends Saw and Cube back to kindergarten, making it look stupid, shallow and pointless. Once again Shinya Tsukamoto proves that he is one of the most challenging, thought-provoking and original directors of today, absolutely not afraid of pushing boundaries in terms of what might be shown on celluloid. And he knows pretty well what scares us, oh yes. It's like your worst, fever-induced nightmares come surprisingly alive, and I'm not talking about waking up in a completely darkened, concrete maze. It might be a parallel for war, genocide or just totally painful, desperate loneliness... or just a statement that, after all, we are nothing more than a piece of meat which happened to have a tiny spark of life inside... This movie raises so many questions... and even if most of them remain unanswered, it is worth to feel really uncomfortable for this 40 minutes. Some people will probably start having nightmares like this, but for me it was more like a relief that Tsukamoto and his protagonist lived it for me...
Yelling at my screen: STOP THE CAMERA SHAKING!
hotpoop-1376414 July 2021
I went in with high expectations, and ended up feeling dizzy
A fair warning to everyone, the camera shaking (intended I suppose) is so bad about 70% of the time that it was unwatchable for me.
I never had to stop watching anything or stop playing a game because of that, but here it's insane.
I had to look away half of the time and still felt very dizzy at the end.
So, maybe there's an average movie under the shaking (I didn't see anything special) but not worth watching at all, unless you like that kind of stuff.
I never had to stop watching anything or stop playing a game because of that, but here it's insane.
I had to look away half of the time and still felt very dizzy at the end.
So, maybe there's an average movie under the shaking (I didn't see anything special) but not worth watching at all, unless you like that kind of stuff.
Abbreviated, simple, excellent
I_Ailurophile19 October 2021
It's so basic a premise that it hardly seems like a feature that could hold our attention, let alone meet the needs of the genre it would be described as. Yet Shinya Tsukamoto here proves an ingenuity of film-making and storytelling that defies outward simplicity. One recognizes hallmarks of his other films in 'Haze' that keep us on our toes, accentuate characters' states of mind, and or lend atmosphere - industrial music; pointedly shaky and often tightly focused camerawork; inserted or overlaid visuals and visual effects; sharp editing that cuts rapidly through sequences of additional imagery. Here these all further serve to emphasize the deeply claustrophobic setting.
Confined and bare though the space is, we're treated to careful, grim set decoration to cement the scenario. Strong attention to outstanding sound design agitates our anxieties as it highlights specific trials of the protagonist, or portends a greater danger of the place he finds himself in. All due commendations to composer Chu Ishikawa for a fantastic score that does much to build the mood at all points. And hats off to Tsukamoto - fulfilling all but a few functions of the film's construction all by himself, while also starring alongside Kaori Fujii. Both actors embrace tired, determined physicality in performances of range and nuance that once again exceed the bounds of such a distinctly small movie. Moreover, themes are broached of the unknown risk of moving forward, but also the great peril of stagnation, and the importance of connection in even the most dire of circumstances. The protagonist and supporting character both convey thoughts as to a broader narrative, a Why and How for the What, but 'Haze' declines to truly explore or explain - the picture considers itself complete as it is. I appreciate that punchiness.
In under 50 minutes, Tsukamoto crafts a more compelling, thrilling, sometimes visceral cinematic experience than some features can achieve over far greater a length. It's honest, unembellished, and surprisingly absorbing. Recognizing a content warning for blood and gore - if you're a fan of the filmmaker's work, this is especially worth checking out, but even for horror fans at large, 'Haze' is an odd and truncated but satisfying movie that's worth watching if you have the chance.
Confined and bare though the space is, we're treated to careful, grim set decoration to cement the scenario. Strong attention to outstanding sound design agitates our anxieties as it highlights specific trials of the protagonist, or portends a greater danger of the place he finds himself in. All due commendations to composer Chu Ishikawa for a fantastic score that does much to build the mood at all points. And hats off to Tsukamoto - fulfilling all but a few functions of the film's construction all by himself, while also starring alongside Kaori Fujii. Both actors embrace tired, determined physicality in performances of range and nuance that once again exceed the bounds of such a distinctly small movie. Moreover, themes are broached of the unknown risk of moving forward, but also the great peril of stagnation, and the importance of connection in even the most dire of circumstances. The protagonist and supporting character both convey thoughts as to a broader narrative, a Why and How for the What, but 'Haze' declines to truly explore or explain - the picture considers itself complete as it is. I appreciate that punchiness.
In under 50 minutes, Tsukamoto crafts a more compelling, thrilling, sometimes visceral cinematic experience than some features can achieve over far greater a length. It's honest, unembellished, and surprisingly absorbing. Recognizing a content warning for blood and gore - if you're a fan of the filmmaker's work, this is especially worth checking out, but even for horror fans at large, 'Haze' is an odd and truncated but satisfying movie that's worth watching if you have the chance.
A completely unique and terrifying horror film
TheFilmGuy129 November 2020
One of the very few films that captures that feeling of a bizarre nightmare perfectly. Screw all the clichés and jump scares from most horror movies, this is real horror.
One of the biggest things that makes this so horrifying is the sets, because 95% of this film takes place in a concrete maze (which are actually painted wooden sets) with barely enough room to move. It's so claustrophobic that I actually felt extremely uncomfortable watching it. One scene in particular has our lead character's teeth against a metal pipe, with no room for him to pull his mouth off, leaving him to shimmy left and right as his teeth grind on the metal. It's horrific and unlike anything I have seen in a horror film. It's essentially Cube or Saw with less of a focus on body count and gore (Not to say that this doesn't have some blood and gore.)
I also have major respect for Tsukamoto for keeping his films at a length that he feels is necessary for telling the story. This one is about 50 minutes long, and it feels just right. His films seem to be quite often below the 1 hour 30 minutes mark.
This thing is short, horrifying, and thought provoking all in one. We seriously need more horror movies like this, because this truly encapsulates what true terror really is.
One of the biggest things that makes this so horrifying is the sets, because 95% of this film takes place in a concrete maze (which are actually painted wooden sets) with barely enough room to move. It's so claustrophobic that I actually felt extremely uncomfortable watching it. One scene in particular has our lead character's teeth against a metal pipe, with no room for him to pull his mouth off, leaving him to shimmy left and right as his teeth grind on the metal. It's horrific and unlike anything I have seen in a horror film. It's essentially Cube or Saw with less of a focus on body count and gore (Not to say that this doesn't have some blood and gore.)
I also have major respect for Tsukamoto for keeping his films at a length that he feels is necessary for telling the story. This one is about 50 minutes long, and it feels just right. His films seem to be quite often below the 1 hour 30 minutes mark.
This thing is short, horrifying, and thought provoking all in one. We seriously need more horror movies like this, because this truly encapsulates what true terror really is.
Confusing
ashfordofficial4 January 2023
Haze - Long Version
An experimental J-horror experience with a claustrophobic atmosphere and tension filled storytelling. But it never had a satisfying ending or revealing the mystery.
Haze - Long Version
An experimental J-horror experience with a claustrophobic atmosphere and tension filled storytelling. But it never had a satisfying ending or revealing the mystery.
Haze - Long Version
An experimental J-horror experience with a claustrophobic atmosphere and tension filled storytelling. But it never had a satisfying ending or revealing the mystery.
Haze - Long Version
An experimental J-horror experience with a claustrophobic atmosphere and tension filled storytelling. But it never had a satisfying ending or revealing the mystery.
An experimental J-horror experience with a claustrophobic atmosphere and tension filled storytelling. But it never had a satisfying ending or revealing the mystery.
Haze - Long Version
An experimental J-horror experience with a claustrophobic atmosphere and tension filled storytelling. But it never had a satisfying ending or revealing the mystery.
Haze - Long Version
An experimental J-horror experience with a claustrophobic atmosphere and tension filled storytelling. But it never had a satisfying ending or revealing the mystery.
Haze - Long Version
An experimental J-horror experience with a claustrophobic atmosphere and tension filled storytelling. But it never had a satisfying ending or revealing the mystery.
Haze>Buried (Ryan Reynolds)
MattBirk20 September 2014
Unfortunately this is a difficult movie to talk about without spoiling any of the details. But just know while watching the movie, it really makes you feel uncomfortable with its great display of isolation and claustrophobia.
'Haze' is also one of those movies that makes you think before, during, and after you see the movie. This is the type of movie where a lot of interpretation is left up to the viewer, and in this case, that's a good thing. I couldn't have been anymore engrossed by what was happening on screen during the movie.
90% of the movie the main character is in some super uncomfortable position and you can totally feel it, he's completely helpless, barely able to move. But where is he going? Who put him there? Will he get out? All of these questions lead the a brilliant finale. Haze is a just as much a psychological thriller as it is physical horror. It is an interesting take on an age old question (I'll keep that question hidden as to not spoil anything), and one of the more intriguing interpretations in my eyes.
Full Review at: http://www.simplefilmreviews.com/2014/05/haze-2005.html
'Haze' is also one of those movies that makes you think before, during, and after you see the movie. This is the type of movie where a lot of interpretation is left up to the viewer, and in this case, that's a good thing. I couldn't have been anymore engrossed by what was happening on screen during the movie.
90% of the movie the main character is in some super uncomfortable position and you can totally feel it, he's completely helpless, barely able to move. But where is he going? Who put him there? Will he get out? All of these questions lead the a brilliant finale. Haze is a just as much a psychological thriller as it is physical horror. It is an interesting take on an age old question (I'll keep that question hidden as to not spoil anything), and one of the more intriguing interpretations in my eyes.
Full Review at: http://www.simplefilmreviews.com/2014/05/haze-2005.html
Saw vs Cube
paultjiam6 June 2006
This Japanese low budget horror movie is a true piece of postmodern eclectic movie-making. Instead of using Japanese movies as a source of inspiration (Like: the Ring, Grudge, Kill Bill), this movie consists of American horror movies. The movie starts with a scene of a wounded man who found himself in a very small place (ref. Cube). Soon this man finds out he's trapped in a maze and 'may be' used as a victim in a game of rich freaks (ref. Saw, My little eye). After this short introduction, the pain begins. If you have ever seen American History X (and you probably have), then the scene with the black man biting in the pavement, while Edward Norton kicks him to death, will still be in your memories. You can expect something like this, only ten times worse. Eventually he meets a woman and with her, he tries to find his way out. It won't take much of your time, since the duration of this movie is only 50 minutes, so you should watch it. If it is only for the homage (did the director ever seen that movie?) to American History X. A nice short horror masterpiece.
Haze
jesko-malik1 November 2006
The thing about Haze... First I have to say that the DVD costs about 20, that's a bit expensive if you expect a full movie and in the end only get a short-film, BUT, the director once again creates a dark industrial set with a bit of organic flair. Just the way I like it! It's not as horrific as Tetsuo or Brutal as Tokyo Fist, it has more from his last movie Vital mixed with the craziness of his early films. In an interview he says himself that in his eyes the movie is between Tesuo and Tokyo Fist and I think thats not the worse description. All in all it's worth a look, but before you buy it for a high price better check out your next DVD-Rental-Store and have a look for yourself. About the German DVD release from rem (RapidEyeMovie) I can say that it has a beautiful but for the Label standard made Box with a Poster. The Extras on the DVD are okay, I think about 6 Trailers and an Making Of and an interview with the director ('bout 15 min). So Dude's check it out and have fun!
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