Effectively creepy Japanese horror, about a young girl searching for her lost brother. She follows his trail to a mysterious village, where the occupants are readying scarecrows or kakashi for a rural festival. Naturally the villagers and the kakashi are not as they seem.
Disappointingly, the ending of the film is a bit of a damp squib. Performances are also uninspiring; Nonami Maho is very pretty but seems unable to bring her character to life. Shibasaki Kou is terrific, but she doesn't get much in the way of screen time. Chinese cutie Grace Ip guests for some reason, which is very welcome, but her inclusion seems tacked on and unnecessary.
That said, there are some genuinely eerie moments during the film's opening hour or so, which put me in mind of the Wicker Man a few times. It's not a waste of time, by any means, but Kakashi could have been a whole lot better.
Disappointingly, the ending of the film is a bit of a damp squib. Performances are also uninspiring; Nonami Maho is very pretty but seems unable to bring her character to life. Shibasaki Kou is terrific, but she doesn't get much in the way of screen time. Chinese cutie Grace Ip guests for some reason, which is very welcome, but her inclusion seems tacked on and unnecessary.
That said, there are some genuinely eerie moments during the film's opening hour or so, which put me in mind of the Wicker Man a few times. It's not a waste of time, by any means, but Kakashi could have been a whole lot better.