I can't say it was a movie worth watching but I can't say it is totally bad either. There are much worse out there. There were just a few things that bothered me in the movie other than it's bad acting and all the other stuff that goes along with bad low budget movies. Now also keep in mind I have never read the manga, saw the anime or TV show or any other thing related to the Eko Eko Azarak series. I just saw it on a list of recommendations someone put up on a list of little known Asian Horror that should be seen.
Misa has a locket that she is shown talking to with hair in it but there is never any explanation of what it's meaning is to her and who that hair had belonged too. You can tell it is obviously important to her because for one thing, she is shown talking to it when she is upset after the very much obviously jealous Mizuno accuses her of being a murderer. She also gives it to Shindou for protection later on. Since its obviously an important object it would have been a better story if it gave more explanations and so you can get a better understanding of the character.
Little development/explanation/character back ground given in the movie also was a big down side in the movie. You don't really get to grow any empathy for the Misa because all you really get to know is she never can save the people she cares about and so then she feels the guilt of so many people dying around her and that she sucks at being a witch according to her. It would have been more effective if there was a deeper explanation of that and flashbacks of her attempts at trying to save the people she cared about only to lose them. When Mizuno is trying to get everyone to hate her by saying people keep dying around her and what not, I didn't end up feeling sorry for her I just feel more disgusted that no one just told him to shut-the-heck up because it is obvious the only reason why you are trying to turn people against her is because she can actually do what you attempt to do and do so very poorly. It makes you hate him but not feel sorry for Misa because you don't know any details about it!
I also have a problem with the protective circle Mizuno made. I know that you can make it with anything but given that he doesn't have any kind of power he likes to believe he has it would have been smarter if he used salt. YES, I know that he is a pompous idiot who believed he had power and NO, I don't see how finding salt in a school would be weird given that it is a school so should have a kitchen, but really if I am terrified for my life and I studied the occult I would have used every measure I could to keep myself protected. Salt should have power even if you don't.
While I don't have as much problem with the charm Misa gave Mizuki for protection I would have liked to know the "how so" and the more on the "how it did what it did" at the end of the movie. I would explain more of what I mean of "how it did what it did" but that would be spoiling the movie and I am not spoiling the ending of the movie. There was more about then ending I would have liked further explained of why Misa said what was trying to be done couldn't be done but again I won't explain further because it would spoil the end.
I guess you can say my biggest grip with the movie is that there is too little explanations for just about all the important things in the movie. Oh and of course the stupid pervert teacher Numata. He can openly grope the girls and stick his hands up their skirt but Miss Shirai and Tanaka hide their relationship? Eh? Yeah, they do more than just touch but still... There is a ton load more of lesbian relationships in Asian horror than any American horror I don't see why Shirai and Tanaka was more "in the closet" than the perverted Numata.
There is however, one thing about the movie that I was very happy they did. In most (not all) horror movies that I have seen that has magic/witches in it, it is always show as something bad and evil. This movie did say that the pentagram can be used for both good or bad depending on it's use(drawn). Can't think of any movie off the top of my head that had magic/witches in it that pointed out in the beginning that there is a good side.
Would I recommend this movie? Probably not but I don't feel like I wasted an hour and a half of my time watching it.
Misa has a locket that she is shown talking to with hair in it but there is never any explanation of what it's meaning is to her and who that hair had belonged too. You can tell it is obviously important to her because for one thing, she is shown talking to it when she is upset after the very much obviously jealous Mizuno accuses her of being a murderer. She also gives it to Shindou for protection later on. Since its obviously an important object it would have been a better story if it gave more explanations and so you can get a better understanding of the character.
Little development/explanation/character back ground given in the movie also was a big down side in the movie. You don't really get to grow any empathy for the Misa because all you really get to know is she never can save the people she cares about and so then she feels the guilt of so many people dying around her and that she sucks at being a witch according to her. It would have been more effective if there was a deeper explanation of that and flashbacks of her attempts at trying to save the people she cared about only to lose them. When Mizuno is trying to get everyone to hate her by saying people keep dying around her and what not, I didn't end up feeling sorry for her I just feel more disgusted that no one just told him to shut-the-heck up because it is obvious the only reason why you are trying to turn people against her is because she can actually do what you attempt to do and do so very poorly. It makes you hate him but not feel sorry for Misa because you don't know any details about it!
I also have a problem with the protective circle Mizuno made. I know that you can make it with anything but given that he doesn't have any kind of power he likes to believe he has it would have been smarter if he used salt. YES, I know that he is a pompous idiot who believed he had power and NO, I don't see how finding salt in a school would be weird given that it is a school so should have a kitchen, but really if I am terrified for my life and I studied the occult I would have used every measure I could to keep myself protected. Salt should have power even if you don't.
While I don't have as much problem with the charm Misa gave Mizuki for protection I would have liked to know the "how so" and the more on the "how it did what it did" at the end of the movie. I would explain more of what I mean of "how it did what it did" but that would be spoiling the movie and I am not spoiling the ending of the movie. There was more about then ending I would have liked further explained of why Misa said what was trying to be done couldn't be done but again I won't explain further because it would spoil the end.
I guess you can say my biggest grip with the movie is that there is too little explanations for just about all the important things in the movie. Oh and of course the stupid pervert teacher Numata. He can openly grope the girls and stick his hands up their skirt but Miss Shirai and Tanaka hide their relationship? Eh? Yeah, they do more than just touch but still... There is a ton load more of lesbian relationships in Asian horror than any American horror I don't see why Shirai and Tanaka was more "in the closet" than the perverted Numata.
There is however, one thing about the movie that I was very happy they did. In most (not all) horror movies that I have seen that has magic/witches in it, it is always show as something bad and evil. This movie did say that the pentagram can be used for both good or bad depending on it's use(drawn). Can't think of any movie off the top of my head that had magic/witches in it that pointed out in the beginning that there is a good side.
Would I recommend this movie? Probably not but I don't feel like I wasted an hour and a half of my time watching it.