LUMBERJACK THE MONSTER sees Takashi Miike return to horror

Written by Gabriel Serrano Denis

Director Takashi Miike has been called many things, among them a “master of horror”, even getting a spot to direct in the Showtime cult anthology series produced by Mick Garris, “Masters of Horror”. His contribution to “Masters of Horror” was a disturbing nightmare ride so shocking that it was cut from the show’s first airing (it only became available to watch when it was released on DVD). It was called Imprint, and it featured bloody abortions, rape, and graphic torture. It also became a fan favorite, as Miike has proven time and time again that he is no mere provocateur, but a filmmaker invested in exploring the graphic implications of violence (physical and sexual) within a psychological framework. In other words, his films are both disturbing for their explicitness and the depraved character work he deftly balances. After some years exploring everything from live action manga adaptations, anime, samurai cinema, and even neo noir, Miike is back at the helm of serial killer horror film Lumberjack The Monster. This time though, emotional investment takes precedence in no less depraved circumstances.

Opening with a police raid on a creepy old house owned by a couple believed to be kidnapping children, Lumberjack The Monster wastes no time in establishing the monstrous world in store for viewers. An intro that will clearly make sense later on in the narrative, all we are left with is a psycho experimenting on children and the tale of a killer lumberjack. Fast forward to the present and lawyer Akira Ninomiya (Kazuya Kamenashi) is attacked by an axe-wielding psychopath dressed as a lumberjack.

Thing is, Akira is a psychopath himself, a killer and manipulator who also aids doctor Sugitani (Shota Sometani) in his “experiments”. Vowing to seek revenge on his attacker, Ninomiya discovers he was implanted with a neuro chip at an early age, thus opening doors to his past that begin to unravel the monster he has become. Or was he created? Juggling his investigation with his engagement to Emi (Riho Yoshioka) while also being hounded by police profiler Toshiro (Nanao), Ninomiya’s conflicts mirror other serial killer characters of the recent past like Dexter and Patrick Bateman from American Psycho, but Miike’s penchant for melding genres and pushing buttons takes the story in new and interesting directions.

Lumberjack The Monster, adapted from Mayusuke Kurai’s 2019 novel, mixes serial killer movie tropes, folk-horror, and the police procedural genre. This is nothing Miike can’t handle, but it’s clear that he is most successful at exploring what makes a psychopath and where the line between nature and nurture begins to blend. As the director of some of the most shocking and disgusting modern horror films (Audition, Gozu) it’s somewhat surprising that Lumberjack The Monster deals with its themes in such a solemn and dramatic tone. Ninomiya is a fully-fleshed character, brilliantly brought to life by Kamenashi, whose journey from stone-cold killer to a monster with a potential heart resonates in conflicting and disturbing ways.

In a way, this film is the antithesis to Miike’s other violent classic Ichi The Killer. Though it never veers too heavily into horror territory, Ichi shares some DNA with Lumberjack as they both seek to explore what makes the depraved tick. Despite the violence on display, Miike finds humanity within perversion, but with Ichi he goes full throttle in terms of bloodshed and style, whereas Lumberjack possesses a slower and more introspective pace. That isn’t to say it’s without thrills. The title lumberjack is a vicious and sadistic killer, and the character’s design is absolutely terrifying. The scenes of the lumberjack’s crimes are harrowing and disgusting, with the gratuitous flashback of the actual killing a welcome change to the heavier narrative. Miike’s talent for framing violence and even finding humor in the nastiness is unparalleled and it’s great to see him back and still swinging his axe.

As mentioned before, Audition, Gozu, Ichi The Killer, and other Miike nightmares sit at the top of the list for the most ardent fans of the twisted and the macabre. Lumberjack The Monster unfortunately does not reach those demented heights. Miike’s decision to shoot in a more subdued and static style makes the whole film feel quite generic. Strong compositions and competent lighting from cinematographer Nobuyasu Kita are not enough to elevate the proceedings from a standard drama look. Coming from such a master stylist, who even at his most stoic manages to add layers of techniques to drive home his themes, it’s a bit of a letdown. And though the police investigation led by Toshiro moves the plot forward, it does little else to serve her motivations or leave a larger mark in Ninomiya’s story.

Regardless of its flaws and the ridiculousness of some of the story beats, Lumberjack The Monster is unlike any other horror film to have come out in 2024. Modern serial killer influences and folk-horror imbued character study combine to make a solid ride filled with dread and flashes of gore that will satiate horror and Takashi Miike fans alike. It’s a slow and deliberate house of horrors that will sink its hooks into you from all directions, and some will rip you apart harder than others.