Lesson Of The Evil (2012)

Directed by: Takashi Miike
Country: Japan

Review: Versatile Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike, remembers us that school attacks are an actual concern in our society by presenting a bloody movie filled with sarcastic humor, which often falls in exaggeration. This massive killing of teenagers by a popular teacher suffering from grave psychological disorders can be seen as a freaky parody that reunites many irreverent aspects of Miike’s style, yet without hiding certain weaknesses that let it aside from his best works. The film has a misguided start, showing dispersion and losing itself in jammed cell phones and bullying talks. In the first hour, Miike seemed to use a totally different approach in terms of pace and narrative, showing disconnection while introducing the characters and leaving us adrift for several moments. This phase was just the preparation for the violence that would come next, a fierce blood bath that despite energetic, is a non-suspenseful repetition of chaotic scenes involving teen students being killed by shotgun. At the sound of “Mack The Knife”, a song originally composed by Brecht/Weill for The Threepenny Opera, “Lesson Of The Evil” exposes illicit relationships between teachers and students, and constructs a portrait of an evil man disguised as good soul who no longer can refrain his dark side. Sometimes morbid, sometimes childish, its insensible posture adopted was able to shock at first, but after a while didn't bring about much pleasure.