Evil Does Not Exist - Movie Review

[@ZO6Buccaneer]

Thanks so much for reviewing this film! Easily one of the best of 2024 so far, and woefully underseen (at least domestically). ***light spoilers below*** Agreed with much of your analysis on the themes and meaning. I would add that I found the scene in Tokyo where the corporate people are talking with their boss/investor(?) is quite revealing. Where they were previously shown in the town meeting as “predators” encroaching on the town with the glamping proposal, the scene in Tokyo shows them as victims as well of the corporate culture. The characters in the film are not fixed to their initial roles as predators, defenders, and victims, and they alternate these roles throughout the film. Ultimately, all the characters in the film, even those initially shown as peaceful, will prioritize personal survival at all costs when under attack (symbolized by the deer). No character is ever acting in an “evil” manner, they all just strive for self-preservation against perceived threats regardless of the negative consequences for others. I’d posit that Nietzsche’s “Beyond Good and Evil” is a strong influence, particularly the quote “He who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster. And if thou gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will also gaze into thee.” Perhaps this abyss gazing into thee is what’s being shown in the final shot? Ultimately this is an incredibly dense film with so much meaning to interpret and unpack.

[@moviehusbands]

All really really great points. I rewatched a few scenes before our review, but I’m really looking forward to a second viewing. Towards the end of the year I rewatch any potential top tens of the year, so I’ll let it marinate a bit and watch it again to see what else I gleam. It’s such a complex film, and can be interpreted in many ways - I love that about it

[@KansasViking]

Came here from Oscar Expert’s tweet and was excited to see how you dissected this fascinating film that has so much to talk about. The way your conversation flows so elegantly but says so much in its time really helped me continue to process this film I watched over and over month ago. Glad I found this channel!

[@mapetlv]

The way this film held back its meaning is the key to understanding it, imo. I agree with black tshirt guy that the movie explores themes of clash between nature and human activities - about the balance. More specific in my interpretation film pointed at the fact that we, humans, live in nature and we need to respect the rules of it. And further more - the term nature is also applied to human nature - that car drive conversation between those two representative touches exactly at that without directly finger pointing at what's happening. Story wise there is also a huge untold part - what happened to Takumi's wife. If you look at Takumi it is clear that he has lived through some trauma. What I feel is that he was in exact wounded deer situation with his wife where he did try to run towards her. He has guilt about it. That is why he so eagerly strangled that representive - because he knew that running towards the girl will end in tragedy. The opening and end tree shots in my interpretation tells that as a human we are here just for a moment. At one moment we can look at beauty of world and at next we go to black.