You know how sex and violence oft times collide in our beloved horror biz? Well, wait until you feast your putrid peepers on A Record of Sweet Murder…
Sang-joon (Yeon Je-wook) is a murder machine on the lam for the kill krazy antics he has pulled all over town. Enter journalist So-yeon (Kim Kko-bbi) who takes it upon herself to interview that rascal, in truth a childhood chum who got stabby to right a wrong that has plagued the pair for a damn sight, along with her cameraman (played by Writer/Director Koji Shiraishi) in the loon’s claustrophobic, grungy-ass apartment in the hopes of gleaning a bit of knowledge as to the deadly goings-on.
What does our heroine discover? Why that if Sang-joon kills all 27 poor souls on his shit list (he’s on 25 for the record) then all his victims, and the one he is trying to avenge, will magically rejoin the land of the living. Seems reasonable.
Soon a couple (Japanese porn star Tsukasa Aoi and Ryotaro Yonemura) arrive at the apartment and shit swan dives into a morass of violence and loveless sex that climaxes in a manner you may not expect…make that never expect (and really made this picture way more than what it appears to be on the surface) !
The main selling point of A Record of Sweet Murder is the fact that the lions share of the film takes place in one location (that aforementioned apartment ‘natch), features only five characters, and is presented in what appears to be a single take. Adding to that is the found footage style presentation (everything is viewed through the lenses…most ultra slick and professional…of So-yeon’s omnipresent cameraman)…this gives the grim proceedings a definite sense of reality that continues on no matter how out of control things become in the narrative. Also, the acting is quite strong with Kim Kko-bbi and Yeon Je-wook making for compelling (and in the case of the latter…strangely almost sympathetic) leads.
The shocking thing about A Record of Sweet Murder, besides that amazing ending mentioned before, is the fact that given the subject matter the gore and blood are kept to a relative minimum. I thought we were in for a crimson soaked torture porn affair, and was pleasantly surprised that things swung the other way.
While the feature film is worth the price of admission, the “special features” sure as hell aren’t. The case for this Blu-ray release promises the film’s trailer and a still gallery (already a very slim offering). Well, the trailer is certainly there, but that still gallery? Not so much…unless it’s hidden somewhere…
Straight up, I was surprised by A Record of Sweet Murder in the best way possible; it’s a grim fright flick for sure…but it has an element of tenderness (twisted as it may be)…and that ending I simply can’t shut the fuck up about make it one I highly recommend!
