Symbol is the sort of weird comedic experiment that only someone with Hitoshi Matsumoto's reputation could see to completion. Whether one would call it a success is entirely subjective. Even die-hard fans may have a hard time swallowing what he delivers here: an 90 minute shaggy dog story. Thankfully, Symbol boasts a game-saving finish that reveals Matsumoto as an ambitious prankster whose main interest is messing with people's heads. The film begins in Mexico where a masked wrestler named Escargot Man is preparing for a fight. The setting soon switches from a dry Mexican vista to a sealed white room with no exits. A character played by Hitoshi Matsumoto, who is clothed in colorful kid's pajamas, is trapped in the room. Cherubs emerge from the walls, and through experimentation, Matsumoto discovers that touching the cherubs' bathroom parts causes items to magically appear in the room. Manipulating the cherubs also causes doors to emerge from the walls, providing a hope for escape. The first hour unfolds in this fashion, cutting back-and-forth between Matsumoto's attempt to escape, and the story of the Mexican wrestler.
Unlike Big Man Japan (Dai Nippon Jin), which seems completely commercial in comparison, Symbol has no narrative hooks to grab onto. Matsumoto's performance is really broad. His constant screaming leans towards the annoying side, and his jokes, which involve a lot of physical humor, are hit-and-miss. The Mexican wrestler story seems to amble on with no peaks or valleys.
However, Symbol's third act provides the high-stakes payoff that the film spends so much time building up to. The punchline ties together the film's two narrative threads in a way that is so unexpectedly big and bizarre that it really forgives the monotony of the first hour. Viewers with the patience to sit through the first hour will either "get" the joke or end up seriously annoyed. There is no middle ground with Symbol.
This sounds awesome. Unless I wouldn't get the joke...
But the fact that there is actually a point being worked towards has me sold. Bring it on, I'm willing to risk it!
With a bit of luck this is the "mystery" surprise movie of the CameraJapan festival...
I am MORE than excited for this film. Thanks for the review
I just watched this movie with the plan of only watching the first half. I ended up watching the whole thing with my wife and the two of us laughed from start to finish.
I am a massive Matsumoto fan. With that said, Dai Nippon Jin, I thought had funny parts but had more low parts. If I never see that film again, except for the last 10 minutes, that will be just fine with me.
Symbols on the other hand I will watch again tomorrow!
Amazing movie on several levels.
I just saw it last week at The Brussels Fantasy Festival, and I just have to say that it was a step forward from Dai Nipponjin. I mean, a step further because it is even weider and funnier than the 1st one, wich was already out there ! Go see it if you can.