User Reviews

Katsuya Matsumura, the director of the nihilistic "All Night Long" series, sticks with what he knows in "Dark Love - Rape". What this work shares with his infamous series is the cruelty humans visit on other humans. In this case, that cruelty is of a sexual nature. A young woman moves into an apartment that is rigged with hidden cameras. A voyeur, who has raped and abused other women, watches her every move, and begins a strange relationship with her. Although my synopsis is linear, this modest but impressive piece of film-making (a throwback to pink cinema from the 70's and 80's) is surreal and disturbing. There are instances of violence that are heavy and bloody; one, in particular, where the lead actress has her face repeatedly smashed into a floor, is ultra-realistic. Matsumura's characters are typically dysfunctional and on one-way roads to self-annihilation. The director's previous work was notable for its excellent, rich sound design; this is no exception. The electronic score perfectly embellishes the unrelenting darkness while the sound effects are sharp and distressing. Although a little too slow at times, "Dark Love - Rape" has something very definite on its mind and wears the signature of a unique artist.