Audition review

Widowed TV producer Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) decides to look for a new wife and craftily holds an 'audition' to find his new beau. But the young dancer (Elhi Shiina) who wins his heart has led a traumatic life and is a few pirouettes short of a full performance...

Director Mike Takashi takes an almost Zen-like approach to this story of female revenge against male domination in that very little happens for much of the film. But this just makes the last half-hour all the more shocking, with one of the most excruciating torture scenes you're ever likely to see.

The horror is effective and Audition is certainly slick and stylish. But too many significant plot points are reduced to mere subtext, and it's a shame that you're left wondering exactly how this demure young woman turned into such a psycho.