Unlike anything you’ve ever seen?
Don’t expect Symbol to be like Matsumoto’s previous film, Big Man Japan. As the title says, it’s a highly symbolic story that can be quite confusing. Not because it’s about a japanese man stuck in a white room, while somewhere else, a mexican luchador is preparing to fight.
Because it seems to work on a metaphorical level with no real story line. Just symbols, ideas and no explanations. So, during the first hour, you just watch a man in pyjamas trying to figure out how to exit a room where he can have everything.
An absurd situation, yes, a critique of modern societies’ egoism? Maybe? While not really exciting, the first hour still offers some cool ideas. After all, this is a 40-year-old japanese man acting like a comic book character!
If you can go through this part, you’ll finally discover the true madness/heart of the film. When it turns into a spiritual cosmic journey that can’t be described. This surrealist trip is both naive and bizarre.
Symbol should leave you with tons of questions. Once again, director Hitoshi Matsumoto knows how to surprise the audience, even though it may also disturb some people. Clearly not for everyone, Symbol is an ambitious film that has enough interesting ideas to be worth watching!
# TL;DR
+ Pure WTF madness
+ Yellow pyjamas
+ Luchador & Crazy nun
+ Masai Warrior
- Narrative flaws
- Symbolism for symbolism’s sake?
= 5/10
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Hello, mostly agree with your review. I do think this movie has universal appeal. I can’t wait until I show this to all my young friends, the silliness of this movie will appeal to kids just like fart jokes???
Wondering: does anyone know when this comes out on dvd in Canada?
A good review for an amazing film. I think you underrate this film in an era that needs far more films like this. They break out of the norm and really deliver us what big budget main stream won’t.
You ask “Symbolism for symbolism’s sake?” It’s titled Symbol. What about Art for Arts sake. I do think it is a good review and I appreciate that you took notice.
6/10!
I just watched it, i like it. it’s different… but what’s with the penises? dose it relate to god?… it’s funny and quite irrelevant…
one of the best pictures I’ve seen for the last time. Its different point of view, distinguished, Looks better than those crap you eat daily on TV or wherever.
I enjoyed it
Absolutely brilliant. I loved this film was because it is soooo different. 9/10
I looked everywhere to be able to buy or watch “symbol” and cannot find it….please help….where can you get it or watch it?
Until now, the film has (only?) been released on DVD in Japan, without subtitles – it’s quite expensive.
Otherwise, you should easily find the english-subbed bootleg online.
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