Strange happenings are happening in the quiet town of San Marco. Celebrated thriller writer Akahori finds herself there after running there to get away from her fame and starts becoming well known by elements she’d rather not like; while rural police guy stumbles across a deadly plot involving ruthless gangsters. Ultimately their paths intersect in a twisted tale of murder.
Certainly the boldest direction Man From Reno takes is its odd Western/Japanese fusion, vaguely mixing impressions of Asian and American cinema. Crime thrillers from the USA are common as muck, so are the ones from Japan; but perhaps the attempt to combine the psychology and skill of both is not. This presents an interesting introduction where two narratives are talking almost at once.
So it’s a surprise when the story turns out to be so 2-dimensional. Although powered with roughly enough ideas to keep itself afloat upon the nearly 2-hour journey, it only travels thinly between the land of the suspenseful and as dull as cardboard due to the disappearance of any energy in the drama, complexity in its mystery or offering of action to back it up.
Fujitani (Akahori) isn’t overwhelming either. Occasionally they’re somewhat impressive, with their attempts at resilience falling short, tending to trickle into a trembling defiance than awesome fearlessness; though this may be a factor lost in the translation of combing such different cultures, or maybe a side effect of my shitty reviewing skills.
Little can be said about the production other than that Man From Reno plays it very safe. This is hardly crushing all-out horror, yet each time the writing feels too close to danger, it rapidly shirks in fear into to scenes where people are again drinking coffee and reading newspapers in warm and cosy environments. The actors’ opportunity to deliver themselves feel caged and cut down – even their lines seem minimal.
Then there’s the soft and squeezy soundtrack. Enjoyable at times, its humdrum meandering is nothing that thunderously strikes the ground, which is another shame as this was a real chance to embolden and enliven the atmosphere. Well, that’s pretty all you’re gonna get. At least there’s a good hand-crushing moment – if you haven’t expired of boredom by the time you reach it.
3/10
Possession Media 