River – Frightfest 2023 Movie Review
Director: Junta Yamaguchi
Writer: Makoto Ueda (Screenplay)
Cast
- Riko Fujitani (Beautiful Dreamer)
- Manami Honjô (Demekingu)
- Gôta Ishida (Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes)
- Yoshimasa Kondô (Princess Mononoke)
- Shiori Kubo
Plot: The stage is the long-established Japanese Inn “Fujiya” in Kibune, Kyoto. Kibune in a quiet winter. Mikoto, a waitress who works at Fujiya, is called back to work by the proprietress while standing by the Kibune River behind the annex. However, two minutes later, for some reason, she finds herself once again facing the Kibune River. Not only Mikoto, but also the clerk, waitresses, chefs, and guests all begin to feel something strange. Hot sake that doesn’t get hot. Rice porridge won’t go away. A bathroom that you can never leave.
Runtime: 1 Hour 26 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review Story: River starts as we meet Mikota (Fujitani) a waitress at the Fujiya Inn. She looks to go about her everyday routine, but suddenly her day suddenly returns to two minutes earlier. Mikota and the other guests and staff all start experiencing the same phenomenon, with each person going through the same two minutes.
As they all search for answers, they find themselves trying to understand what is going on. Each loop sees them trying to learn what a different person is going during those two minutes, as things start to spiral out of control.
Verdict on River
River is a sci-fi comedy following the guests and employees of a remote Japanese Inn that find themselves stuck in a time loop. They remember everything that has happened, but keep finding themselves back at the same place every two minutes. Each two minutes sees them learning something new, as they look to get out of the time loop created with them trapped inside.
Director Junta Yamaguchi follows up the brilliant Beyond the Infinity Two Minutes with another time loop movie. While that movie focused on the idea of seeing the future, this one restricts us to being trapped inside the two minutes. This creates a movie that is just as creative and innovative. It takes us on a wild adventure that builds upon everything going on within the two minutes offered up. If you want a truly unique movie, that is both fun, mysterious and baffling, this is the one for you.
Final Thoughts –River is unique, mysterious and hilarious.
