The Big Gun/Henge

A double-header from Japanese “visionary newcomer” Hajime Ohata is an exciting prospect for genuine horror fans. In opening short, The Big Gun, two brothers cut a deal with a mob boss to manufacture some pistols in order to save their crumbling business. Mob boss refuses to pay and demands they produce more and more of the weapons. A mega-bitch wannabe social-climber wife gets involved and tension builds. There's a hilarious (if inevitable) shootout, some amazing mistranslations and an awesome set of mangled digits but nothing much else to The Big Gun. There is, however, a very big gun, so at least it lives up to its promise.

The main event, Henge, oozes polish compared to its forerunner. It opens with a weird might-be masturbatory (we later find out it's something else) scene and steadily descends into an inane-parody-of-Godzilla movie. There are moments of promise – the sleazebag psychiatrist trying to score on monsterman's missus draws horrific repercussions – but the thing drips with clichés so tired they're drowning in their own teacups. The biggest problem with the thing is that it fails to lend much thought to exactly what it's trying to be – comedy-clash or brooding thriller? It achieves neither. Through Henge this fresh-faced visionary proves himself hackneyed dullard. The only thing remotely interesting about this second-hand snorefest is that Ohata got funding to create this at all.

Nova Cinema, season finished