Fantasia 18' Film Review - Laplace's Witch

Takashi Miike is a prolific filmmaker. Two projects a year is standard with three or four not to of the question. Miike is also known as a moving target not beholden to any one genre. Therefore it's a bit disappointing that his so far only effort for 2018 Laplace's Witch is such an unenthusiastic pedestrian effort especially following his last effort last years brilliant Blade of the Immortal. 

Intrigue comes to a small town when a man's body is found in a remote area outside of town. The lead investigator Nakoka Yuri (Tamaki Hiroshi) can't explain how this occurred, therefore, he seeks the assistance of a Toyko geoscience  Professor Shusuke Aoe (Sho Sakurai). Soon after a second death occurs gain by hydrogen sulfide poising the only like to the two a young woman Madoka Uhara ( Suzu Hirose) who seems too interested in both murder scenes and has a knack of knowing how future events will occur. Both of the deaths are caused by a gas that could not be in that concentration naturally. As the story develops the theory of French Mathematician Pierre Simon Laplace is introduced showing how precise calculations can give the  skilled observer the tools to predict future outcome. The material is as dry as the last statement would indicate. None of the performances by the main cast do anything to elevate it either.

Miiki is at his best when pushing boundaries as he marks new territory. Unfortunately, those qualities are not displayed here with this film. The plot is a standard police investigation that under covers a shadowy research organization whose members look the part but underwhelm in the menace department.

One source of levity in the cast is delivered by Mirai Shida in the role of Aoe's research assistant Tetsuko Okunishi. She hovers in Aoe's office as he discusses his thoughts on the case her presence is especially effective when Investigator Yuri appears to have a confidential discussion. The other being the presence of a character based on a legendary Japanese director whose description is a mirror of Miike himself a fact that is not lost on the viewer.

Laplace Witch is a story that stays close to the source martial book by Keigo Higashino. However, it's directed by a helmer that the viewer would least like to see colouring between the lines. The premise has some merit. However, the delivery and performances are run of the mill. Resulting in a typical murder mystery production another descriptor you would not attached to a Miike film.

** Out of 4.

Laplace Witch | Takashi Miike | Japan | 2018 | 115 Minutes.

Tags: Murder, Resort Town, Hydrogen Sulfide, Mathematical Theory, Probability, Geology, Dice, Tornado, Coma, Crime Scene.