This evaluate was initially a part of our protection for the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.

Ryusuke Hamaguchi, the writer-director behind such current gems as Drive My Car and Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, initially supposed his newest movie, Evil Does Not Exist, to be a collection of silent visuals that will accompany new music from his Drive My Car composer Eiko Ishibashi. At the start of Evil Does Not Exist, it’s straightforward to assume that’s precisely what we’re going to see, as Ishibachi’s rating performs over Hamaguchi’s photographs of snow-covered timber below a beautiful sky. The opening shot lasts virtually too lengthy, and the music involves an abrupt cease, as if Hamaguchi is assuring us that Evil Does Not Exist shall be extra than simply an accompaniment to a different lovely Ishibashi rating.

Yet Hamaguchi by no means strays too removed from this unique thought in Evil Does Not Exist, as we observe Takumi (Hitoshi Omika)—a jack-of-all-trades within the small Mizubiki Village outdoors Tokyo—and his daughter, Hana (Ryo Nishikawa). The pair quietly gather water and Takumi cuts wooden for a number of minutes. It’s a particularly quiet intro, the place essentially the most shocking factor that occurs is the invention of a wasabi plant, which shall be harvested for a close-by noodle store.

‘Evil Does Not Exist’ Is Intentionally Slow—and That’s What Makes It Wonderful

But like he did with Drive My Car, Hamaguchi makes the silent, deliberate moments important to his story. As we get to discover the woods with Takumi and Hana, we’re proven the great thing about the pure sources, the peacefulness of this neighborhood, and the reliance on nature for his or her lifestyle. Hamaguchi is constructing this world by pulling again, letting us meditate within the space and see the wonders that these folks see daily—an important component for what’s to return.

After establishing this land, Evil Does Not Exist primarily focuses on an organization and its two representatives (Ryuji Kosaka and Ayaka Shibutani) who come to the realm in an effort to focus on their plans to construct a glamping retreat on the land. Almost instantly, the folks of the land understand the issues with the plans: their septic tanks will pollute the close by water, deer will be capable of bounce into the glamping space, and an absence of staff means company shall be largely unsupervised to do no matter they need. As the folks push again in opposition to the corporate, its two representatives start to see the issues within the enterprise mannequin and spend time within the space to know what their firm hasn’t seen.

But past simply seeing this land, its magnificence and significance, Hamaguchi places a face to this battle in Hitoshi Omika’s Takumi. In a superbly restrained efficiency that by no means undercuts the massive feelings at play, Takumi first helps us see the wonders of this space from his perspective, a land that he clearly loves, however can also be integral to his way of life. Takumi is a person of few phrases, however we are able to see the love on his face as he walks the woods, but additionally the seething anger that he’s making an attempt his finest to cover when he learns that these similar woods may very well be taken away from him. Takumi is our information by way of the shifts on this story, and by doing so little, Omika makes us really feel each emotion that the folks of this land are struggling to take care of.

Evil Does Not Exist is a largely quiet, contemplative movie that always feels extra like an try to create a temper than it’s reliant on any plot. We watch as Takumi and Hana discover the land, we see the corporate confront the folks of Mizubiki, after which Takumi and Hana as soon as extra present the 2 representatives the land—who marvel on the space they might be constructing over. Hamaguchi takes a nuanced method to either side and by no means makes the encroaching firm the “villain,” even when we do perceive their plan is deeply flawed. Hamaguchi is seemingly making an attempt to point out how such ecological issues can usually be solved by listening and understanding the land, however this by no means looks like the main target to the purpose of overrunning the quieter ambiance of the movie.

‘Evil Does Not Exist’ Has an Ending That Sticks Out

Because of this, the best way Hamaguchi decides to finish Evil Does Not Exist appears significantly odd, a shocking motion that appears out of line with the remainder of the movie. This isn’t a form of Jeanne Dielman method, however quite, virtually like Hamaguchi doesn’t know methods to fairly finish this movie that hasn’t relied on story all an excessive amount of. It’s a small jolt that feels misplaced with the tone that Hamaguchi has proven us up to now.

Yet it’s this method to such an necessary story about this land that makes the extra combative moments much more highly effective. As those that stay in Mizubiki come at odds with these making an attempt to develop on the land, it feels virtually like a jolt on this comparatively silent world. These folks come right here for that silence, and with these outsiders coming in, they have to be loud and combat for what they love. It’s as if nature is preventing again, pushing in opposition to those who would do it hurt—even when they don’t understand how a lot hurt they’re actually doing. As with the ending, these moments the place the folks face off in opposition to this firm are so overwhelming merely due to how toned-down Hamaguchi has made the remainder of the story surrounding these moments.

But Evil Does Not Exist is likely to be most fascinating in that this is how Hamaguchi determined to observe up his Oscar-winning Drive My Car—not by crafting one thing greater and utilizing his newfound recognition to push for bigger alternatives. Rather, Hamaguchi has scaled again even additional, making one thing easy, but elegantly instructed. Its extra of an experiment than an precise narrative, and the result’s fairly lovely, albeit nonetheless a bit minor comparatively.

‘Evil Does Not Exist’ Lets the Score and Visuals Take Over

If something, by not focusing a lot on an precise story, Hamaguchi permits for the opposite elements of the filmmaking to shine by way of. Naturally, Ishibashi’s rating turns into the centerpiece of the story, enjoying over attractive imagery, then reducing out in stunning style after we’ve lastly been lulled into the sense of safety it provides. As beforehand talked about, Hamaguchi initially supposed this to be all in regards to the visuals, and he nonetheless accomplishes that with the assistance of Yoshio Kitagawa’s gorgeous cinematography. The approach he’s in a position to body these walks by way of the woods is compelling in its personal proper, and watching one thing so simple as the snow drift away whereas Takumi cuts a chunk of wooden is fascinating.

Hamaguchi’s Drive My Car labored so superbly due to the smaller, quiet moments of life, the drives from one place to the subsequent, and the undiscovered moments that we maintain hidden. Evil Does Not Exist turns these moments into a complete feature-length movie, and whereas it may appear slight at occasions, the method is great in its personal proper—a grasp filmmaker taking his time and embracing the silence. After a Best Picture nomination, most filmmakers wouldn’t head on this route, however it’s great that that is the place Hamaguchi determined to go subsequent.

REVIEW

Evil Does Not Exist (2024)

Evil Does Not Exist is a quiet, reflective eco drama with sharp filmmaking and an ending that challenges its viewers.

Pros

• The movie takes a sluggish method that additionally makes it great.
• As we come to know all of the characters, it brings a refreshing nuance to a crucial topic.
• The visuals and rating are magnificent, making it an expertise that takes the breath away.

Cons

• The ending does stick out as a bit odd and misplaced from what preceded it.

Evil Does Not Exist is now accessible to stream on VOD within the U.S.

WATCH ON VOD