Oftentimes, it makes sense not to read too much into Japanese genre cinema—a space well-known for challenging both the mind and sensibilities of the viewer. Because the country’s cult film scene frequently throws everything against the wall in the name of art, most of it hits the mark if you’re looking for something wild to latch onto. While Hirohisa Sasaki’s “Crazy Lips” doesn’t have the same name recognition as other cult entries from the era, it remains an intriguing, deeply uncomfortable watch, now available courtesy of Third Window Films.
Buy This Title
on Terracotta by clicking on the image below
After heading to the police, Satomi (Hitomi Miwa) survives an execution by claiming her daughter has been kidnapped. However, the ensuing investigation unravels when her husband, Kiyohiko (Kazuma Suzuki), informs detectives that they never had a daughter. The involvement of Etsuko Mamiya (Yoshiko Yura), a psychic who claims aliens are holding the child captive, only complicates matters further. Trying to decipher the truth, Narimoto (Hiroshi Abe) and his assistant Lucy (Tomomi Kuribayashi)—FBI agents operating in Japan—step in, only to find that every clue leads to more utter chaos.
“Crazy Lips” gives genre fans plenty to chew on. Hiroshi Takahashi’s convoluted script moves through a series of unconventional, surreal beats. Starting with Michio’s disappearance and Satomi’s desperate bid to convince her family to hire the psychics, the narrative is already bizarre before introducing its major twists. Etsuko and Touma view the family as sexual conquests, while FBI agents Narimoto and Lucy prove just as eccentric as the psychic duo. Because every character reacts to these horrifying events as if they were completely normal, the film grows increasingly over-the-top, leaving you unsure of what could happen next.
What makes the experience so distinct is how fully the film commits to the most unnatural scenario possible. Rather than positioning Etsuko and Touma as genuine allies, the plot devolves into a string of sexual assaults against the family. While this is eventually revealed to be in service of an Elder God, taking such an extreme narrative direction helps contextualize the rest of the madness—including Satomi unexpectedly twisting someone’s head off with telekinesis, an extended woods martial-arts showdown just for the sake of it, rampant nudity, heavy gore, and one of the weirdest endings in J-horror.
That said, the film certainly has its shortcomings. The most noticeable drawback is a chaotic plot structure that often feels like an excuse to throw outrageous ideas on screen without cohesive logic. Etsuko and Touma exist almost exclusively to abuse the family until the late-stage climax offers an explanation. Similarly, Satomi’s psychic abilities vanish during scenes where they are most needed, the FBI plotline barely holds together, and the core murder mystery is abandoned entirely. At times, it feels less like a complete narrative and more like a loose assemblage of shock-value ideas.
The film’s comedic tone is equally hit-or-miss. The humor relies heavily on cartoonish sound effects, goofy noises, and absurd reactions to grotesque violence. Framing horrific acts as lighthearted comedy because the victims become brainwashed moves past dark humor into pure tastelessness. Agent Lucy’s random English outbursts deliver genuine laughs, but the rest of the comedy falls flat, compounded by an obvious ultra-low budget.
Ultimately, “Crazy Lips” is a chaotic, wildly over-the-top effort. It will prove challenging for casual viewers, but cult cinema enthusiasts who know what they’re getting into will find plenty of unhinged energy to enjoy.
