Title: Eureka
Genre: Drama
Director: Aoyama Shinji
Format: Movie; 217 minutes.
Dates: 29 Nov 2000

Synopsis: On a humid afternoon, the sun just at its peak in the warmest sky, two young children trek to a lonely bus stop. Boarding the bus and taking their seats, the children have no body language. Several minutes later, the bus is parked in an open lot. The windows have been covered with newspapers. A man runs across the pavement and collapses at the swift sounds of shots. Many passengers are dead. The bus driver, a middle age man, steps outside with the perpetrator…And the steel walls of the vehicle are stained with cold blood, writhing in the heat. Many months later, the bus driver lies restlessly on his futon. His legs are slamming the floor repeatedly, and there is an exhale, an exhale that is of a deep, long sigh.

The Highlights
Style: Minimalism at its best.
Visuals: Perfected cinematography.
Impact: Great pathos.
Story: Unforgettable; life-changing, even.

Eureka tells a long story. A story that started a great while ago and is still being told. Though the movie revolves around some central themes, such as the impact of violence, it is essentially a film about life. Told in the most unconventional style, it is the “odd ball” of all slice-of-life storytelling. But clearly, this unique stance on an old tale makes it remarkably memorable and significant. Visually and musically, this film has its own quirks, including an incredible, though eerily tranquil, casting. But aside from being different, the movie nonetheless tells a completely compelling narrative that is heart-throbbing, yet powerfully euphoric when the pacing calls for it.

Minimalism is the style of Aoyama Shinji, the director, who skillfully encodes undertones and symbols in each scene. The film reflects this minimalist mindset, where everything is emphasized by subtlety and faint detail. There is no outburst in energy in any character or scene—everything follows a rather unruffled path. Having such a style to his films plays a wild card into the creativity, and more importantly, the meaning. More can be said through gestures and a few lines of speech than an epic monologue or a sensual love scene can. This restrained style will frustrate the attention-deficit, but to begin with, the viewer must be open-minded to comprehend anything at all.

Though Eureka is loaded with symbolism and undertones, its technicalities also attract attention. From the simple gold monotone, reminiscent of a black-and-white scheme, to the rare cues of music, the film does not lack anywhere in beauty. Yet this beauty is transcended higher when it has meaning, such as when the perfect tune cues in during key scenes. Let’s not even argue over the impact of the monotonous color scheme. Nonetheless, let’s not forget the cinematography, which is anything but simplistic and gives the film its incredible eye appeal. But in addition to that, the art of the camera in this film is mastered so well that much of the messages embedded in the film can be analyzed through the positioning and movement of the camera.

But beyond all of this, are the characters and the story. Nothing greater can be said of the story than what has been said about everything else in this film, other than that many viewings will make the film’s meaning come forth in one’s mind. The narration takes surprising twists and works along the lines of a mystery, in addition to being a drama. However, the story would not have worked without Aoyama’s amazing characterizations of Makoto, Naoki, Kozue, and Akihiko. Though the minimalist style hurts in that it gives the impression that the characters lack personalities, the characters actually evolve much here, despite how slow or subtle the process was. Praise for the actors will not reprise their sensational performances (Yakusho Koji, Miyazaki Masaru, Miyazaki Aoi, Saito Yoichiro, respectively).

The three-hour-forty-minute runtime invokes fear into many onlookers (less it be dead boring) and is the only reason why Eureka has a small viewership. A clear shame that one’s shallow ignorance can deprive one from an immense life-changing experience. Never before, and yet never again, will a film capture my heart with a clutch of anguish and a touch of celebration. Watching Eureka is only the first step; embracing its meaning and message would be the next. And above all, keep an open eye and an open mind, you will find many scenes sculpted in your memories and characters that will not leave your conscience.

The Rating: 10

Reviewed by: Tamashii