Title: Premonition aka Yogen
Genre: Drama
Director: Norio Tsuruta
Format: Movie; 95 minutes.
Dates: 2004

Synopsis: Hideki was an average work-a-holic professor when his life was turned into a horrible nightmare by a terrifying newspaper with the ability to predict tragic deaths. His ability to see the newspaper soon turns utterly horrifying when the paper predicts the deaths of his loved ones. When his own death is revealed to him, there seems to be nowhere else to turn. How can he stop the curse that has engulfed many before him in the same fate?

Highlights:
Story: Pretty basic, but clever.
Protagonist: Besides his quirks, pretty realistic.
Chills: Scattered here and there.
Plot holes: Hmm, I do recall one with a fuzzy black man and a deranged teenager.

It’s good to see that other directors are learning from Nakata Hideo. The common idea of “book-turned-movie” has now officially hit the graphic novel scene. Apparently, thanks to the stellar international success of Ringu, horror manga have been introduced to the limelight. As this new genre is getting the silver-screen makeover, we get wind of a story centering a “newspaper of terror”. Based on the manga Kyofu Shinbun by Tsunoda Jiro, the dramatic horror film Premonition lives far and beyond the expectations of its own roots.

Based along the lines of the manga, the film features a man named Satomi Hideki and his struggle with a haunting newspaper that foretells the deaths of everyday citizens. As disturbing as that may sound, this premise actually weaves into an intricate tale about his trials while trying to reverse the curse to see the horrid tabloid. The plot isn’t too unique; however, it makes up for that by being creatively structured. It is also clever in a good way; it doesn’t cause viewers to become bogged-down by useless information and thus succeeds at being very concise while still creating a comforting layer of intrigue.

Hideki (played by Mikami Hiroshi) is a very promising lead. Not only does he display real (and believable) characteristics that we often find in ourselves, but his persona also works with the horror to create an atmosphere of inevitable doom and gloom. The other notable characters (primarily Sakai Noriko, Hideki’s adorably skeptic wife) also handle the tension well, and they don’t crush the mood dead in its tracks. And, speaking of mood, Premonition brilliantly demonstrates its ability to successfully transition between the light-hearted scenes and the much more morose ones.

However, like all movies based on novels, there is an extra amount of effort necessary to correctly make the story flow on film as it does on the page. Not only does Premonition flow, but it flows well. Each scene helps emphasize the overall theme of choosing your own destiny. The scenes leading up to the climax, especially, are increasingly suspenseful, showing that Premonition is indeed an amazing movie and should be judged separately from any other incarnations.

Heed my words, mystery/horror fans: you should definitely give Premonition a try. A soft-spoken masterpiece, it delivers a few chills and thrills and, ultimately, takes the viewer on a suspenseful joy ride where the destination is unknown. Not only will you become touched by the emotionally-charged story, but you may realize how alike you and Hideki are in the search for destiny and identity. Not only will you become slightly inspired, but you are bound to walk away feeling utterly creeped out (which is always a good thing).

The Rating: 8

Reviewed by: Pachinko