Asian Horror Films: Death Tube

Death Tube is a video channel on the Internet on which people are killed via a live stream. It is a special website which is viewed a lot. But what do you do when you are the one who is locked in the space of Death Tube?

Asian horror films

Asian horror films are different from their Hollywood counterparts. Why? Read this article for more information.

General information

• Film made in: 2010
• Country of origin: Japan
• Director: Yôhei Fukuda
• Actors: Kazuyuki Aijima, Hirofumi Araki, Shôta Chiyo and Meguru Katô

About the story

A man is tipped about the website Death Tube, a website on which you can see people being killed in real time. The next day the man does not wake up in his own house, but in a space which looks very familiar to him. This is the space of Death Tube. There is a computer and the man sees he is not alone. On the screen he sees seven others who are trapped, just like him. And there is an assignment ready for him which he must finish within a certain amount of time...

My opinion

Death Tube is a film with a theme which reminds me of a combination of Saw and Battle Royale. Numerous puzzles have to be solved to survive Death Tube. In general, the puzzles and games are incredibly easy, but that also has its charm.

Death Tube is not a typical horror film and you could even see it as a sarcastic film filled with black humour. There are few truly scary parts, yet the atmosphere is special and you are drawn into the film. However, you should watch Death Tube when you are in the mood for this kind of film, because the humour can come across as lame and you need to be in the mood that.

One striking feature is that the organisation of Death Tube shows itself in bear costumes. The bears look sweet and adorable, but of course they aren't. This is one of the many examples of sarcasm in this film. Another example is that you regularly see the website's screen, where you can also read the comments of all viewers. This can be compared to a chat room and the funniest and most typical comments pass by. The only downside to this is that my Japanese is not so good and I have to make do with the subtitles. Unfortunately, the subtitles do not show everything that appears on screen.

There are a few interesting twists in the film, and the ending is unexpected and is cleverly done.

All in all a fine film, but not exactly a genuine horror film. However, I would recommend this film to others, as long as they can appreciate the sarcasm.

Sources: www.todio.nl