Tomie: Unlimited is the ninth and so far, final installment of the series. It kicks off with a great death scene that plays like a Lucio Fulci directed version of The Omen. From that moment, I knew I had a winner on my hands.
Photography student Tsukiko (Moe Arai) has her world shattered when her sister Tomie (Miu Nakamura) dies in a horrible accident. One year later, Tomie miraculously shows up at her family’s door alive and well, much to their relief. However, she’s not quite the same. For one, she’s now a total brat and acts bitchy as hell. Her folks go along with it though, mostly because they’re just happy she’s back. Soon, Tomie begins manipulating her parents and lashing out at her sister, the only one who seems to question her mysterious return.
Let’s just say that from there, Tomie: Unlimited takes some dizzying and exhilarating turns. You never know where this crazy ass movie is going next. It starts out kinda like a remake of Deathdream, except with a Japanese schoolgirl instead of an American soldier. This portion of the film is a hard-hitting family horror flick that shows how grief, regret, and loss can turn a family against each other. There are positively brutal scenes like Tomie goading her father into beating her sister with electrical wire that will have you squirming in your seat.
From there, the movie spirals into a half-dozen different directions, filled with numerous crazy scenes and memorable imagery (like the scene involving someone’s lunch) at nearly every turn. There’s one scene that plays out like Basket Case Meets The Manster. By the time Tomie: Unlimited started riffing on Mystics in Bali, I knew it was a certified classic. Leave it to gonzo auteur Noboru (Robogeisha) Iguchi to breathe some life into the franchise.
As I’ve stated before, I’m not really a fan of J-Horror, but this has got to be one of the best I’ve ever seen. Although I’ve only seen three of the other Tomie movies, I think I can honestly say this has got to be the best. It’s definitely one of the best Part 9’s in cinema history.
AKA: Zombie Girl.
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