When audiences in the West were eager to see more horror films from Asia, Ôdishon (Audition) appeared, and it’s truly something special. The praise surrounding this movie is justified, although I can also see why some people might have negative feelings about it. The film goes on for nearly two hours, and for a good portion – around ninety minutes – the story unfolds slowly. Director Takashi Miike focuses on developing the main characters, subtly layering in themes of dealing with loss, isolation, unhappiness, and even brutality. There’s an intentional dreamlike quality to what's happening, with various ideas surfacing, but explanations aren't easy to come by. Both the central character and his counterpart seem to have unclear thought processes—or do they? The film escalates dramatically in its final section, which is responsible for its notorious reputation. Is it worth sticking around until then? Definitely, even though I felt a little let down by what seemed like too many plot twists just for the sake of having them. It earns a 7/10 from me.

Source on TMDB