This Japanese Yakuza/zombie/Highlander mashup (or something like that), made on a shoestring budget by Ryûhei Kitamura—the same director who brought us the enjoyable gorefest *The Midnight Meat Train*—is honestly baffling. I can't imagine they spent more than a couple hundred pounds on it, because I have no idea where any extra money would’ve gone. Despite all that, I kind of enjoyed it, in a strange way. So, what exactly is going on? Truthfully, I haven't the slightest clue. Early on, we're told there are apparently 666 portals to "the other side" hidden from humanity on Earth, with the 444th portal located in Japan’s “Forest of Resurrection.” The story begins with a medieval Japanese warrior surrounded by what seem to be undead versions of his fellow warriors. He cuts them down, only to be sliced in half himself by a sorcerer/warrior type who is already battling another samurai-esque figure. Then there's a title card, followed by a pair of escaped prisoners running through the same forest to meet up with some Yakuza thugs who are apparently sent to help them—though that meeting quickly devolves into a standoff and chase scene involving dead or reanimated zombies. A woman held captive in a car is then joined by another prisoner (who outfits himself in some leather gear scavenged from a previously killed victim – the place is full of dead/undead Japanese criminals, it seems) while the remaining Yakuza pursue them, needing to recapture them before "He" appears. Who’s “He”? I think it's the Yakuza bossman, but when he shows up, his own gang turns on him and shoots him. He gets back up again and attacks them—and he isn’t a zombie; he’s… immortal? Wait, isn’t he that sorcerer from the first scene? Oh, he just bit someone's neck, so now he’s a vampire? And who are these police officers bickering about? I have no idea. I started tweeting my confusion as I watched: -Currently watching a Japanese film called Versus. Looks like it was made in the woods for next to nothing. It is utterly mad. -I stepped away to go to the toilet for ten minutes and I completely lost track of what's happening. It’s just pure craziness. -It's basically a constant barrage of people who might be alive, immortal, dead or undead fighting each other in a forest. I think. -NOW what's going on?!? Why is everyone suddenly dressed like feudal Samurai? Are they different people than the ones we saw before? Where am I? -Unh? What the heck? Where did those Power Rangers go? Everyone’s back in modern clothes again. Why is that woman tied to a tree? -Why's that guy screaming about "gates" and "power"? Isn't he that Samurai guy? No? Yes? Is that a zombie up there in that tree? -Why's that zombie doing a lizard/jaguar impression? He looks like a jerk... who are these people, now? Where’s that bloke’s hand gone? -Is it supposed to be funny? A screwball comedy? Oh, he just blew up that zombie doing the lizard face and scratchy hands. Good riddance. -It's a big sword fight between those two guys in leather jackets. Were they the main good/bad guys all along? -Oh, his head’s been cut off. The other guy is riding off on his motorbike. So where are those samurai types then? What was that all about? -"99 years later"? Huh? Who are those bald men? Isn't that the guy whose head fell off? What’s that silly woman moaning about? -Oh, it’s over. Ha! I definitely need to watch that again; I've never been so lost. It made *Eraserhead* look like *Gavin & Stacey*. So there you have it. If two hours of nonstop slashing and fighting between the living, dead, undead, and immortal Japanese characters in a forest, set to an arcade game-style techno-rock soundtrack sounds appealing, then this is your film. I can't really give it a high rating right now—I’m just too overwhelmed—but I am tempted to watch it again. As I said, I kind of liked it, despite how insane it is. 6/10.

Source on TMDB