“Versus” (2000, Arrow Video) To their chagrin, escaped convict Tak Sakaguchi and his Yakuza confederates discover that the remote location chosen for their meet-up is called the Forest of Resurrection for a reason: it’s a portal of Hell that causes the dead to return to life. A head-swirling Japanese mash-up of horror, “Matrix”-style meta-science fiction, samurai swordplay, and other genres and styles favored by cult film devotees, diehard critics, and teenaged boys (and combinations of all three), all deeply saturated in a broth of French New Wave cool and unchecked overacting, “Versus” might be interminable, were it not for director Ryuhei Kitamura‘s relentless pace and frenetic editing. The technical proficiency lends considerable energy and innovation to the endless battles and bloodshed, which should please fanboy and first-timer alike. Arrow’s 2-Disc special edition Blu-ray offers both the theatrical and expanded “Ultimate” 2004 versions (more blood, more zombies) and bundles them with commentaries by Kitamura and cast and crew, multiple making-of docs, deleted scenes, two short films with characters from “Versus,” and even a 20-minute edit for those who want just the salient points (who kills who).
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