Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: EVIL DOES NOT EXIST [Red Sea International Film Festival 2023 - Jeddah, Saudi Arabia]

A tale of existential angst, "Evil Does Not Exist" finds its relevance in the subtle primal that only comes forth in bursts but is lurking around every corner. Writer/Director Ryûsuke Hamaguchi starts his progression simply with looking up from a forest and letting it sooth the viewer into complacency since many dangers lurk, unseen or not. This is not a horror film but a tome about the natural order of things...what is given...what is taken away. At the center of the story is a man who does odd jobs, a stalwart in the town but unassuming. He speaks up for what is right, chops his wood and picks up his daughter from school, though he is sometimes late. He teaches her about nature but doesn't go overboard. He is just living his life. A company sends two unaware and oddly empathetic workers from Tokyo in order to work with the community to set up a glamping project which in essence would disturb the natural order of things. They think profits will help but the natural essence of water (not in a tree hugger way) trumps all and is beautifully represented.

The banality of the path and people trying to do the right thing is part of what makes what Hamaguchi's films interesting because he lulls you to the point where the characters eventually do something specific but it is in their nature all along. They simply needed to be pushed out. One of the workers from the city starts to see what he has been missing and yet a circumstance beyond their control which is alluded to often (i.e. the primal) comes back to haunt them in a formidable but yet metaphorical way. Without giving away the ending, the film,uses forced perception and yet keeps in the perspective of what might be real and what might not. Ultimately it will change all the people and yet had the progression of actions not happened, even taken in good faith, life would still would have gone on without any interruptiosn. And that in reflection is the brilliance of the film. It is not everybody's cup of tea but an interesting journey if undertaken. B

By Tim Wassberg