Director Takashi Miike brings his unique intensity to the stage for this filmed production of the magical play by Kyoka Izumi. The story concerns a man who arrives in a small Japanese village looking for a long-lost friend, only to discover his comrade cannot leave because of a strange ritual obligation he must undertake daily to save the town from an invasion by creatures living in a nearby pond. Shinji Takeda, Ryuhei Matsuda star. 130 min. Widescreen; Soundtrack: Japanese; Subtitles: English; behind-the-scenes footage. In Japanese with English subtitles.