At the heart of this film there is a story of manipulation in the real world sense, and as we are taken deeper into the film and its characters develop, we get caught in a brutal bloody web of dark arts and the pitfalls of not understanding its cost, ultimately. Set in Tokyo, there are many moving pieces to this film and its storytelling is non-linear in its delivery — so paying attention is a must as one might find themselves wondering what is actually happening now or in the not so distant past. There are glimpses into how people interact with each other and what lies beneath the surface when the veils are lifted and adds to the dynamics depicted — true nature versus masked presentation.
Bakemono — as shown in the opening of the films title: bake ‘changing’ / ‘transforming’, and mono ‘thing / ‘creature — and with the opening scenes depicting the environment we are gonna be in for the majority of the film kicks us off on this onslaught of the human condition and the effects from our actions/inactions.
The cinematography is great and delivers on the mood and making you feel real close— tight and fully involved in the small spaces provided — this film also says no cgi, all practical effects used and 100% delivers on that aspect — I’m a huge fan of practical effects use and this showcases some amazing on camera effects and visuals which i found to be a high point of this film. There was a certain scene in particular that reminded me of Hellraiser like effects — the film's score creates uneasy feelings and really hammers home certain hits and vibes.​
At the end of the film, for my experience - I’m left wanting a little more of certain things, more gore, more monster, more into the world this inhabits and less of certain characters - as it was a little difficult in developing any sort of connections that lasted — i feel if the film had concentrated on some more firmer characters and followed the story of its initial character and invoking the Bakemono — and expanded on that arc and less storylines it could’ve made for a more tight and cohesive film, in that aspect alone— overall i really enjoyed this film and what it had to offer made you feel as if you never really could tell if what you were watching was real or just pure evil incarnate and presented as the monster and showing us what was happening thru the lens of the victims.. Dark Arts and Monsters are scary when you have no idea you are being chased in both realms..
Writer/Director Doug Roos wore many hats on this production and has landed on something good here and I hope to see more from them. i really appreciate the chances taken on this film and If you get a chance to check out Bakemono — please do and pay attention to all that surrounds— you never know what's lurking in the dark..
— Angel L. / That Strange Show - Strange Studios