Manhole Full Movie

5.7 Score

2023

1080 HD

1 hr 39 min

CC

Thriller

A 2023 Japanese thriller film, Manhole has earned attention for its premise, as well as how it executes it. The movie stars Nao Omori as a real estate salesman who has become so successful and is about to get married the next day when, on the eve of his wedding, he winds up in a manhole.

History of 1/2 Lives first premiered onscreen in 2023 and since then entered the discussion between critics and fans alike. It isn't just a survival thriller, Manhole is a take on the 21st century, horror, suspense, and social satire as well.

Manhole Movie Explained

Manhole's plot goes something like this: Shunsuke, played by Yuto Nakajima, is called into a surprise party thrown by his colleagues. He falls into an open manhole drunk and disoriented. Shunsuke has just been trapped underground, with a broken ladder and a wicked gash in his leg — he has only his phone for company.

Placed almost entirely in the manhole, the film becomes a one-location thriller, contingent upon the hero’s resourcefulness, and the tension of the event happening within his mind. Shunsuke attempts to eke out at least some life by turning to social media for help. Thinking that if he enables a female avatar to apply and even a woman in trouble, he can help a little bit more, then he creates a fake profile.

Consequently, the decision spawns a sequence of interactions with the online users, some of whom will be supportive, remaining indifferent, while others will be malevolent. But social media, via platforms like a parody of Twitter called "Pecker," are used to explore the issues of online anonymity, manipulation, and the fraying of difference between fact and fiction.

In its last third, the narrative goes where you least expect it to go. A twist is introduced that challenges up until then what the audience in particular believes about the protagonist and how he ended up in the trap. However shocking and thought-provoking, it is also a twist that adds layers of complexity in the film’s themes of identity, redemption, and what one’s actions will mean for the consequences.

Manhole Movie Reviews

As the mix of genres and the ambitious storytelling in Manhole reviews were mixed, too. It is the kind of film critics usually say “performances were generally praised, mostly for Yuto Nakajima’s Shunsuke, which many say is convincing and compelling.”

A congratulation is lent for the ostensible social mediality of the film's narrative device, which provides a current relevance to the film in present-day digital technology. Although reviewers have taken issue with the film’s pacing and its odd twist ending, which comes on rather abruptly, it is certainly no less emotionally powerful than any of the others.

It’s a bold — and effective — narrative choice, as some see it, but a decision that undermines the earlier work the movie did to build tension and credibility. Some people will tire of the reliance on social media interactions in the film because the long distances of reading tweets and the other online interactions don’t offer as much in the way of interest as the physical and psychological tests that the protagonist endures.

While this is a valid criticism of the film, it’s also one of many, all of which attempt to force you to question the role of social media in the world we live in. The horror sampled, mixed with very solid suspense and excellent social commentary, makes for a refreshing take on the thriller genre in general, taking advantage of the bizarre for good.

Manhole Movie on Netflix

Right now, Manhole is unavailable on Netflix. However, the film has not yet found a deal to stream on major platforms like Netflix, premiering previously at the Fantasia International Film Festival and many more. But festivals have responded well to the film’s unique premise, and distributors and streaming services are taking notice. If fans have to have it, they’ll have to seek it out — possibly through the DVD or Blu-ray release, or online rental services.

Is Manhole Good?

Is Manhole a good movie? It’s not. Manhole is a thriller for those who like thrillers in a single location. It takes viewers to the edge of their seats and offers a compelling and intense experience. The way the film uses social media as a narrative device also provides a relevant, commented layer to the film.

But parts of the pacing and the twist ending are so abrupt, that some viewers will indeed be turned off by it. It gets pretty monotonous, with all these long stretches of social media interactions, and the twist feels too quick for people who prefer things to build up slowly. While there are potential drawbacks in gaming something that has been done over and over again, the performances (and in particular Yuto Nakajima) and originality make it a watch worthwhile for those who like thrillers and horror.

Finally, it’s a big and ambitious single-location thriller film, not just another homage. It’s not for everyone, and it may not be, but with the psychology of tension, social commentary, and those seemingly random twists, it’s an interesting and thoughtful viewing experience, at least for me.

• Director

  : Kazuyoshi Kumakiri

• Casting

  : Yûto Nakajima, Nao Honda, Kento Nagayama

• Production

  : Julie K. Fujishima, Hideki Hoshino