A Film That Promised So Much, Then Gave So Little
I just finished watching the Japanese film Demon City, starring Toma Ikuta as Shuhei Sakata, and I genuinely wish I had better things to say. Based on the manga Oni Goroshi by Masamichi Kawabe, this movie had all the elements I typically love—stylish action, a revenge-driven plot, and a dash of supernatural mystery. It even teased an emotional core. But somehow, Demon City managed to have no real story, no emotional connection, and barely any character depth—despite a strong premise and an incredibly talented lead.
What Is Demon City About?
The story unfolds in the fictional Shinjo City and presents a chilling theory: every 50 years, a demon possesses a person to carry out a killing spree. Shuhei Sakata appears to be the latest host for this demon. After a group of masked psychopaths brutally murders his entire family in front of him, Shuhei is left for dead and falls into a 12-year coma. During this time, people consider him “a vegetable”—non-verbal, unresponsive, and devoid of feeling.
Suddenly, he wakes up, kills some men who were attempting to kill him again, walks out of the hospital like a zombie, eats a snack cake, has a flashback of his family dying, and then just… walks normally. That’s it. No buildup, no clear explanation, just vibes.
He goes on a violent killing spree seeking revenge. As he progresses on his journey, he learns that his daughter is still alive, but he receives a warning that if he continues his rampage, it could cost her life. He doesn’t stop. He tracks her down—she doesn’t recognize him—and things spiral. What should be an emotional, tense storyline becomes a series of flat scenes with no tension, no heart, and no soul.
What Worked in Demon City
✔️ The Action – The fight choreography is incredible. Brutal, fast, clean, and visually exciting. The final fight is particularly intense and gory—not at all what I expected. I was prepared for the usual “hero gets beat down but wins with a few cuts and bruises” formula. Instead, Sakata takes real, shocking damage. That part? Genuinely impressive.
✔️ Toma Ikuta – Despite being given barely any dialogue, he delivers. His facial expressions alone tell entire stories, which is a skill not every actor has. You can feel his pain, his confusion, and his anger—all without him saying much. He’s incredibly talented, and I want to see him in something with more substance.
✔️ Matsuya Onoe as Ryu Sunohara – The mayor of Shinjo City and the film’s antagonist. Evil to the core and portrayed well. He brings menace and charisma, but like everything else in this film, his character is underwritten.
What Didn’t Work
❌ No Story – I kept watching because I thought there had to be more. I was waiting for layers to unfold, for the mystery to deepen, for the characters to grow. But nope. It’s just stylish violence with an empty shell of a plot.
❌ Zero Emotional Connection – I didn’t connect with anyone in this movie. The characters weren’t fleshed out. The emotional stakes—like his relationship with his daughter—were skimmed over. I didn’t feel the gut-punches I usually get from revenge thrillers or character-driven dramas. This left me bored, honestly.
❌ Wasted Potential – The concept was there. The cast was there. The visuals were there. But the writing? Not even close. It felt like someone tried to cram a 10-episode series into a 2-hour film, cutting out all the parts that actually matter.
Would Demon City Have Worked Better as a Series?
YES. This story desperately needed room to breathe. If this had been a series, we could’ve explored:
- Shuhei’s trauma and awakening
- His daughter’s side of the story
- Ryu Sunohara’s motivations
- The demon possession lore
Instead, we got a movie that sped through everything and left me asking, “That’s it?”
Final Thoughts – My First Non-Positive Review
This is probably the first time I’ve written a review like this. I really wanted to love Demon City. I thought it was going to be thrilling and full of emotional weight. But outside of the action scenes and a couple strong performances, it left me feeling… nothing. And that’s the worst feeling to walk away with.
If you’re watching just for the fights and the cinematography, maybe it’s worth it. But if you’re like me—someone who watches films for the story, the emotion, the connection—this one will leave you disappointed.
I’ve never felt so let down by something that looked so promising.
Rating: 5/10 – Beautifully shot, emotionally hollow.
What Did You Think?
- Did you feel anything while watching this movie?
- Do you think it should’ve been a drama series instead?
- Was the trailer misleading for you, too?
Let’s talk about it 👇
If you are interested in watching this, but want to check out the trailer first, you can see it here. You can also check it out on Netflix.
Be sure to check out some of my other reviews. A list of most of them can be found on the main page.