Review: Evil Does Not Exist

Directed by: Ryusuke Hamaguchi

Written by: Ryusuke Hamaguchi

Starring: Hitoshi Omika, Ryo Nishikawa, Ryuji Kosaka, Ayaka Shibutani

Rating: [3.5/5]

The relationship between humanity and the nature that surrounds us has continually proven to be one-sided where humanity not only takes without giving back but actively destroys for our selfish purposes. This consistent pattern of destroying as we go for the purposes of growth therefore can reach a crossroads when met with resistance. Evil Does Not Exist displays that when a glamping company seeks to set up in a remote town that will not make it easy. 

Living at peace with nature, Japanese small town inhabitants get proposed by a company to set up a glamping site that would bring ecotourism into the area. Loudly voicing their concerns as to the impact it will cause, the inhabitants led by Takumi (Hitoshi Omika) must confront the inevitability of what it will look like if this plan continues on. 

On the surface Evil Does Not Exist sounds like a film all about town hall meetings and potential construction and while this film certainly gets into the nitty gritty of it to the point where they discuss the size of septic tanks, it has much more on its mind. It more so looks at the opposing ideals of this town in relation to this company who seek to make a profit off of such a ludicrous concept that serves as nothing more than a trend. The company will make their money but the local community must deal with the ramifications it will have on their way of life and of the delicate balance they have struck with their surrounding nature. This tourism in the form of glamping carries great importance narratively because it shrouds the idea of real camping where the main idea lies in connecting with nature and puts all of these additives that do nothing but pollute the general area. Therefore, we have the harsh pushback by this community and what sets off this film. 

While we all recognize the importance of water in our everyday lives, this feature does a fantastic job in literally displaying how it impacts this entire community. From the distinctly focused moments where Takumi goes to the source to collect water where it will be used not only for drinking but by all individuals for their daily purposes. This goes from the woman making ramen the town loves or caring for the wellbeing of the sick. Water carries such importance and the threat of pollution because of the aims of this company to get a quick buck makes this whole proposition a threat to their livelihood. The way the water and all of nature gets captured in this gorgeous saturation only further highlights its importance. Even the firmest capitalist could not watch this film and still walk away saying that gamping site should be built, especially with the knowledge of how it would greatly impact the beauty of this town. 

For a film centered on so much calmness the most riveting scenes transpire in these town halls held by the company to get the support of the community. While a simple discussion it both highlights not only how ardent Takumi and his neighbors are about keeping their community healthy, but also how much the presenters of this idea serve as a mouthpiece to a company not looking to budge on their plans. Takahashi (Ryuji Kosaka) and Mayuzumi (Ayaka Shibutani) get humbled and must find a different approach to get the approval of the locals. They certainly don’t need it given they purchased the land they will use for the glamping, but the process of moving things along would surely get easier. Them spending more time with the locals and learning about the beauty of the area certainly has an impact on their entire approach that later informs the inciting incidents. 

Coming off of the smashing success in Drive My Car, Ryusuke Hamaguchi delivers another thoughtful story. With these first two films I’ve watched of his, you can certainly pick up on his patient style and how he can deliver emotionally resonant moments in such sneaky ways. He certainly has plenty on his mind and in this feature he bridges this divide between humanity and the natural world. He leaves a level of ambiguity that allows us to fill in our thoughts but the guy definitely has the goods and this feature continues to confirm just that.