Usogui (2022) Review: The Japanese Gambling Film Has Just a handful of thrilling moments

Usogui (The Lie Eater) is the name of a Japanese film inspired by Toshio Sako’s manga with a similar title. Available on Netflix and produced by Hideo Nakata. Tetsuya Oishi writes the screenplay. The movie stars Ryusei Yokohama as Baku Madarame, Hayato Sano as Takaomi Kaji, Shohei Miura as Ikki Sadakuni, Mai Shiraishi as Ranko Kurama, Kaito Sakurai as Soichi Kiruna, and Hiroaki Murakami as Hikoichi Yako. The duration is about two hours.

The synopsis reads, “A skilled gambler is up against the most sinister fraudsters that rule the nation in a struggle to take control of a powerful, secret group.”

Usogui Movie Review Contains Mild Spoilers

In the Japanese film Usogui in film Usogui, we meet Baku Madarame, known as”The Lie Eater. Madarame is an astute and skilled gambler who has always succeeded in overcoming every gambler in the world. At first, he was a part of the Club Kakerou, an illegal gambling group. If Baku is thrown out of the Karerou Club, Baku does not have an excellent reputation.

Even though he’s not part of any of the best gambling houses, Baku Madarame doesn’t stop playing. He catches the clubs as well as other gamblers with a risky focus. He’s famous for his ability to deceive the lies that an opponent tells or displays during the game. This is why many refer to him as the”Lie Eater.

Usogui film starts with Baku Madarame taking on The Royal Leader Soichi Kiruna to a bet. Baku is unable to win the wager as Soichi’s team is cheating. The man of the Royal Leader attacks Baku but does not cause him to die. Instead, Baku is thrown from Club Kakerou. The story then moves towards Baku Madarame, his gambling techniques, his new friend who lives in Tokyo, and how he winds up being matched against a dangerous wealthy gambler.

The two-hour thriller about gambling isn’t always thrilling. Many new characters are introduced after Baku becomes friends with Kaji. We haven’t given any idea of the character’s identity and why don’t they love Baku. A different character that is intriguing in the film is Ikki Sadakuni, played by Shohei Miura. The character has a terrifying aura, and his background comes to light in the last scene. Even though it’s a long film, its story isn’t well thought out. Usogui will be the only enjoyable movie to watch when there’s an ongoing gambling game.

Hideo Nakata, and Tetsuya Oishi, have demonstrated Baku Madarame as an amiable, humorous, and savvy gambler who can be a good friend (to his friends). Baku is conscious of his abilities and shows the same skills in every situation. He’s a popular character, and the credit belongs to Ryusei Yokohama for his fantastic performance.

Shohei Miura, playing Ikki Sadakuni, has done an excellent job. Because Sadakuni is the most villain that Baku must gamble with at the end of the day, I would like to be given more information about him.

Usogui Review: Last Thoughts on Usogui

In the end, Usogui (2022) on Netflix offers only a handful of thrilling gambling moments. The length of the film and the weak screenplay does not keep you entertained until the very end. The fight scene in the final scene keeps you in the hot seat on your feet. Therefore, after having watched the initial 30 mins, it’s recommended to skip the last 20 minutes.

The film is available via Netflix.

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