A film that on the outside feels like it’s going to be a survival tale about a man trapped in a #Manhole is anything but. The Japanese language title proposes to be a “situational thriller” but manages plenty more to offer than the average fare. Kazuyoshi Kumakiri’s (Hole in the Sky) latest film begins modestly with Shunsuke (Yûto Nakajima) out with friends. A realtor sleeping with the boss’s daughter plans to marry his girlfriend of 5 years the next day. He drinks at a local bar with work colleagues and friends, but after one too many wanders off. It’s then Shunsuke quickly finds himself in a bit of a pickle.
Without the overuse of typical movie tropes like no cell coverage, dead batteries, or rogue animals, Shunsuke falls into an open #Manhole. At the bottom of a disused, water-laden concrete prison he remembers nothing of the moments before he fell. On his way down, he manages to cut a deep wound into his leg and he notices there is some kind of leaking gas pipe.
Shunsuke does what anyone with a working cellphone would do and that’s to start calling for rescue. Now late at night, Shunsuke isn’t having much luck but finally, his ex-girlfriend Mai (Nao) picks up. As an ex-nurse, she is fairly switched on and tries a few things to help locate this man, who for all intents and purposes, isn’t her favorite person. She also talks him through a rather painful and creative way to seal his bleeding leg.
Shunsuke’s Alter Ego: @ManholeGirl
Running out of ideas, Shunsuke decides to call on the internet for help. He carefully selects the username “@ManholeGirl” and adorns the new profile with a cute picture of a girl. Little does he know that his actions would set off a chain reaction of events and his pleas for assistance go viral. The online world, with its vast network of users, swiftly catches wind of Shunsuke’s alter ego. Intrigued by the trapped and hurt persona of Manhole Girl, netizens delve into a frenzy of activity. Busybodies fueled by curiosity alongside a genuine desire to uncover the truth behind this mysterious Twitter handle and be the hero.
Shunsuke’s experiment as @ManholeGirl truly showcases the transformative nature of our online world. The virtual landscape becomes a whirlwind of excitement. Users band together to decipher Manhole Girls’ clues. But they also go the extra mile, uncovering the hidden identity behind the moniker, and start digging into absolutely everything. Similar to sleuths seen in “Stay Online,” or “Missing” discussions and theories spread like wildfire across various forums and social media platforms. A central group of people forms and they enthusiastically share their insights and findings.
#Manhole 2023 “Stuck in One Place”
The back and forth of Shunsuke sharing images and videos with his rescuers goes on for quite some time. Fortunately #Manhole eventually shakes things up with some colorful characters in the shape of those willing to rescue this “damsel in distress.” Beginning with some slowly emerging details about Shunsuke himself the unraveling of his protagonist status reveals itself.
There is a certain amount of implausible flair that belies the insidious nature of what’s going on. However, this works in the title’s favor and gives the whole astutely performed script a red herring edge that is severely lacking in films like it. #Manhole shifts gears in the latter half and every detail whether you were paying attention or not, matters. So much so, that a repeat viewing might be in order.
#Manhole screened at 2023’s Fantasia Film Festival.
#Manhole 2023 is rated
3.5 Trapped in a hole with no Methgators out of 5
For another great review of #manhole 2023, check out psychocinematography.com for their take during the Fantasia Film Festival. Want to watch another movie about online sleuths? Watch Stay Online or Trust No One next.
#Manhole Movie Trailer With English Subtitles
