MovieChat Forums > Kuchisake-onna (2007) Discussion > Avenging Angel

Avenging Angel

posted 16 years ago by asortofdream
2 replies | jump to latest

Since my prior explanation is long lost to time I'll shoot again, although I must admit the last time I saw this film was at its American theatrical debut. Therefore, I can't give you as concise an explanation as I would have once been able to.

This is a movie about the senselessness and perpetuation of child abuse. The Slit-Mouth woman is an "avenging angel", she punishes bad parents and "rescues" pained children. Note the purely senseless acts of violence masquerading as child punishment? Note how it's only abused and mainly neglected children that are abducted? Note how the children "just disappear" from their abusive environments and their murders are never shown (no blood either?). Perhaps she takes the children to a "better place". The aspect with the candy and punks has been created to relieve the general public of anxiety. The public need to believe that she has weaknesses and horror stories always develop absurdities (especially when told to imaginative children).

[–] TheEvilBread 16 years ago

What about Natsuki?

She pretty much just abducted her, slashed her face and let her wander around losing a lot of blood by the minute. To me, atleast, it didn't seem like Natsuki was abused or neglected in anyway.

"We may have days, we may have hours, but sooner or later we all push up flowers."

[–] Zerose 14 years ago

Interesting theory, but the slit-mouthed woman has always been malicious.

Some stories have her aiming for adults. Some stories have her aiming for children. Some stories have her aiming for both. She's malicious in all these stories and not always consistent with patterns. She is a very old urban legend. First created in the Nara era (710 AD and 790 AD) and her story is told again and again through centuries, with different slight variations.

For this film, the patterns are children of neglectful mothers and children of sick mothers get taken. It seems to me she has no motivation. Possibly just part of revisiting to the moment she died (she had a persistent cough and part of her sickness made her murderous towards her children).