From Jeff Nelson

Single-location thrillers took audiences to various anxiety-inducing spaces, including a buried coffin in Buried and an elevator in Devil, capitalizing on claustrophobic settings to generate terror. Kazuyoshi Kumakiri’s #Manhole is an engaging survival drama full of surprises that drops its lead character and the viewer into the bottom of a manhole with slim chances of making it out alive.

Shunsuke Kawamura (Yûto Nakajima) and his co-workers spend the night celebrating the eve before his wedding, where they drink and make memories. He begins his inebriated walk home, only to wake up with an injured leg at the bottom of a manhole, having only a cell phone and limited supplies at his disposal. Shunsuke takes his situation to social media, requesting the help of strangers to find out where he is before it’s too late.

#Manhole follows a familiar set-up, trapping its protagonist in a claustrophobic setting with few resources to fight for survival. In this case, he has cell phone reception, although the local police offer no help, leaving him to seek help from a voice buried in his past. Simultaneously, Kawamura turns to social media, relying on the detective work of others, rather than any survival skills of his own. However, several conflicting clues continue to lead in different directions, further complicating his situation.

Michitaka Okada’s twisty screenplay takes several unpredictable turns, some of which pay off. Meanwhile, other revelations push themselves into a corner of ridiculousness that retrospectively diminishes the tension along the ride. Try not to think too far into its logic, as it’s riddled with plot holes. Its jarring attempt at making sense of Shunsuke’s dire situation is surface-level, feeling like a mere afterthought of a conclusion.

Similar to other entries into the sub-genre, #Manhole is primarily a one-character show, putting the story on Nakajima’s shoulders. He brings urgency to the role, selling the film’s more ridiculous moments well enough to keep these scenes moving. Kumakiri’s direction emphasizes the stacking gravity of the situation, rather than incorporating claustrophobic elements. 

#Manhole throws all logic out the window, but there’s no denying the entertainment value of this wild thrill ride. Its convoluted twists bend it in goofy directions that conflict with the film’s largely serious tone. Even so, this thriller has enough gas to make it past the finish line.

Rating: 3/5

#Manhole played at Fantasia 2023 on July 31st, 2023.

Follow Jeff