As the Gods Will – Review

Opening with a solemn prayer by a very bored student, a Daruma doll recites a poem about falling from the sky, while sitting on a teacher’s desk in a class full of students. What does this mean? Why is there a large, angry, animated doll head spinning around at the head of the class? What happened to the poor teacher? The only thing one can surmise is that something supernatural is going on in this everyday classroom.

Don’t move… if you do and the doll sees you, your head explodes. The doll’s head spins around to look the other way, and slowly spout out its name and its small poem. Then it spins around to watch! Anyone caught moving will die violently. The kids in the class try to reconcile with the deadly game of red light / green light playing out to the detriment of their peers. Suddenly, the kid praying to the Gods is no longer bored, and in fact wants that boredom back.

Will the kids reach the button on the back to stop the deadly game? What does it mean if they do? There’s a timer, so someone better figure it out fast.

As the Gods Will is a totally bizarre and over the top violent test of brains, brawn, flesh and beings of the heavens above. As class member Shun (Fukushi) tries to tackle his first challenge it’s hard to know what is happening or where the sadistic challenges will go from there.

If you personally cannot get enough Squid Gaming and need something with an even nuttier series of survival challenges, try this film. It is similar to the Korean series, while being entirely different.

The movie is super creative, as I am sure was the manga source material, however I have not read it. This is based on the first arc of the manga, so the ending may not be as satisfying as the full read. The acting and cast is good, and the veteran director Miike brings some of his best creative insanity. The visuals and concepts are pretty nuts and there is a touch more to the story beyond the initial plot threads, however the runtime is a touch long.

If blood and gore is no bother, check this crazy and over the top supernatural survival drama out. Just remember… put the bell on the cat and it’s over.