Death Penalty.com (2011) Film Review

Posted on by Jim Cox

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Death Penalty.com is a 2011 Japanese psychological horror thriller written by Toshifumi Hiroki and directed by Ryota Sakamaki. Both known for their work in budget horror titles, Ryota Sakamaki has worked as a director on such films as Neo Document Series ZONE (2004), Scarier Stories than Ghosts Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 (2005), and Dark Side of the Light (2016). Whereas Toshifumi Hiroki has worked as a writer on titles such as 2 Channel no Noroi (2011), The Possession in Japan (2011), and Scary Stories You Don’t Know: The Movie (2012). Both would return to work together on the film’s prequel, Death Penalty.com: A New Beginning (2011).

Angry at your boss, or has your best friend betrayed you? No worries. Welcome to DeathPenalty.com, where you can find a mysteriously masked ally to solve your problem. But there is a catch. For every murder requested, you must commit one, and if you don’t follow the plan, you are next!! 

Going in with incredibly low expectations, I was pleasantly surprised that Death Penalty.com actually subverted my misgivings. What begins as a substandard tale of revenge soon evolves into an unpredictable narrative full of surprising twists and turns. Blending GeoCities-esc chatrooms, fabled internet Redrooms, and Alfred Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train (1951), the concept is a fairly unique take on anonymising murder. Additionally, as the film progresses, a compelling sense of paranoia emerges as the situation spirals out of control for the protagonist. 

While performances may be one-dimensional at the best of times, our protagonist, Ryuta, played by Naoki Kuwata, does an outstanding job at portraying himself as an antihero. Coming off as self-centred at the best of times, and despicable at his worst, his actions certainly muddy the water—giving numerous characters more than enough reason to want him dead.

While restricted by its micro-budget, Death Penalty.com still successfully delivers an atypical story of Retribution. While its low-grade visuals and clichéd first act may be off-putting to some, those who stick with it will certainly be surprised by what the film offers.

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