The Third Murder (Sandome no satsujin) [Sub: Eng]

Despite some tense dramatic moments and some revealing views of Japan's legal system, the movie feels plotted rather than experienced.

For Kore-eda, an essential truth about life lies in the accumulation of unexplainable incidents and facts.

The film essentially disintegrates before your eyes, with Koreeda displaying little of the quiet elegance he's built his entire career upon.

The back and forths between accused and lawyer are among the movie's most enthralling scenes, largely because the soft-featured Mr. Yakusho - lips lightly curling - can make a nice smile seem positively terrifying.

The film's fourth murder involves the slow asphyxiation of the viewer's patience.

Compelling enough while you're watching it, frustrating then forgettable once it ends, this is a work that wouldn't command much attention if it came from any other director.

The movie is a cool-headed meditation on the limits of our ability to judge others, and ourselves.

Be warned that you had better pay close attention to what's going on in "The Third Murder."

Technically splendid but emotionally distant, The Third Murder will seem more like a detour than a destination for [Kore-eda's] fans.

Writer/director Hirokazu Kore-eda takes an entirely different tack from his family dramas for a critical look at Japan's justice system. This is his first film with Koji Yakusho, outstanding as the mysterious murderer...

The Third Murder requires a degree of patience and concentration from viewers, but the conclusion, even if it doesn't answer every question, is rewarding.

As Shigemori becomes obsessed with exploring alternate theories, The Third Murder finds a compelling, cerebral groove...It's an experimental impulse worth encouraging.