Visceral and brutal retelling of retribution and revenge from a discarded and abused wife. These post-War Japanese films have a lot of pathos encoded - from atomic body horror, to the emasculation of defeat and guilt over inflicted horrors. It’s a heady brew that gave us genre classics like Godzilla and humanist masterpieces like Tokyo Story.
This film is much more judgmental towards Japanese society and its “respectable” lords and rich merchant class. Oiwa’s tale becomes one of power and oppression - which is why the righteousness of her abuser’s end feels so satisfying.
Not for the squeamish, but very rewarding for those with a strong stomach for a grim and bloody moral tale.