Rampo

A big hit in Japan, "Rampo" (titled in the ads "The Mystery of Rampo") takes a real-life Japanese novelist and plunges him into a fictional story, in a manner that may remind film buffs of a couple of Hollywood efforts that did the same thing with American mystery writers Agatha Christie and Dashiell Hammett ("Agatha" and "Hammett," respectively).

But "Rampo's" appeal may have difficulty translating to mainstream American audiences — and will probably give even die-hard art-house fans some trouble.

Slow-moving, ethereal and self-consciously artsy, "Rampo" is about Japan's most famous mystery writer (whose name, "Rampo Edogawa," was taken from "Edgar Allan Poe") and involves him with a woman who stands accused (by the community, if not the law) of killing her husband.

What makes the killing especially puzzling for Rampo is that the method of murder specifically parallels a novel he has penned but which has been censored by the government. Naturally, the woman could not possibly have read his book for inspiration.

So, Rampo investigates. Sort of. But don't expect anything conventional. This is not a conventional film and the story is neither a mystery nor a thriller, as such.

"Rampo" begins with an animated telling of Rampo's initial story, which is lyrical and charming, then dark and disturbing. As the film shifts to live-action, Rampo's story is censored and he immediately attends a movie-premiere party. Here, we learn that Rampo has already sold out, allowing his most famous character, a detective named Akechi, to be filmed for a schlocky cliffhanger.

Then, Rampo meets the woman who may have killed her husband and begins following her around. As the story becomes more dense, the line between the fantasies of his writings begins to blur with the reality that surrounds him. And likewise, the film begins to blur these elements as Rampo's fictional character Akechi, his handsome, dashing alter-ego, becomes more and more involved with this woman.

While the first half of the film is quite captivating, the second half gradually becomes more and more deliberate and difficult, until it ultimately lost me. The ending is less than satisfying and too much of the pumped-up visuals seem artificial.

Still, that first half is awfully good, with some fascinating touches, including vague, pre-World War II trappings that are quite effective. The performers are also good, especially the striking Michiko Hada as the mystery woman. (This was her first film after making an impression as a print and television commercial "face," but she has since become a popular actress in Japan.)

"Rampo" is not rated but would get an R for one sequence, which features explicit sex and nudity.