2 Girls 1 Gut (2024) Film Review – Sanguinary Festivities

Posted on by Jim Cox

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2 Girls 1 Gut is a 2024 extreme horror short written and directed by Guy (Guy Pearce). A British ex-pat filmmaker based in Osaka, Japan, Guy has made a name for himself in the J-horror genre with titles such as Difficulty Breathing (2020), The Sound of Summer (2022), and the found footage horror The Unsolved Love Hotel Murder Case Incident (2024). The short was created as a technical demo to test features such as special effects for an upcoming film the director is beginning work on this year.

Two women awake in an unfamiliar location. Although they don’t know each other, they appear to have a strong connection to one another… through their disemboweled entrails.

Being an incredibly short experience at only five minutes long, the short lacks any real semblance of premise outside of its framing. While we may never derive the entire narrative, this hardly diminishes the short impact–being carried by its visceral visuals. Although the short has an air of comedy to it, this element is derived from the sheer situational absurdity of the situation rather than a self-aware nod to the audience–taking itself seriously throughout.

Shot in a claustrophobically enclosed environment, the over-exposed white background creates a surprisingly endless space in which our protagonists are trapped. When combined with the deep, dark crimson liberally splattered over both the set and cast, creates a strong juxtaposition between effulgence and gelidity. Furthermore, the beautifully slick cinematography interjects a fantastic mix of tight close-ups and wider angles to produce an inescapable, ringside seat to the sanguinary festivities.

Effortlessly driven by the performance of both protagonists, played by Uonome Gajiro and Natsuki, the duo provides an enigmatic yet enthralling interpretation of abduction and disembowelment. The imminent tug-of-war over the connected viscera, while comedic, is delivered by the pair with unnerving desperation and panic. Furthermore, while there is no spoken dialogue, the pair still relay fervent performances as they desperately fight for dominance over these eviscerated intestines.

However, the true highlight of the show is undoubtedly the special effects, reminiscent of extreme Japanese cinema from the past–such as the Guinea Pig series, Tumbling Doll of Flesh, and other cult classic splatter films. Brought to life entirely through practical means, these vital organs are incredibly detailed and highly realistic, complementing the film’s authentic blood work and enhancing the brutality depicted in our protagonist’s performances.

While only a tech demo, 2 Girls 1 Gut is an audacious yet captivating short whose technical prowess is nothing short of phenomenal. Furthermore, with highly animated performances from Uonome Gajiro and Natsuki, the film has certainly piqued my interest in what’s to come from this initial concept.

Below are some BTS photos of Uonome Gajiro and Natsuki taken during the shoot provided to us by director Guy, as well as some shots of the handmade physical copies of the film.

2 Girls 1 Gut (2024) is available to purchase from Sculpting Fragments website.

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