## *Bloat*: Japanese Horror Film Starring Ben McKenzie Receives R-Rating
After nearly three years of anticipation, the Japanese horror film *Bloat* has finally received an R-rating from the MPA. Starring Ben McKenzie (Gotham) and Bojana Novakovic (Beyond Skyline), the film’s production began almost three years ago, generating significant buzz. The R-rating, issued for language and violent content, suggests a departure from typical PG-13 horror fare. Lionsgate will distribute the film, but a release date remains unannounced.
Directed by Tokyo-based filmmaker Pablo Absento, *Bloat* is a co-production involving Bazelevs (Timur Bekmambetov’s company), Okko (a Russian streaming service), Pulsar Content (a French production and sales company), and Japanese production company flag Co., Ltd. Filming locations included New York and Japan, utilizing Bekmambetov’s Screenlife technique, where the narrative unfolds primarily through the screens of characters’ devices—similar to films like *Unfriended* and *Searching*.
The plot centers on a military officer stationed in Turkey whose family vacations in Japan. A near-drowning accident involving their younger son triggers a series of unsettling events, leading the parents to suspect something is gravely wrong with their child. The cast also includes Sawyer Jones (*Antlers*) and Malcolm Fuller (*New Amsterdam*).
*Bloat* boasts a notable production team, including producers McKenzie and Absento alongside Bekmambetov, Maria Zatulovskaya, and Anna Shalashina of Bazelevs; Gilles Sousa and Marie Garrett of Pulsar Content; Hiroko Oda of flag Co., Ltd; and Dzhanik Fayziev of Okko. Mitch Davis (Fantasia Film Festival’s artistic director) and Aleksandr Fomin serve as associate producers. This marks Absento’s feature directorial debut, following several short films and episodes of the Takashi Shimizu-produced series *SMA Horror* (*Smartphone Horror*).
The R-rating and the intriguing premise certainly generate curiosity. Are you looking forward to *Bloat*’s release?