Serpent's Path / Eyes of the Spider

Double-bill of Japanese thrillers directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Both released in the same year, the films are Kurosawa's answer to the question of whether he could make two films in two weeks with the same cast and crew and on a low budget. In 'Serpent's Path' (1998), former Yakuza member Miyashita (Teruyuki Kagawa) and his friend Nijima (Shô Aikawa) kidnap a man believed responsible for the killing of his daughter.

They commence torturing the man for revenge but soon find out that it's not only their hostage who was responsible for the child's death... In 'Eyes of the Spider' (1998), white-collar worker Nijima (Aikawa) turns cold-blooded killer when he finds the man resonsible for the rape and murder of his young daughter. Although he'd always hoped to get his revenge, after the killing he is troubled by a mixture of grief and guilt over his actions.

That is, until he is reunited with an old friend with contacts in the contract-killing business...