Sticking to the core of what it means to be SCARY. Kiyoshi Kurosawa got it.

Quite possibly one of the scariest films I've ever seen, this haunting thriller that feels like No Country For Old Men directed by Michael Haneke is one of the best horror films of all time. I'm not usually a big fan of police or detective films, but this one is like no other. It unravels in a way that I never expected, has absolutely stunning cinematography, and features the best psychopath I've ever seen put to film. Cure is a must-see horror that will leave most thoroughly disturbed.

From the director of PULSE, I was expecting a supernatural J-Horror flick, but this was instead more of a grizzly serial killer movie along the lines of SEVEN. A detective investigates a series of murders committed by different people who, after their violent crimes, have no memory of their heinous acts. I kept waiting for a big supernatural turn but was surprised when the film went in a different direction, which was interesting but was not all that plausible for a movie that seemed to be striving for some realism. Still, it was an intriguing story, and I wanted to see where it was going, making it well worth watching despite its lack of credulity and rather deliberately slow pace. 

Хз я быдло тупое 6/10

Boring, long, confusing, and not suspenseful in my opinion. Horror fans will not find this scary, fails to be unsettling in any meaningful way.

Atmospheric. Mesmerizing. The true genius of this film is that it serves to sort of hypnotize its audience. It puts you in a trance with its surreal imagery and mysterious plot. I love Kōji Yakusho in this film. He gave a tremendous performance. I love the ambiguous ending as well. Cure is my kind of film. A true masterpiece in Japanese cinema. I highly recommend. 97/100

Mesmerizing, literally!!

I like japanese guys BUT this movie is crazy it's alright, confusing like i needed an explanation from my mother to understand the ending arigato

Bad part about the movie is that psychic ability only works in negative way

Do you really have self control? "Cure" from Kiyoshi Kurosawa, is a gruesome psychologically horror that's equally intriguing & unnerving watch. Just being to watch & listen to the story play out as this mysterious stranger plays his role is hypnotic storytelling.

A disturbing, mysterious, and beguiling horror piece. It demands one's complete attention and you'll still need to re-watch it to fully appreciate the film's complexity.

It intrigued me at first, but it's been a long time since I fell asleep so many times in a movie. Must have been the hypnosis? It's still a unique film, but didn't quite cut it for me. Saw on TCM.

Brilliantly written character piece man vs Witt, evil vs good. A specially acted slow burn topped off with a sudden and perfect finale. Moments of extreme gore shock and the atomsphere and themes sweep you into a world of crime and killers.

Cure is a masterpiece of existential J-horror.

This is my favorite movie. The concept is so engaging, and interesting, and the villain(Mamia) is extremely intimidating. This movie is very suspenseful and Kyoshi Kurasawa's best work by far.

Ok, I'm loving the ambiguity. Wow, ok that was so disturbing how they're playing campy piano music while the guy bludgeons a girl to death and then shows him taking a shower with all the blood running down. That felt so weird and unsettling. Exquisite cinematography. This movie has a very raw look to it, reminds me a little bit of Ringu. The background noises they use add to the unsettlement. It very much feels like a horror movie that's not trying to be horror for the sake of horror. Like it's actually scary stuff. The soundtrack definitely drives this feeling deeper with the use of low rumbling noises that heighten the overall tension and dread. That beach scene felt so bizarre. It was almost like that guy appeared out of thin air. Almost like he was placed on that beach at that exact moment by something unexplainable like aliens. It felt surreal, unreal. The use of darkness and shadows in this film is implemented beautifully. Mamiya, the random guy from the beach, seems to be toying with the guy who let him into his house. Maybe he is the devil personified in human form? Fumie, who is very beautiful and also the wife of investigator Takabe, definitely has some mental issues. She keeps turning the washing machine on when there's no clothes in the washer. My god, that cop murdering the other cop in plain daylight was shocking. It's interesting to see Mamiya work his way up the societal ladder. First he started with an elementary school teacher, then a police officer and now a doctor. I feel like he's growing stronger and more intelligent with each victim he takes. I would get equally annoyed with Mamiya if he was acting so calmly while trying to ask me about myself. That was funny how Takabe threw his coffee at his face when he was behind the glass. It made me realize how much Takabe has on his plate. Not only does he have to solve the case and deal with all the murders going on, but he also has to take care of his amnesiac-riddled wife who is a burden to him. Though he loves her unconditionally, at the same time his darkest desire is to find her dead at home. The whole idea of Mesmerism in this movie is interesting. Apparently Mamiya was a psychology student at Uni that dropped out and started collecting books on mesmerism which is what he's using on his victims. Dude that sequence where the quickly flashing images are going through Takabe's head and then he gets home to find Fumie hung herself only to find out she's actually alive and her death was an illusion was so surreal of an experience unlike anything I've seen in a movie before. That was such a trip. And then the scene when Takabe is talking with Mamiya in the jail cell then all of a sudden it gets dark in the room and water starts dripping from the ceiling. That was very surreal and terrifying. I felt some parts of the ending were kind of confusing. Like who killed Fumie? Was it just a passing thought going inside Takabe's head or was it reality? And also who hypnotized the waitress at the end? Was it Takabe and if so when did he do it? So I guess the "cure" in this movie is supposed to represent the awakening of the dark side of humanity. The deepest darkest desires, the urges and angst of humans being awakened and externalized through killing. It's basically evil taking over the body. It really makes you think about the evil people are capable of doing in our real world given the right circumstances and the right trigger. It's scary if you think about it. Cure is a very eerie, unsettling, gripping and ominous film. Something I've never quite experienced in a movie before. It's a very cleverly filmed and brilliantly written movie. It highlights how humans are capable of having an evil and dark side to them. And how just with a spark of fire, it can turn them into killers. The movie also makes the statement of how every murder doesn't necessarily have to have a motive or reason. This movie's quite bleak and dreadful, but it's a fascinating study on human nature that oddly feels otherworldly at the same time. It feels and looks very gritty, dark, artificial and isolated. This world feels a lot like the world in Jacob's Ladder. It feels a bit arthouse at times but at least it doesn't feel pretentious. I will say, Japanese filmmakers really know how to build tension and suspense. In Cure, the use of background sounds and soundtrack, via low rumbling noises, help the movie reach a level of tension, anxiety and suspense unmatched by any horror movie I've seen. There's a certain mesmerizing, hypnotic and mystical allure to this movie that I can't really explain, instead it needs to be experienced. Cure is not really a movie you watch for enjoyment, fun or pleasure. Rather, it's a unique and surreal film experience that evokes a feeling of both dread and fascination at the same time. It's a film that lingers deep in the crevices of the mind even after the credits roll. It is without a doubt one of the scariest non-horror psychological and existential movies I've ever seen. I want to watch it again but I would need to be in a certain mood. As for recommending the movie: if you're up for it and ready, I say go for it. You won't regret this unique movie experience.

A great thriller coupled with intricate sound design that will creep up on you if you let it.

I give the film credit for creating a truly creepy atmosphere, but the story lacks coherence.

A disturbing, mysterious, and beguiling horror piece. It demands one's complete attention and you'll still need to re-watch it to fully appreciate the film's complexity.

It is a well-paced movie. For those that like open-ended movies and room for interpretation, this is it.