Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Cure Blu-ray Movie Review

A dark and disturbing horror from director Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Creepy)

Cure is a strange and disturbing psychological horror-thriller from writer-director Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Pulse, Creepy). Executive produced by Hiroyuki Kato, Kurosawa adapted his own novel into a film which many feel was at the forefront of the international J-Horror revival. A twisty, dark, and eerie film, Cure is a spooky experience that will leave viewers stirred with the horror that unfolds.

Kenichi Takabe (Kôji Yakusho) is a solemn police detective investigating a series of violent, grisly, and gruesome murders which are occurring all across Japan. Victims of brutal murder are repeatedly being discovered with large “X” mark slashed across their dead bodies (suggesting a serial killer or a cult of murderers). Yet the killers who are discovered by the scene of the crime are all unique individuals and not even one of the murderers seems to have a good motive for the gruesome crimes.

Determined to unravel the mysterious killings, detective Kenichi Takabe delves into the horror of the unknown as he seeks justice for the fallen. After researching the killings alongside Sakuma (Tsuyoshi Ujiki), a strange man named Mamiya (Masato Hagiwara) appears to be a common link between each of the killings. Can Kenichi unravel the mystery and find a cure to the strange series of murders?

The film is largely about atmosphere and tone above any other production element. The result is that every collaborator on the production contributes to the sense of dread which permeates the film. The bleak cinematography by Tokushô Kikumura (Death Water, Ju-on: The Grudge) gives the film a dark edge that is hard to shake off.

Darkness and Madness

Each sequence is so grim and surrealist in approach that the film feels significantly darker than it would have without such a bleak color palette and tone. The end result is certainly creepy and effective. Cure is similarly enhanced by a quietly unnerving score composed by Gary Ashiya (Crazy Lips, Unholy Women) that makes the experience more disturbing.

The production design by Tomoyuki Maruo (Cyborg Girl, Portrait of the Wind) is another element that gives the film a significant boost of dread. Each setting in the film seems morose. There is a sense of unending dread simply from the staged settings. From the stark site of some of the murders to dark chaos and dread felt even beside a clothes dyer machine, the production aesthetic fits the bill well throughout (no matter the scene).

Kôji Yakusho gives an impressive lead performance as the detective at the core of the story. The filmmaking is much more dramatic because of Yakusho and his dedication to the role in the film. Throughout the strange journey of Cure, Yakusho provides the film with ample suspense that adds much to the experience.

Kiyoshi Kurosawa directs Cure with the approach of it being a dramatic film rather than a shocking horror production and the results are more unique because of it. Kurosawa does not rely heavily on simple shock value (though there are certainly moments of shock throughout the experience). Rather, Cure is a film that relies almost entirely on establishing a sense of dread through each and every single facet of the production. In that regard, Kurosawa was successful. Working alongside editor Kan Suzuki (Labyrinth of Dreams, Wangan Bad Boy Blue), the payoff of Cure is in the twists and turns the story takes. A surreal experience.

Cure Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Eureka Entertainment as a part of the prestigious Masters of Cinema line, Cure has a 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 widescreen. The presentation of the film is highly effective and gives the film the kind of faithful looking transfer that fans will be hoping to discover on the release. An organic transfer.

While the scan look naturalistic and has fine film grain left intact, it is worth noting that the transfer has a somewhat subdued color palette which is part of the intended aesthetic of the production. The film is not meant to a vibrant, colorful, and bright drama but rather a bleak and disturbing horror film and the visuals play a huge role in this aspect. The Eureka Entertainment encode and scan is faithful to what was the intended aesthetic.

Cure Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes two audio options: a lossless Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound track and a stereo uncompressed PCM track. The 24 bit depth audio us superb. The audio tracks sound clear, concise, and minimalistic. The surround sound channels are sparingly used with only occasional sound effects interwoven into the sound mix for the back surround speakers. Nonetheless, Cure has a spooky sound design that comes to life when necessary and the score by Ashiya is similarly preserved well.

The sound design by Hiromichi Koori (Swing Girls, Give It All) gives the film some of the moodiness required for the type of genre production Cure is. The film has a minimalistic sound design which has moments of shocking sounds bursting forth after lengthy moments of near-silence. An effective sound design that fits the genre approach.

Cure Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The release includes a selection of interviews as detailed below:

Kim Newman Interview (HD, 14:16) features the film critic and scholar discussing the legacy of director Kiyoshi Kurosawa and the significance of the film within the realm of classic Japanese horror filmmaking. The interview delves into the various styles of filmmaking on display from the director.

Archival Interview with Director Kiyoshi Kurosawa (SD, 19:37) features the director discussing his process and what it was like working on a horror film. Kurosawa discusses what his approach to the material was and delves into information pertinent to the film.

Kiyoshi Kurosawa on Cure (HD, 16:53) is a new interview with the director as he again delves into the film with more insights into the production.

Cure Theatrical Trailer (SD, 1:40)

Cure Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

A dark and broody horror-thriller from Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Creepy), Cure is considered to be one of the best Japanese horror films ever made in some circles. While I did not find it to be a perfect film, its an effective one that fans of J-Horror will appreciate with the surrealism and darkness of the production apparent at every turn in the story.

The mood and tone is highly effective and the lead performance by Kôji Yakusho gives the film some added gravitas. The Blu-ray release features a faithful audio-video presentation and a selection of worthwhile supplemental materials which should entice fans of the film. Worth a look.