Day Twenty-One: "Kairo (Pulse)"
Kairo ("Pulse" in English) is an extremely depressing Japanese horror film. My Twitter review consists solely of "So depressing. So very depressing." Fun fact: The title is apparently Mandarin for 'the road back.'
After a friend's suicide, very weird things begin to happen to a group of people. They discover that their friend had been visiting a web site that promised to allow the living to talk to the dead. The ghosts apparently depress people into joining them so the ghosts won't be alone anymore. (I remember a ghost claiming death is eternal loneliness. And characters still committing suicide.) Eventually, most of Tokyo goes to join the ghosts.
This seems to be partially an allegory for Japan's suicide crisis. I've read reports of entire groups of friends being wiped out because one of them committed suicide, leaving the others incredibly depressed and with suicide on their minds. As a result, the film is incredibly depressing. Like watch The Blues Brothers with an entire tub of ice cream depressing.
It's very well made, and it's incredibly creepy. The ghosts are all sorts of terrifying. And it's loads better than it's American remake, Pulse. (Which is why I use Kairo.) If you're prepared for the resulting depression, I highly recommend this movie. But if you're already feeling kind of depressed, steer away from this until you're happier.
After a friend's suicide, very weird things begin to happen to a group of people. They discover that their friend had been visiting a web site that promised to allow the living to talk to the dead. The ghosts apparently depress people into joining them so the ghosts won't be alone anymore. (I remember a ghost claiming death is eternal loneliness. And characters still committing suicide.) Eventually, most of Tokyo goes to join the ghosts.
This seems to be partially an allegory for Japan's suicide crisis. I've read reports of entire groups of friends being wiped out because one of them committed suicide, leaving the others incredibly depressed and with suicide on their minds. As a result, the film is incredibly depressing. Like watch The Blues Brothers with an entire tub of ice cream depressing.
It's very well made, and it's incredibly creepy. The ghosts are all sorts of terrifying. And it's loads better than it's American remake, Pulse. (Which is why I use Kairo.) If you're prepared for the resulting depression, I highly recommend this movie. But if you're already feeling kind of depressed, steer away from this until you're happier.