Creepy

Kurosawa goes for a more straightforward thriller, counting on Kagawa to give the film a little extra flair. And that setup works remarkably well. Creepy isn't the most memorable film within Kurosawa's oeuvre, but Kagawa manages to portray one of the more remarkable villains in recent Japanese cinema history, saving this film from mediocrity in the process.

Takakura is an ex-detective who gets a request from an old colleague to help home with a cold case. Six years ago an entire family disappeared, Saki is the only one who remains to tell the tale. Based on her memories, Takakura begins his investigation. Meanwhile, he becomes intrigued by his new neighbor, a strange-looking man who takes care of his sick wife and daughter all by himself.

Plotwise there are a few twists and turns, but nothing too surprising or out of the ordinary. The film is pretty long and while a tad more polished than Kurosawa's usual output, it feels a bit by the numbers. Kagawa is the saving grace here, elevating a decent but inconspicuous thriller to become one of the better films in the genre.