Movie Review: The Complex

The Complex (Kuroyuri danchi)

Starring: Atsuko Maeda, Hiroki Narimiya, Masanobu Katsumura, Naomi Nishida, Ruiki Sato, Shiro Namiki, Mariko Tsutsui, Megumi Sato, Satomi Tezuka, Yurei Yanagi, Masaya Takahashi, Taro Suwa

Director: Hideo Nakata 

Shochiku, Nikkatsu Corporation, Django-Film, Koch Media, Japan, 2013.

Nursing student Asuka Ninomiya (Atsuko Maeda) and her family move into an old Kuroyuri apartment complex. Her family members are father Isao (Masanobu Katsumura) and mother Sachiko (Naomi Nishida) and little brother Satoshi (Ruiki Sato) The neighbours are secluded and do not want to open doors.

Kuroyurihouses have seen better days

Asuka moves in a new home

Asukas parents and little brother Satoshi

At night Asuka hears strange scratching sounds from the neighbouring apartment. Also neighbours alarm clock wakes Asuka every morning. Asuka's parents seem to have the same morning discussion every day. Student friends of Asuka tell that the Kuroyuri houses are haunted.

Asuka hears weird sounds

Young boy Minoru (Tanaka Kanau) plays alone at sandbox. First he is afraid of Asuka. Later he plays with Asuka and tells her that his grandfather lives next door to the Ninomiyas. Asuka goes to meet the grandfather and finds out that he is dead. Mr. Shinozaki (Masaya Takahashi) was scratching the wall when he died. However at night there is something moving in the empty apartment. A cleaner Shinobu Sasahara (Hiroki Narimiya) tells that for the living the time goes on, but for the dead the time has stopped and some of them still try to contact the living.

Asuka playing with Minoru

Mr. Shinozaki is dead

Asuka's nursing lessons get a disturbing turn. The ghost of the old man comes to haunt Asuka. She asks Sasahara for help. Sasahara talks with Asuka's relatives. Soon Sasahara disovers, that there are more than one ghost in the house.

Shinozaki's ghost haunts Asuka

Sasahara tries to help Asuka

The house has a disturbing history

Asuka and Minoru become friends. Sasahara gets a psychic Sanae Nonomura (Satomi Tezuka) to help Asuka. She says that the old man's ghost is trying to warn Asuka. Earlier there have been many mysterious deaths in the house. Also Sasahara has his own ghosts. Sanae tries a traditional Japanese exorcism.

Psychic Sanae can contact the dead

Sanae tries exorcising

Do not open the door

The style of the movie is similar to Nakata's previous works, especially Dark Water. The atmosphere is spooky and the suspense is slowly developed. Haunting ambient score by Kenji Kawai adds to the creepiness. This time the themes of the movie are feeling of guilt, fear of loneliness and fear of dying alone without anyone noticing. Asuka has problems letting the past go, and also the ghosts do want to stop living but repeat the same things over and over again. The movie wanders into the area of psychological drama before returning to horror. However the otherwise intense ending leaves some subplots unresolved, being bit of a let down.

Rating: Good