For those who are going on about how they don't get the film and how it's impossible and don't get why Mio didn't simply run away
This film is clearly based on Kitakyushu Serial Murder Incident. Also, google Amagasaki Serial Murder Incident. Events like this really happened in real life. It's about manipulation and psychological dominance/control.
Events like this could never happen in real life. I can maybe buy Mio's behaviour, but the wife fell under the spell of this completely uncharismatic dork much, much too easily. I didn't believe it for a second. It kind of annoyed me. The film does live up to its title though. The atmosphere of escalating dread just about made up for the increasingly absurd plot machinations.
shareWell, such events DID happen in real life. Google if you're curious but you can't say it can't happen when this film is loosely based on real events.
Although because this is fiction, the writer does take some artistic liberty. The wife does fall quickly but the movie can't show this process taking place over a course of a few months. Unlike the true events, the psychopath uses some drugs (truth serum? like they supposedly do in the military?) but if you re-watch the film, it shows that there was a bit of chasm between the husband and the wife from the beginning. The psycho found the weakness in their relationship and found out what she was dissatisfied with in order to manipulate her.
This film may be based on the events you mention, but there are a lot of dissimilarities.
I agree with you that the hold exerted by Nishino over Mio and Yasuko (and presumably the other young woman, whose name I forget) was psychological. I think it's more complicated than that though.
I would say that Nishino is offering something that the people he manipulates find very attractive. What that is I don't fully understand, but I think we can see it in the genuine affection he shows toward them (as well as toward the dog, Marcus). I don't think we're entirely meant to understand what he's offering and some of it is surely psychological manipulation.
The movie also suggests that there are strains even in relationships that appear solid (like Yasuko and the main character) and that perhaps their inability to communicate led to Yasuko's behavior.
Another running theme in the movie how incomprehensible human behavior can be. The main character has some knowledge of psychology and, in the film's opening, arrogantly believes he understand a captured killer well enough to turn his back to him. We see how this turns out. The events of the film are another illustration of humans behaving illogically at face value, once again outstripping the understanding of the main character.
Thanks for your reply.
I was just saying that this film is loosely based on real crimes, lol.
But yeah, the strain in the relationship between the couple was evident from the beginning. The film also suggests that the protagonist might be a bit crazy; his treatment of the subjects, he continuously misreading people despite being a psychologist, etc. I personally thought this is why he wasn't susceptible to brainwashing; and not because he had strong willpower.
That being said, I think a lot of this film is left to the interpretation of the viewers.
Mate, you're having a laugh if u say this is a decent movie. Nothing about this movie was realistic or good.
The wife suddenly becoming under his spell, going from sane woman to nutter in one afternoon. The coincidence of the ex cop moving in next door to the psycho, whose case he just happens to be investigating...
The op has a japanese name, but honestly if you are japanese you could try reading the book, this was supposed to be based on, its practically a different story.(the book presents reasonable suspension if disbelief) whereas this movie expects us to believe that japanese houses have massive concrete basements, and giant hoovers, and btw that spikey stuff on the walls was I think supposed to represent sound insulation... Well thats not what sound insulation looks like as anyone with half a brain knows...
So if tge op really is japanese, go read the book ????? then come back and rate this "movie"
There's no point replying to idiots but...
Mate, you're having a laugh if u say this is a decent movie.
nah, you should read the book and see what an epic f'&k up the director made of this movie.
and yeah I am like this is real life.. btw why do you have a japanese nicknae when from your english I'm guessing you're not japanese...
I didn't know that there were similar crimes in real life but I totally get what this film is about. It's about mind control and how someone can manipulate another human being by controlling their thoughts, emotions and actions.
Unfortunately when I was a teenager, I encountered a vaguely similar situation where I was like the girl being manipulated by my then bf until my aunt saw what was going on and saved me which wasn't easy because I was honestly led to believe he had my best interests at heart. The film made me recall my past and it actually upset me. :-( Anyway, if youbthink this film is stupid or unrealistic, I'd say you're lucky.
There is manipulation of people and then there are crap movies... anyone who watches this movie then comes away from it looking for some kind of serious message or tries to find similar instances of this kind of thing happening in real life, deserves to be manipuated...
It's a plain bad movie. Only in Japan do people believe that in one afternoon you can stab needle full of drugs in someones arm and the next day they will become your obedient sex slave...
The point I made previously is that the director/screen writer took a decent, popular novel and turned it into this stupid, frankly ridiculous movie.
And I'm not going to list the ridiculous parts because then I'd have to waste more time thinking about this turd of a movie.
Only in Japan do people believe that in one afternoon you can stab needle full of drugs in someones arm and the next day they will become your obedient sex slave...
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Hey, thanks for sharing your story and sorry to hear about what happened to you in the past. It sounds like you're in a better place now :)
Yeah, a lot of people (myself included) can't believe how things like the cases I mentioned above actually took place in real life. Mass hysteria, brainwashing, etc, are something that outsiders can't understand but are real to the people involved.