27th Hall of Fame
Cure (1997) -
I was meaning to watch this film a couple years ago, but I never got around to it and eventually forgot about it for whatever reason. I'm glad I was finally able to watch it though as, even though it didn't blow me away or anything, I'm cool with rewatching it down the road.
This is the kind of film I think I'd appreciate more with another viewing. While I enjoyed the first half or so well enough, I wasn't entirely on board with the film until the second half when Mamiya began talking to Takabe. The various conversations between the two of them and the effect they had on Takabe's mental health were all top notch and make for some of the scariest moments in the film. The first half, by comparison, didn't interest me quite as much.
That portion of the film isn't without its strengths though. For one, this film hit one of my sweet spots for crime films as, though it appears to solve the central mystery fairly early (there isn't a big reveal as you gradually figure out who's causing the killings as you watch the film), other vital questions are left open which require further probing. Even if you're able to figure out who the killer is, you aren't told why the killings are happening. For example, where does Mamiya's hypnotist powers come from? Is he reenacting the murders of a hypnotist in the 1800s? Also, is Mamiya's supposed ignorance of what he's doing genuine? Or is his memory loss just an act, meaning he's fully aware of what he's doing? These questions linger throughout the film (the ending complicates these questions even more) and provide an unrelenting feeling of unease to it. While its ambiguity may frustrate some viewers, I found that the questions which were left open resonated with me quite a bit.
I also loved the look of the film. That the film maintains such a dull and cold color pallet throughout (greys, browns, and greens, mainly) gives it a unique look, as if all life has been sucked out of the film, resulting in a thoroughly bleak environment. The few scenes where some vibrant colors, like red, appear onscreen seem to indicate danger. I also enjoyed some of the settings (mental hospitals and abandoned buildings) as they added to the film's slow, uneasy atmosphere and served as great horror set pieces.
The film is a lot slower and meandering than I expected it would be and that might have played a part in why I didn't like the film as much as I could've, but I feel that it would fare better with another viewing now that I know what to expect from it. Overall, I thought the film was quite interesting and I'm glad I finally got around to it.