Reception
On review aggregator website Rotten
Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 91%, based on 47 reviews, and an
average rating of 7.16/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Creepy
lives up to its title with a suspenseful and thoroughly unsettling - not
to mention well-acted - blend of crime procedural and domestic drama." On
Metacritic, the film has received a weighted average score of 76 out of 100,
based on 13 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
Deborah Young of The Hollywood Reporter
wrote that with Creepy, "Kiyoshi Kurosawa returns from auteurist
chores to the classic horror that made him a cult name." The New
York Times' critic Manohla Dargis praised the film, writing, "Creepy
certainly works — looks and feels — like a horror movie, but it also has the
conundrums of a detective story, the emotional currents of a domestic drama and
the quickening pulse of a psychological thriller, a combination that creates
a kind of destabilization." Rob Staeger of The Village Voice also
praised the film and singled out Teruyuki Kagawa's performance, writing:
"The performances are compelling all around, but Kagawa stands out:
His Nishino, somehow as cowardly as he is sinister, recalls the oily
nervousness of Peter Lorre." Chuck Bowen of Slant Magazine gave the film 3
out of 4 stars, commenting that "Creepy is a masterful work of
suspense, but it ultimately remains an exercise; the film doesn't quite
make the leap into the gloriously irrational realm of the empathetic and
transcendent."
Having
resigned as a profiler following an injury, Koichi Takakura and his wife Yasuko
move to a place closer to his new job as a university lecturer in criminal
psychology. In an effort to be friendly, Yasuko introduces herself to their two
neighbors. One of them is Mrs. Tanaka and her bed-ridden mother, who coldly
reject any kind of friendship with the Takakuras. Yasuko rings the doorbell at
the house of their other neighbor, who lives in-between the Takakuras and
Tanakas, but there is no answer. When Yasuko goes again to leave a bag of
chocolates at the middle neighbor's gate, he appears and identifies himself as
Masayuki Nishino. Their initial encounter gives Yasuko a creepy impression of
Nishino, as he acts strangely whenever he's around her.
While
at work, Koichi becomes interested in a cold case involving the disappearance
of three members of a family leaving only an unreliable witness, Saki Honda. A
former police colleague of Koichi's named Nogami asks him to help investigate.
While visiting the crime scene, Koichi and Nogami try to talk to Saki, but she
refuses as she doesn't quite remember the events leading up to her family's
disappearance. Back at home, Yasuko runs into Nishino again and he tells her he
lives with his daughter, Mio, and his wife; but after saying she looks forward
to meeting her, Nishino rudely dismisses her. When walking home, Koichi is
confronted by Nishino who says that Yasuko is a burden. Both Koichi and Yasuko
have uneasy feelings about Nishino, but they relent when he becomes friendlier
and more open with his life.
At
the university, Koichi and Nogami interview Saki, who says that before her
family vanished, they acted in extremely bizarre ways that were much different
than what they normally did. She also remembers seeing a man stare at them from
the house of the Hondas' neighbor, Mr. Mizuka. When investigating the Mizuka
house, Nogami discovers five decomposing bodies wrapped in sealed plastic bags.
Yasuko, when looking for their dog, Max, encounters Nishino and he tries to come
onto her. Later, Koichi is approached by Mio, who says that Nishino is not her
father, but a complete stranger. When he tries to ask her questions, Mio runs
off when Nishino comes home. Yasuko begins to act erratically, going from
periods of bad sickness to emotional outbursts. Because of this behavior,
Koichi becomes more suspicious of Nishino, and calls Nogami so he could look
into him. Nishino invites Nogami inside his house, but Nogami goes down a
corridor and opens a large metal door. Right as Koichi comes home, the Tanaka
house explodes, and while trying to help, he notices Nishino casually watching
television.
When
police investigate, Koichi is told by an older lieutenant, Tanimoto, that there
were three bodies in the wreckage: Tanaka, her mother, and Nogami. Puzzled,
Koichi visits Saki and attempts to show her a photograph of Nishino, but she
doesn't remember him. It is revealed that Nishino is an impostor; he controls
Mio and her mother after apparently killing Mio's actual father and having her
dispose of him in the same way as the corpses in the Mizuka house. Mio's mother
is kept under control by an injection of special tranquilizers, but after Mio
purposefully gives her an under-dose, the mother attacks Nishino, only to be
subdued. Nishino then shoots the mother with Nogami's gun in front of Mio.
Nishino then brings Yasuko down into his chamber and shows her the mother's
body and forces her to help Mio dispose of the body. Koichi comes home and is
startled when Mio barges in. He asks her where Yasuko is, but is interrupted by
Nishino who has Yasuko's house key. Koichi assaults Nishino, but the police
arrive and detain Koichi.
Tanimoto
talks to Koichi and has Nishino brought to the police station. They discover
Nishino has left and they both drive to Nishino's house. Tanimoto discovers the
chamber, but is incapacitated by Nishino. Koichi goes into the chamber and
finds Yasuko and Tanimoto, but is confronted by Nishino holding Yasuko at
gunpoint. Nishino reveals to Koichi that he has effectively brainwashed Yasuko
and Mio through drugs, and assures Koichi that Yasuko is his. Koichi realizes
that Nishino moves from family to family, brainwashing them and eventually
makes them kill each other. He manages to talk to Yasuko and berates Nishino
for his crimes, but Koichi is suddenly injected by Yasuko, and they depart with
Nishino, Mio, and Max.
The
five of them arrive at an abandoned building, where Nishino scouts for another
"home." Deeming Max unnecessary baggage, Nishino brings the drugged
Koichi out from the car and urges him to kill Max. Koichi tells Nishino that
"this is where you fall," and quickly turns and shoots Nishino. Free
of his brainwashing, Mio celebrates with Max, and Yasuko, understanding what
she and Koichi went through, breaks down in his arms.
