Inugami (2001)

51% of users liked it
(419 ratings)

Masato Harada, who directed such critically acclaimed fare as Bounce Ko Gal and Kamikaze Taxi, rides the wave of Japanese horror flicks that followed the mega-success of Ring with this supernatural tale about moving to the wrong town and falling for the wrong girl. Akira Nutahara (Atsuro Watabe) is… More Masato Harada, who directed such critically acclaimed fare as Bounce Ko Gal and Kamikaze Taxi, rides the wave of Japanese horror flicks that followed the mega-success of Ring with this supernatural tale about moving to the wrong town and falling for the wrong girl. Akira Nutahara (Atsuro Watabe) is a young, attractive grade-school teacher who gets transferred to a remote school high up in the mountains of Kochi prefecture in Shikoku. There he promptly falls for fortyish spinster and paper maker Miki Bonomiya (Yuki Amami). Akira soon learns that Miki's family is reviled in the village because of its long-rumored association with a fearsome and bloodthirsty deity named Inugami. He also learns that she and her evil, thuggish brother, who runs the local paper mill, are having a continuing -- though nonconsensual -- incestuous relationship. When Akira tries to escape with her from the village, he quickly learns that her connection to the burg goes beyond normal, material bonds. This film was screened at the 2001 Berlin Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 46 min.
Directed By: Masato Harada
Genres: Drama, Art House & International, Mystery & Suspense

In Theaters: Jan 27, 2001 Wide
On DVD: Nov 23, 2004

Critic Reviews

Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central
Uncommonly beautiful and thoughtful.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Drew S

Inugami is a decent take on the "trouble with living in an isolated village haunted by a curse" genre. To my recollection, there aren't really any other films that employ that particular setting, but Inugami manages to make it feel so ordinary and underwhelming that I… More
Inugami is a decent take on the "trouble with living in an isolated village haunted by a curse" genre. To my recollection, there aren't really any other films that employ that particular setting, but Inugami manages to make it feel so ordinary and underwhelming that I got the feeling it'd all been done before. In unkind terms, the movie's a soap opera with supernatural window-dressing. And incest. Plenty of it. The acting starts off reserved but grows increasingly hysterical, much like the pace of the plot itself. What begins as a subtle, beautiful (check out the cinematography) movie quickly devolves into a frenetic shriek-fest. It's not a bad film, by any means, but it's nothing special, and oddly unrewarding. I don't really recommend this one.
Kylie B

This is a strange film. Although ghosts and spirit gods abound, they are treated in the most perfunctory of ways - they're not the plot, but what moves it. What the film is is more a human drama concentrating on rural life, superstition and incest than an out and out supernatural… More
This is a strange film. Although ghosts and spirit gods abound, they are treated in the most perfunctory of ways - they're not the plot, but what moves it. What the film is is more a human drama concentrating on rural life, superstition and incest than an out and out supernatural thriller or horror - though there are a few lurid deaths.
Linda K

It is a spiritual and dark J-Horror film that leaves mixed emotions. As a Japanese film, I shall not forget the absolute marvelous cinematography. A film I recommend for those who enjoy the psychological and weird Asian cinema.