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Kairo

  • 20012001
  • RR
  • 1h 59m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
21K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,275
578
Kairo (2001)
Two groups of people discover evidence that suggests spirits may be trying to invade the human world through the Internet.
Play trailer1:41
1 Video
30 Photos
HorrorMysterySci-Fi

Two groups of people discover evidence that suggests spirits may be trying to invade the human world through the Internet.Two groups of people discover evidence that suggests spirits may be trying to invade the human world through the Internet.Two groups of people discover evidence that suggests spirits may be trying to invade the human world through the Internet.

IMDb RATING
6.5/10
21K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,275
578
  • Director
    • Kiyoshi Kurosawa
  • Writer
    • Kiyoshi Kurosawa
  • Stars
    • Haruhiko Katô
    • Kumiko Asô
    • Koyuki
Top credits
  • Director
    • Kiyoshi Kurosawa
  • Writer
    • Kiyoshi Kurosawa
  • Stars
    • Haruhiko Katô
    • Kumiko Asô
    • Koyuki
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 192User reviews
    • 160Critic reviews
    • 70Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 3 nominations

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:41
    Official Trailer

    Photos30

    Kairo (2001)
    Kairo (2001)
    Kairo (2001)
    Kumiko Asô and Haruhiko Katô in Kairo (2001)
    Kumiko Asô in Kairo (2001)
    Haruhiko Katô and Koyuki in Kairo (2001)
    Haruhiko Katô in Kairo (2001)
    Kairo (2001)
    Masatoshi Matsuo in Kairo (2001)
    Kumiko Asô, Masatoshi Matsuo, and Kurume Arisaka in Kairo (2001)
    Haruhiko Katô in Kairo (2001)
    Haruhiko Katô in Kairo (2001)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Haruhiko Katô
    • Ryosuke Kawashima
    Kumiko Asô
    Kumiko Asô
    • Michi Kudo
    Koyuki
    Koyuki
    • Harue Karasawa
    Kurume Arisaka
    • Junko Sasano
    Masatoshi Matsuo
    • Toshio Yabe
    Shinji Takeda
    • Yoshizaki
    Jun Fubuki
    • Michi's mother
    Shun Sugata
    Shun Sugata
    • Boss
    Shô Aikawa
    Shô Aikawa
    • Employee
    Kôji Yakusho
    Kôji Yakusho
    • Ship Captain
    Kenji Mizuhashi
    • Taguchi
    Takumi Tanji
    • Man with Bag
    Hassei Takano
    • Student A
    Atsushi Yuki
    • Student B
    Go Takashima
    • Student C
    Kaori Ichijô
    • Girl with Long Hair
    Teruo Ono
    • Doroningen
    Ken Furusawa
    • Convenience Store Employee
    • Director
      • Kiyoshi Kurosawa
    • Writer
      • Kiyoshi Kurosawa
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Kiyoshi Kurosawa: (at around 16 min. into the film) While Kawashima is looking at the various people moping around in a catatonic state via web cam, there is one man who appears to be sleeping on his desk. He then wakes up, raises his head, and looks straight into the camera, facing us. That man is Kurosawa Kiyoshi, writer and director of this film.
    • Quotes

      Ghost: Death was... eternal loneliness.

    • Connections
      Edited into Pulse (2006)
    • Soundtracks
      Hane Lay Down My Arms
      Performed by Cocco

    User reviews192

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    Incredibly Creepy and Haunting
    This film works on many levels. What's odd is that one place it is weak in is the plot - it does somewhat tie it all up and make sense but my main point is it doesnt really matter - the director set out to make a scary ghost story and that it is! I see horror films from all over the world so I am pretty jaded when it comes to something "scaring" me but this film has many sequences that truly are frightening and disturbing. Some of the images have stayed with me for weeks. The lighting, the art direction and the use of muted colors (aside from reds used effectively)all make up for a creepy, eerie visual. I have to laugh at the arrogance of some of the comments on this and other "horror" films that claim since it didnt scare them the film is NOT SCARY. That is b.s. What scares one person may not scare another. You can say the piece didn't scare you but to make such a sweeping statement is vain. I personally didn't like any of the Friday of 13th movies, but obviously those films work on some level for millions of people. This film is so non-American in it's pace and core that that is what might turn off some viewers, but that's what I loved about it. The director just sets up the camera and keeps it on a space and then has things slowly emerge from the sides - he has you start to look and scope and wonder if you are REALLY seeing something as opposed to the lazy, bloated SHOCK moment of most US horror films. There are moments when people are confronted by visions/images of ghosts that move and terrorize just like real dreams - slow movements, awkward movements as the ghost approaches you. Terrifying. The film definitely doesn't know how to wrap it all up but in many ways, I found this film even scarier than the original RING. Well made ghost story. Seek it out, fans.
    helpful•98
    39
    • shark-43
    • Nov 5, 2002

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 3, 2001 (Japan)
    • Country of origin
      • Japan
    • Language
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • Pulse
    • Filming locations
      • Tokyo, Japan
    • Production companies
      • Daiei Eiga
      • Hakuhodo
      • Imagica
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $51,420
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $7,250
      • Nov 13, 2005
    • Gross worldwide
      • $318,451
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 59 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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