Kiyoshi Kurosawa's Cloud is a suspenseful thriller in which a young internet reseller, Ryosuke Yoshii (Masaki Suda) ignites a cyber-fueled storm of malice. Blurring digital and physical threats, it’s a chilling dive into the dark side of modern connectivity.
This has been a prolific year for Kiyoshi Kurosawa, one of the great auteurs of Japanese cinema. After directing both a French-language remake of his 1998 film The Serpent’s Path and the mid-length mystery horror Chime, he has ventured into genre domain with the action-packed scenes, unexpected adventurous notes, and chilling suspense of his latest thriller, Cloud.
Borrowing its title from the nebulous internet entity that has forcefully entered our daily lives in recent years, Cloud delves into the sinister undercurrents of modern society where digital anonymity fuels real-world malice.
The story centres on Ryosuke Yoshii (Masaki Suda), a factory worker in Tokyo who makes extra money reselling goods online under a pseudonym. After a successful stint, he quits his job and relocates to the countryside with his girlfriend, hiring a local young man to help with his reselling business. However, Yoshii’s seemingly idyllic life is shattered by mysterious attacks from unknown assailants, dismantling his peace as he discovers multiple enemies targeting him.
Cloud captures the eerie tension that Kurosawa’s fans admire, showcasing his unique style — “Kiyoshiism” — with atmospheric settings and spine-chilling visuals.
His exploration of internet-incubated insanity echoes his 2001 film Pulse, now set against the backdrop of today’s pervasive digital hostility. Cloud’s gripping narrative resonates with contemporary fears, depicting how petty grudges can escalate into uncontrollable violence. Featuring Suda’s compelling performance, this film is both a cautionary tale and a thrilling dive into the chaos of Japan’s modern media landscape, where the horrors of online malice come terrifyingly to life.
GIOVANNA FULVI
Screenings
TIFF Lightbox 2
Scotiabank 4
Scotiabank 14