Cure (1977) Movie Review: There Is No Cure for Humanity

Hell is empty and all the devils are here. - William Shakespeare

Cure, or キュア by its original name, which I have zero idea how to pronounce, is an underrated masterpiece by Kiyoshi Kurosawa (no, he's not related to Akira Kurosawa; I looked it up so you don't have to). The movie pushes the limits of cinema, which I will explain why, and it tells more than just a gruesome crime story. The movie blurs out the already vague border between good and bad, and it shows the primitiveness inside human nature in a smooth style and a tense mood. Despite its name, it gets further from a cure and rather shows the poison inside the existence of an individual in a society full of outdividuals (which is supposed to be the opposite of individuals). After this goofy new word, let's talk some serious stuff.

But let's not forget this is a cinema blog and not a philosophy one, and start with the cinematic beauty of Cure. Although the movie's moral course was the star of the show, we can't deny that the pale colours, along with the jumpy sound design, were a delight to watch. Without distracting the audience, all the elements of cinematography came together to create the unique experience of this movie. Along with that, Kobayashi uses the camera in a way that we feel is just between the two sides of the screen: the real world and the fiction. This involves us in the movie, feeling the intensity, and also it excludes us from the disturbing reality of the movie, making it easier for us to see the bigger picture despite the characters in the movie. And finally, the amusing sounds and short songs Japanese filmmakers use out of nowhere in horror movies. I love those, they just add even more thrill to the movie. House (1977) by Obayashi might be the king of those legendary moments where you watch an immensely scary scene with one of the goofiest songs ever (again, I love those songs). But that is a topic for another post, so let's carry on with the main headings of this post (that's why I wrote them with the biggest text size I could find).

Denying Cinema

We love cinema, we breathe cinema, we endure our existence with cinema, but sometimes I feel like some movies use this beautiful art's power to sell a product, or dictate an idea for somebody's self-interest. And as more movies are manipulated in this way, it is becoming harder to differentiate between a real piece of art and a 2-hour advertisement. This obscurity is nothing but an enemy of cinema. However, Cure is filmed so boldly that it accepts this obscurity of the cinema industry alongside all the remaining senselessness of the world. You might say that the movie has nothing to do with the cinema industry, but if we look closer, you will see that what Cure does is deny its very own existence as a cinema movie. But let's start with the obvious to understand this unusual movie aspect. And if there is something we certainly know, it is that Cure is an entirely disturbing movie in a beautiful way. The movie refuses the existence of the absolute because only a Sith deals in absolutes (that was unexpected, huh? Nothing is unexpected if you are a Star Wars fan). Anyways, after this unnecessary reference, Cure makes you question the realness of "reality," which is strange as much as it is true. What if you are experiencing nothing but an illusion? What if you are "mesmerized" by some Mamiya technique? What if this technique is the black box you are living with? What if your television is enchanting you? What if movies are the spells used against us? Although this probably isn't the case (but I can't give 100% assurance), Cure is flirting with disaster, as the phrase goes. It shakes our trust in freedom in such a way that even movies seem like a tool being used to control humanity and create an illusion of freedom. However, I believe that this is a mission of a real art piece: Serving humanity even if its service will threaten its existence.

No Cure for Humanity

Cure is more than just a disturbing thriller. It is about the irresistible tendency of humankind to destruction. Although the nature of human behaviour is still a mystery of psychology and philosophy, according to the movie, we all have this little seed of inherent evilness inside us. This seed just needs a little water to grow into a monster inside us. And evil takes human form in Mamiya (not Regina George). Mamiya is the representation of the spark and water, this seed needs. Although he seems like the villain of the movie, he is nothing more than a servant of malice strolling among us. Mamiya is not forcing anyone into committing a crime, he is exposing the destructive nature of humanity. However, let's not get too heavyhearted. Cure is not saying that we are solely evil beings. It is just a study of "evil". Yes, we all have the seed of malice inside us. Even a successful doctor, a loving husband, or a happy man. However, this should not mean we are an embodiment of evil. Notice how the only way to avoid Mamiya is by overlooking him, by not communicating with him. Similarly, we can accept and continue with the fact that we all have some evilness inside, rather than trying to destroy it. But, there is one more twist at this point. It is not as simple as that. We can't just repress our evil by accepting it as it is. Just like Mamiya, the evil part of our mind will always try to escape, to gain power, to grow. Furthermore, we cannot find a way to stop this. It is just the nature of the human mind. From this point of view, things start to get upside down once again. Once again, this is just an in-depth analysis of Kurosawa, about one of the biggest mysteries of behavioral psychology. Whatever your opinion regarding this mysterious problem is, Cure is a movie full of layers and different approaches to the nature of the human mind. Kurosawa shows his brilliance with both the thrilling story and the prosperous depiction of the story. With each watch, you can find new details in this masterwork. You can take a walk inside your mind and confront your own secrets. And when you finish this fine work of art every time, there are the same questions inside your mind: How did this movie start, and how did it end? Or did it end in the first place? Are we all searching for our Cure, living the movie over and over everyday?

If you seek more mind-bending movies, check out these:

Mulholland Drive (2001)

Chinatown (1974)

The Prestige (2006)