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In Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s ‘Cloud,’ an online hustler gets his merciless, real-world comeuppance

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Much like the story of a frog in a heated pot, Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s gripping action-thriller “Cloud” serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of online anonymity and e-capitalism. Although it doesn’t paint a pretty picture of where we find ourselves today, the path towards the boiling point – filled with tense moments and calculated clicks that ultimately lead to impulsive actions – is undeniably thrilling. Crafted by one of Japan’s finest suspense directors, this tale skillfully portrays the perilous journey through the digital world.

The central theme of Kurosawa’s work is the impact of loneliness and technology, which he has tried to warn us about. In his influential films “Cure” and “Pulse,” released at the turn of the millennium, a pervasive sense of paranoia was evident as ordinary people found themselves victims of senseless violence. These eerie scenarios with supernatural undertones might make you think, “That future looks terrifying.” However, Kurosawa’s focus has shifted from speculative technophobic horror to a more ominously relevant concern: the unsettling reality we currently face. The title of his work does not refer to our cyber era’s flimsy symbol for data protection; instead, it describes the persistent bad weather that seems to be here to stay.

Once again, it’s the temptation of profit that sets things in motion. If you’re curious about the kind of individual who buys Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” tickets a year ahead, only to resell them at a 400% increase, let me introduce you to Kurosawa’s emotionless protagonist Yoshii (Masaki Suda). He’s a young worker in a Tokyo laundry plant who spends his free time selling overpriced second-hand goods, often without concern for their authenticity. Although his factory supervisor (Yoshiyoshi Arakawa) recognizes potential in him and offers a route to promotion, directionless and resentful Yoshii prefers to hide under a false identity in his apartment and ruthlessly undercut sellers and overcharge buyers on the black market. Each sale on his computer screen is like a burst of dopamine for him.

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Following a substantial financial win, I decide to use this opportunity to reconnect with an old acquaintance from school, Masataka Kubota, and step away from my laundry job. My materialistic girlfriend Akiko (Kotone Furukawa) accompanies me as we relocate to a tranquil countryside home, aiming for a break from urban life while expanding my business ventures. I even bring on a new assistant, Sano (Daiken Okudaira), who proves to be an asset in the business and shows genuine interest.

However, my peaceful retreat is disrupted by a string of peculiar, slightly menacing incidents. In the film’s second hour, these events reveal themselves as a concerted effort to punish an online scammer, with the ultimate goal of seeking justice.

Akira Kurosawa skillfully portrays the escalation of a life-or-death chaos, demonstrating his signature visual expertise. A single shot by Yasuyuki Sasaki’s uncompromising cinematography can swiftly transition from ordinary to foreboding. However, this is not meant to be therapeutic or relieving. Instead, it showcases a confrontation on the brink of oblivion or, from a darkly humorous perspective, the most dismal adaptation yet of the classic reunion show “This Is Your Life.”

“Cloud,” when perceived as merely a critique of 21st-century avarice, overlooks the existential terror embodied by Yoshii’s armed, ruthless, and generally inept pursuers: ordinary individuals driven to violence following a mortifying ordeal. Their targets? Someone just as wretched. The game is afoot.

Just like today’s headlines make it clearer than ever before, the catastrophic event that Kurosawa portrayed in “Pulse” in 2001 seems eerily prophetic now. The unease he depicted as a spectral presence can be seen as an undeniable reality in modern society, lurking and waiting to surface at any time, anywhere. The most chilling part is when one of the older vigilantes says, “Let’s have fun,” which somehow is the scariest thing of all.

Yoshii receives aid in his struggle to endure, which adds a chilling layer of truth to an already unsettling situation: It seems that turmoil always finds a way to persist. At one instance, Yoshii whispers, “This is how you enter hell.” Remarkably, he doesn’t express any alarm at the idea.

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2025-07-25 22:01

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