Cloud Review: Kiyoshi Kurosawa Creates a Dark Thriller with a Satirical Twist

      Note: This review was initially published as part of our coverage for Venice 2024. Cloud is set to hit theaters on July 18.

      Kiyoshi Kurosawa is having an impressive year. His mid-length thriller Chime stood out at the Berlinale, and a French-language remake of his film Serpent’s Path is about to have its European debut at San Sebastian. Now, we have Cloud, a chilling thriller with a dark satirical twist that demonstrates the renowned filmmaker at his most direct and intense. The film presents a straightforward concept (what if an online reseller is pursued by those he has deceived) and expands upon it until it becomes distorted and grotesque, much like its main character, who emerges as a disquieting version of his former self.

      While we may not quite be witnessing the late-phase of Kurosawa yet, after four decades in the industry, his filmmaking displays a noticeable simplicity. Just observe the opening scene of Cloud, which provides a complete psychological sketch of the protagonist before the title appears. This scene captures our morally ambiguous reseller as he navigates a transaction of medical equipment: aggressively negotiating the price down, meticulously preparing the listing, then anxiously waiting to see the items sell, ultimately exhaling a haunting sigh of joy as the last item changes from white to red.

      Cloud features Masaki Suda as Ryosuke, a man who approaches his job with both the chilling detachment of a high-stakes gambler and the obsessive practicality of a character from a Paul Schrader film. Initially, Ryosuke strikes it big, prompting him to decline a promotion at the factory where he is employed, as well as a more profitable, albeit illicit, opportunity from Muraoka (Masataka Kubota), the mentor who guided him. With his girlfriend Akiko (Kotone Furukawa), he relocates to a modern lakeside house outside the city and begins his own reselling venture, aided by a dedicated (perhaps overly so) local youth named Sano (Daiken Okudaira). Similar to a Schrader protagonist, Ryosuke harbors the belief that his affection for Akiko might ultimately rescue him (Muraoka’s observation upon seeing them together—“I didn’t know you’d found conventional happiness”—highlights this), but in Kurosawa’s world, redemption seldom comes easily.

      Cloud thrives in its early interactions; one can almost perceive the director’s pleasure as he delves into the intricacies of Ryosuke’s efforts. In one tense moment, he realizes a popular video game is becoming rare and decides to spend his savings on 20 copies, only to get distracted and miss the purchase. In another, he persuades an anime store owner to let him pay double for limited-edition figures before the store opens, intending to resell them online at quadruple the price, fully aware that fans will have no choice but to comply. Kurosawa seems to suggest this is a dubious line of work, and it won’t be long before those he has wronged begin to unite against him. Rearranging the narrative hints at an anti-capitalist critique, yet Ryosuke’s unsettling emotional detachment (thanks to Suda's performance) leaves viewers questioning who will ultimately come out on top and for what reason.

      When the mobs start to emerge halfway through Cloud, the film unexpectedly shifts into action territory, deviating from the taut, minimal thrills of the earlier scenes and becoming somewhat less compelling as a result—not that the audience at last night’s midnight premiere seemed to mind. The director turns 70 next year, and with his current output, he appears unstoppable.

      Cloud made its debut at the 2024 Venice Film Festival.