Real

2013

2h 7m

Drama

Sci-Fi

List

57%

Tomatometer

7 Reviews

41%

Audience Score

Fewer than 50 Ratings

A man uses an advanced neurological device to enter the mind of his comatose lover.

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Calum Marsh

Film.com

Revelations stack and topple. By the third act, the film has so thoroughly exhausted your goodwill that any interest in plot must be jettisoned to even enjoy the aesthetics.

Rated: 5.0/10

Sep 13, 2013

Full Review

Ben Kenigsberg

AV Club

An unsatisfying, shamelessly derivative mix of elements from Inception, Flatliners, and Shutter Island.

Rated: c

Sep 12, 2013

Full Review

Boyd van Hoeij

Hollywood Reporter

Tonally problematic psychological drama with a dollop of monster-movie madness.

Sep 12, 2013

Full Review

Ethan Vestby

The Film Stage

REAL is more a studio assignment than personal project for Kurosawa, yet it still displays the talents and obsessions that have made his name.

Rated: B+

Jun 27, 2016

Full Review

Sarah Boslaugh

Playback:stl

Real is an absorbing film but becomes overcomplicated (with a disappointing Twilight Zone-style twist that is both unnecessary and jarring) and goes on about 20 minutes too long.

Rated: 6/10

Aug 8, 2014

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Audience Member

Kiyoshi Kurosawa, director of Cure and Pulse and other mysterious J-horror-like films, may have lost his touch. I haven't seen Tokyo Sonata (2008) which was well received but Retribution (2006) was a boring rehash of his earlier themes and now Real (2013) is another attempt to capture a mood while also linking into the zeitgeist themes about virtual reality, entering people's dreams, blurring of reality and psychological interpretation (see Inception...or Freud). Real starts well, with a high concept set-up (the protagonist is going to link up with his girlfriend in a coma in virtual reality) and some creepy moments. But it goes on too long and is too ponderously slow to sustain viewers until the very wacky conclusion. Did I say "very wacky" - I meant "so wacky that I started talking to the screen" - and in fact the script takes a distinct nose dive into silliness and predictability (despite the silliness) that is just embarrassing - for Kurosawa (who shows he can't keep control of the tone) and for viewers (who would like their two hours back).

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Kurosawa multiplie les twist au gre des niveaux de conscience de son melo technologique sans parvenir a rendre aucun univers convaincant. C'est plus par la maladresse de son traitement et la mievrerie de ses personnages que le realisateur nous egare finalement. Terriblement brouillon...

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

01/15/23

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Audience Member

Points for having a dinosaur in your movie. Loss of points for everything being stupid.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/18/23

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Kiyoshi Kurosawa

Director

Takeru Satô

Koichi Fujita

Haruka Ayase

Atsumi

Keisuke Horibe

Actor

Kyôko Koizumi

Koichi's Mother

Yutaka Matsushige

Atsumi's Father

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Synopsis

A man uses an advanced neurological device to enter the mind of his comatose lover.

Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Screenwriter: Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Sachiko Tanaka
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi
Original Language: Japanese
Runtime: 2h 7m