Year: 2016
Runtime: 130 min
Language: Japanese
Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
A former detective, haunted by a past case, is drawn back into investigating a disturbing new mystery. As he explores the unsettling events, he finds unsettling similarities to his previous ordeal. The investigation is complicated by a peculiar neighbor whose presence creates a growing sense of unease and paranoia, blurring the lines between what’s real and what’s imagined.
Get a spoiler-free look at Creepy (2016) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.
In a quiet suburban district that feels both familiar and foreign, Koichi Takakura has left his life as a celebrated profiler behind after a career‑ending injury. Now a professor of criminal psychology, he carries the weight of a past case that still haunts his thoughts, and his marriage to Yasuko offers both a refuge and a reminder of the life he once led. The neighborhood, with its neatly trimmed lawns and subdued murmurs, seems like an ideal place to rebuild, yet an undercurrent of unease hints that some shadows linger longer than the day’s end.
The couple’s attempts to settle in are met with a mosaic of neighborly interactions. A cold reception from Mrs. Tanaka and her bedridden mother creates a tentative distance, while a man who eventually introduces himself as Masayuki Nishino lives in the house that sits between them and the Tanakas. His polite yet unsettling presence, marked by brief conversations and fleeting gestures, sparks a subtle paranoia that seeps into the Takakuras’ daily routine. Yasuko’s friendly overtures—leaving chocolates at the gate, casual chats—only deepen the sense that something is off‑kilter, as the ordinary rituals of neighborly life begin to feel oddly invasive.
When a dormant investigation resurfaces—a family that vanished years ago, leaving behind only fragmented memories—Koichi finds his professional instincts stirring once more. Drawn back into the world of deduction, he is compelled to sift through unreliable testimony and the lingering echoes of his own unresolved trauma. The line between his analytical mind and the unsettling atmosphere of the neighborhood blurs, prompting him to question what is real and what might be a product of lingering dread.
The film folds these elements into a tightly wound psychological thriller, where the ordinary becomes a canvas for suspense and the characters’ inner anxieties are mirrored by the strange dynamics of the houses around them. With a tone that balances quiet dread and simmering tension, it invites viewers to linger in the spaces between perception and paranoia, wondering how far a haunted mind will go before it either uncovers the truth or is consumed by it.
Last Updated: October 05, 2025 at 16:54
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Thrillers where the most terrifying threat lives just next door.If you liked the unsettling dynamic with Nishino in Creepy, explore these movies where a neighbor becomes the source of intense paranoia and danger. These films share themes of home invasion, psychological manipulation, and the terrifying realization that evil is closer than you think.
These narratives typically begin with a seemingly ordinary or eccentric neighbor, whose behavior gradually escalates from odd to sinister. The protagonists' sense of safety and privacy erodes as they uncover the neighbor's true, often violent, nature, forcing a confrontation that blurs the lines between domestic life and a survival thriller.
Movies in this thread are grouped by their shared core premise: the home as an unsafe sanctuary. They excel at building localized, intimate dread and paranoia, focusing on the psychological horror of realizing a familiar, everyday figure is a profound threat.
Stories where quiet tension builds into suffocating psychological horror.For fans of the methodical tension in Creepy, this list features movies that master the art of the slow burn. These similar thrillers use steady pacing to build unsettling atmospheres, psychological depth, and a powerful, lingering sense of dread rather than fast-paced action.
The narrative pattern involves a gradual accumulation of disturbing details and events. The pacing is deliberate, allowing the viewer to sit with the growing anxiety alongside the characters. The focus is often on psychological unraveling and the erosion of reality, leading to a climax that feels both devastating and inevitable.
These films are united by their patient, atmospheric approach to horror and suspense. They prioritize mood over plot speed, creating a deeply immersive and mentally taxing experience where the tension comes from a sustained, unsettling vibe rather than rapid-fire events.
Don't stop at just watching — explore Creepy in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Creepy is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Read a complete plot summary of Creepy, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.
Track the full timeline of Creepy with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Creepy. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.
Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Creepy: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.