The Complex

The Complex

Year: 2013

Runtime: 106 mins

Language: Japanese

Director: Hideo Nakata

Horror

Nursing student Asuka moves into a new apartment complex with her family, but unsettling events quickly unfold. Awakened by strange scratching noises, she investigates her neighbor’s apartment and discovers an elderly man dead from malnutrition. Disturbingly, it appears he was desperately trying to break into her room. The handyman, Shinobu, reveals a history of mysterious deaths within the building, fueling rumors of a haunting and raising questions about the complex's dark secrets.

The Complex (2013) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

Get a spoiler-free look at The Complex (2013) 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 crumbling apartment complex that seems to breathe with the sighs of its long‑standing residents, a young nursing student arrives with her family, hoping for a fresh start. Asuka Ninomiya quickly senses that the walls hold more than just stale paint; faint scratching sounds and distant alarms echo through the corridors, hinting at secrets that have lingered far longer than the building’s peeling façade. The atmosphere is thick with a quiet unease, as everyday routines feel oddly repetitive, almost as if time itself is looping around the inhabitants.

The complex is a tapestry of muted lives, each door hiding its own whispers. Shinozaki, the elderly neighbor next door, offers a brief, tentative greeting before retreating into his own obscured world, while his shy ward, Minoru Kinoshita, lingers at the periphery, a quiet presence that seems to understand the building’s hidden pulse better than anyone else. Their interactions with Asuka hint at unspoken connections and a shared feeling that something unseen watches from the shadows.

Adding to the intrigue is the building’s handyman, Shinobu Sasahara, a pragmatic figure who has spent enough time among the cracked plaster and dim hallways to develop his own theories about the strange phenomena. He speaks of rumors that the complex has a history of inexplicable events, suggesting that the line between the living and the lingering past is thinner here than elsewhere. His calm demeanor and subtle hints of experience with the supernatural lend a grounded counterpoint to the mounting tension.

Together, these characters navigate a world where ordinary domestic life intertwines with an undercurrent of mystery. The tone sways between the mundane and the uncanny, inviting the audience to wonder what lies beneath the surface of a place that feels both familiar and eerily otherworldly, and whether the building itself might be the keeper of stories yet untold.

Last Updated: October 07, 2025 at 13:28

Mobile App Preview

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Sign up to be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private — always.

Explore Movie Threads

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.

Claustrophobic hauntings like in The Complex

Supernatural horror where the setting itself becomes a malevolent, inescapable prison.If you liked the oppressive atmosphere of The Complex, explore more movies where supernatural horror is rooted in a specific, inescapable location. These films feature hauntings tied to buildings that feel like prisons, amplifying anxiety and claustrophobia for a uniquely tense experience.

claustrophobichauntingoppressiveanxiousunsettlingtrappedmelancholicdread

Narrative Summary

The narrative typically revolves around characters who become trapped or feel compelled to stay in a haunted location, often to uncover a dark secret or due to personal connection. The story unfolds as the paranormal activity escalates, revealing the tragic history of the place and forcing a confrontation with the trapped spirits.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on location-based horror, where the setting is a primary antagonist. They create a specific mood of confinement and inescapable dread, blending supernatural scares with a strong, oppressive atmosphere.

Grief-stricken ghost stories like The Complex

Where supernatural encounters are intertwined with profound personal loss and mourning.For viewers who appreciated the heavy emotional weight and themes of loss in The Complex, this thread collects similar horror movies where ghosts and hauntings are metaphors for grief. These films blend genuine scares with a poignant exploration of sorrow and memory.

grievingmelancholicpsychologicalheavyunsettlingtragichauntingsorrowful

Narrative Summary

The plot revolves around a protagonist grappling with a significant loss, who then encounters supernatural phenomena that are intrinsically linked to their grief or a hidden trauma. The investigation into the haunting becomes a parallel journey of emotional unpacking, often leading to a bittersweet or tragic resolution where the horror cannot be easily defeated.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their shared core theme: using the horror genre to explore the psychological and emotional devastation of grief. The supernatural serves as a vehicle for character development and thematic depth, resulting in a deeply affecting and heavy viewing experience.

Unlock the Full Story of The Complex

Don't stop at just watching — explore The Complex 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 The Complex is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

The Complex Summary

Read a complete plot summary of The Complex, 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.

The Complex Summary

The Complex Timeline

Track the full timeline of The Complex with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

The Complex Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in The Complex

Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape The Complex. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.

Characters, Settings & Themes in The Complex

More About The Complex

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about The Complex: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About The Complex