Sadako

2019 1h 39m JA

😐

5.8

MID

★5.8TMDB · 139

Horror

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A psychologist connects her missing brother to the strange case of a mysterious little girl believed to be Sadako reincarnated.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Elaiza Ikeda
Mayu Akikawa
Takashi Tsukamoto
Yusuke Ishida
Hiroya Shimizu
Kazuma Akikawa
Himeka Himejima
Jinko
Renn Kiriyama
Minori Fujii
Rie Tomosaka
Hatsuko Sofue
Hitomi Sato
Masami Kurahashi
Jitsuko Yoshimura
Old Woman

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Hideo Nakata
Writers: Noriaki Sugihara
Languages: Japanese
Countries: Japan

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Released 7 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Ring Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Hideo Nakata, shot by Takahiro Imai. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Naoko Aono shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Elaiza Ikeda and Takashi Tsukamoto and Hiroya Shimizu carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt9764556 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Hideo Nakata directs. Takahiro Imai behind the camera. Naoko Aono cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 7 years ago.
2Part of the "Ring Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Hideo Nakata, shot by Takahiro Imai. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Editor Naoko Aono shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Elaiza Ikeda and Takashi Tsukamoto and Hiroya Shimizu carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt9764556 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 10 themes, including "based on novel or book", "reincarnation", "telekinesis", "sequel".

The technical file

Cinematography: Takahiro Imai
Editing: Naoko Aono
Production design: Shusaku Tsukamoto
Runtime: 99 min · 1h 39m
Status: Released
Box office: $5,589,910
Original language: JA
Certification (US): IIB
IMDB: Sadako (2019)

Part of

Ring Collection

A series of supernatural horror films, based on the series of novels of the same name by Koji Suzuki, about a cursed videotape that kills anyone who watches it seven days later.

Also by

Hideo Nakata

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

Kai2019-12-16
★ 4/10
You would think with eight films in the Japanese series already, including crossing over with The Grudge ghost Kayako, that The Ring series may be reaching a level of overexposure. With the original director of the first two films returning for Sadako, one might think that there is some hope for the latest addition to the series. This was... a very average film. There wasn't anything special about it that made it stand out; it didn't add anything new to the series. It's just Sadako haunting another bunch of people with a new plot line. That being said; average for the ninth film in a franchise isn't so bad. At this point, looking at other franchise, it should be pulling a low average of one to three. A four out of ten is relatively decent for this point in the franchise's life span. Sadako has very good tense moment that had me glancing away from my screen uneasily, feeling anxious and getting my heart racing. The suspense is still something that remains strong throughout the franchise and I feel that is partly due to Nakata Hideo returning to direct this. With a mix of an urban legend mixed with a curse-ghost haunting plot line, this is really the only thing that stands up against it. Hideo continues to prove he's a master of suspense and, honestly, it's the only reason I'd think about watching this again - for the few moments that Hideo provides us that makes the heart race. With a ending worthy of the cringe-worthy award, especially with the final two moments, Sadako doesn't really hold up to the legacy that the Ring franchise has held for so long. I kind of wish they'd let Sadako haunt her well in peace and let her be at this point. With a slightly underwhelming ninth film, it's definitely time to exorcise Sadako, let her move on from her cursed state, and throw the towel in with this one. Sadako barely holds up - a tenth would be physically incapable of holding up anything else.

Production companies