The Scariest Horror Movie Most People Haven’t Seen

As a scary movie connoisseur I’ve seen all of the typical movies that top people’s “scariest movies ever” lists. There are some deep cuts I usually recommend for people wanting to dig below the surface (High Tension, Rec, The Vanishing) but one movie’s upsetting vibe stuck with me long after I turned off the screen. This is a powerhouse horror film most people haven’t seen simply because it was made in Japan.

This movie is Cure (1997), a Japanese psychological horror movie about a detective who investigates a bizarre series of gruesome murders. While the perpetrator of each crime is easy to catch, they have no memory of why they chose to murder. No motive exists. The killings are also tied together by an ‘X’ carved into each victim.

Even if you’re not used to watching films with subtitles, you will quickly become immersed forget you’re reading the dialogue on the screen. Writer and director Kiyoshi Kurosawa said he was inspired by American films in creating Cure. It will remind viewers of scary detective movies like Se7en (1995), The Silence of the Lambs (1991) and Longlegs (2024).

High praise for Cure has been sung by iconic filmmaker Martin Scorsese:

There are startling images and moments in this picture that will haunt you for a long time to come, and I suppose I should say that it’s not for the faint of heart. But be brave, because it’s worth it.

Cure (1997) is currently available on Prime Video here.