Watch Loft

Loft, a 2005 Japanese thriller film, directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, is a story that boasts a well-choreographed build-up, a stylish, suspenseful plot that finishes with a somewhat surprising twist. The movie features a star-studded cast of Miki Nakatani, Etsushi Toyokawa, and Hidetoshi Nishijima as the main character in the film. As the story kicks off, we're introduced to Reiko Hatuna, a successful writer of mystery novels who, after a traumatic encounter at a book signing event, relocates to a new apartment. At her new place, she encounters Koichi Kijima, a writer, who lives in the loft above hers. They become acquaintances and soon uncover that the previous tenant of Reiko's apartment had been murdered; the unsolved case is now the subject of Koichi's latest novel.

As they dig deeper into the case, they uncover a web of dark secrets interlocking the previous tenant and her associates. They discover an imprudent love triangle between the deceased, her lover, and her former neighbor. They embark on a dangerous journey trying to unravel what triggered the murder and why it was hushed down for so long. It leads them down a path of horror, as they come face to face with the eerie mysteries surrounding the case.

In the quest to solve the murder mystery, the film takes a thrilling turn. The story gains momentum as more questions arise, while the pieces of the puzzle slowly begin to fit together. Soon enough, the search for the killer develops into a race against time as Koichi and Reiko realize they are in danger too.

The performance of the cast is exceptional, with Nakatani as Reiko Hatuna delivering a natural, captivating portrayal of a strong-willed character. Etsushi Toyokawa's performance as Koichi Kijima is equally remarkable but less convincing as his character doesn't have much depth to it. Hidetoshi Nishijima's graceful portrayal of the lone-wolf detective, Mori, adds to the story by bringing a fresh tone of voice to the gritty story.

Kurosawa sets the tone with a thrilling yet chilling atmosphere, complimented by the melancholy score by Gary Ashiya. The movie's visual style is impressive and helps build suspense, from the well-executed cinematography to the sound design, further adding to the mood of the story.

One drawback of the film is the pacing, which can be slow at times, but still manages to maintain the viewer's attention. Also, although the movie is heavy on suspense, there is little horror in it, as it fails to evoke any significant horror elements.

Loft is a riveting crime thriller, built around a high concept of finding out the truth behind a murder mystery that touches on the lengths people will go to hold on to forbidden love, and the devastating consequences that flow from their indulgence. The writing is well done, keeping the audience guessing up until the end. The cinematography highlights the dark, gloomy tone, complemented by an enigmatic soundtrack. Overall, Loft is a must-watch suspense thriller for anyone looking for a well-crafted story with solid performances from its lead actors.

Loft is a 2006 horror movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 55 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.5.