Nightmare Detective 2

In tone and theme, this sequel to the alarming Nightmare Detective is more of a prequel. Maggie Lee (Hollywood Reporter) called it that and with good reason. Kagenuma Kyoichi, the Nightmare Detective, is played as an indifferent and moody pop star by Matsuda Ryuhei. Kagenuma is able to enter other people’s dreams and nightmares, but he himself is also plagued by nightmares. In those nightmares, he’s a little boy who has strange conflicts with his mother. At odd moments, she has a deep fear of her own child. She recognises in him the supernatural powers that will finally turn him into a Nightmare Detective, but which she cannot control. She commits suicide, but continues to haunt the dreams of her son.
Kagenuma is approached by the secondary-school girl Yukie. With a bunch of girlfriends, she has so bullied their classmate Kikukawa that she has decided to take her deadly revenge through dreams. The tired and sleepless detective at first doesn’t feel like helping Yukie, but finally recognises his mother’s problem in her.
Part one of the Nightmare Detective was harder and also bloodier. This part is more subdued and psychological. The fear that is evoked is not shocking, but slowly creeps into the spectator. And it is primarily classic cinematographic effects that evokes a powerful feeling of unease. (GjZ)