Marebito (The Stranger from Afar)
Tartan | Release Date: December 9, 2005 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
50
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 13 Critic Reviews
Positive:
6
Mixed:
2
Negative:
5
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
83
Seattle Post-IntelligencerSean Axmaker
It's not really scary, but it reaches a level of insanity so unhinged and dispassionately wretched that it defies description. Inspired, but not for all tastes. Read full review
75
TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonagh
Shot on digital video as murky as Masuoka's imagination, its creeping sense of dank dread is as slow to build as it is hard to shake. Read full review
75
New York PostV.A. Musetto
An outrageous horror flick. Read full review
70
L.A. WeeklyTim Grierson
Marebito's ghoulish delight in gore will turn off the squeamish, but tougher souls will recognize that the over-the-top shocks are Shimizu's way of illustrating how terrifying the risk of human connection can be. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesKevin Thomas
Provocative rather than scary, and it's made with visual flair. Read full review
67
The A.V. ClubNoel Murray
Unlike the elliptical, often explanation-free "The Grudge," Marebito is wordy to the extreme. Konaka's near-constant narration underlines every point the movie is trying to make, ruminating bluntly on the meaning of fear, and how we suck on media violence like, yep, vampires. Read full review
50
The New York TimesDana Stevens
In casting about for new sources of fear, Marebito achieves its own level of mediocrity. Read full review
50
Austin ChronicleMarrit Ingman
Shot in just over a week with a minuscule budget, this artsy thriller feels like a one-off from Shimizu's Ju-on films but is probably worth a look for fans. Read full review
38
New York Daily NewsJami Bernard
Never gives us what it promised: a glorious, totally new sense of horror. Read full review
38
Boston GlobeWesley Morris
It's actually a pretty lousy thriller. Read full review
30
VarietyJay Weissberg
Japanese horror doesn't get more tedious. Read full review
30
Village VoiceMichael Atkinson
This all-digital indie is, by genre standards, either a misfired doodle or an attempt to Lovecraft-ize the popular movement. Or both. Read full review
30
The Hollywood ReporterRichard James Havis
A disturbing supernatural drama that leaves a sour taste in the mouth. Read full review
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