π Kaidan (2025) β Spirits Never Sleep
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Gal Gadot
Rating: β
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β (8.1/10)
βFour tales. One haunted soul.β
Kaidan is a haunting love letter to Japanese folklore β a beautifully layered anthology of spirit stories where honor clashes with the supernatural. Director Takeshi Iwata breathes new life into ancient legends with a Western star duo that unexpectedly feels right at home among misty shrines and cursed lakes.
Keanu Reeves delivers a grounded, soulful performance as a ronin wandering through realms of the dead and forgotten. Gal Gadot is fierce yet graceful, playing a warrior bound by prophecy and pain.
Highlights:β’ Visual storytelling at its peak: every frame feels like a painted scroll.
β’ Emotionally rich tales: grief, revenge, love, and sacrifice woven into mythic threads.
β’ Atmospheric horror: subtle and unsettling, never relying on jump scares.
Drawbacks:β’ Non-linear storytelling may challenge casual viewers.
β’ Some segments outshine others in pacing and depth.
Verdict:Kaidan isnβt just a samurai filmβitβs a meditative journey through fear and fate. Equal parts ghost story and moral parable, it lingers like incense long after the credits roll.
βTo walk with spiritsβ¦ one must leave behind the living.β
