Rating: 2.5/5
An older man prays as Yakusa plans an ambush.
The older man warns the men that they are cursed if they kill someone on the sacred ground. Tonight especially is a bad idea because all the Yokai are assembling.
They slice up the older man and ambush a guy for a document he’s carrying. The older man’s body disappears. A child, the older man’s granddaughter, picks up the document and runs off.
The men pursue her but have paranormal experiences along the way.
This film, the third in the Yokai Monsters series, recalibrates after the silly and childlike Spook Warrior, leaning closer to the tone of 100 Monsters.
Still, none of the movies are alike. The monsters here are more sinister. They also opt for location shooting, adding to the sense of realism.
The plot is unremarkable, and it’s hard not to get restless waiting for our monster buddies to come in. And that is like three times.
They get a remarkable amount of mileage from, “This little girl sure is cute.”
Half-star deduction for no umbrella guy