After
The Quake | 2025 | 2h 12m
Genre:
Drama | Country: Japan
Director:
Tsuyoshi Inoue | Writers: Haruki Murakami (novel), Takamasa Oe
Cast:
Ai Hashimoto, Yui Narumi, Masaki Okada
IMDB:
5.2
My
Rate: 7/10
The 1995 Kobe earthquake brings four mysterious stories that unknowingly connect across different times: Komura who loses his wife, Junko who finds peace in an unexpected interaction, Yoshiro who questions his existence, and Katagiri who once again tries to save Tokyo.
Warning:
Contains violence, harsh language, smoking, and sensual content
Synopsis
:
A
few days after the Kobe earthquake in 1995, Komura discovers that his wife has
mysteriously disappeared from their home. In his attempt to calm his mind, he
meets two women who behave strangely and mysteriously. In that place, he hears
about UFOs that in his imagination might be the cause of his wife’s
disappearance.
In
2011, close to the anniversary of the 1995 earthquake, Junko who ran away from
home has a strange interaction with one of her customers. They spend the night
in front of a bonfire that seems to become a countdown toward the death they
long for.
In
2020, Yoshiya who decides to leave the cult where he grew up returns to attend
the death of the cult leader. The reason he left before was because he hated
the belief that said he was the child of God and therefore was forced to become
a volunteer during the 1995 earthquake. Yoshiya wants to search for the real
truth about himself and his past.
In
2025, Katagiri is shocked by the appearance of the giant frog who once fought
beside him in 1995 to stop an earthquake in Tokyo caused by the anger of a
giant worm. That anger rises again and threatens Tokyo. That is where Katagiri
is asked to fight once more.
Will
they succeed in making peace with themselves?
Review :
After
The Quake is a film adapted from Haruki Murakami’s short story collection Kami
no Kodomotachi wa Mina Odoru. Unlike the book which has six stories, the
film only adapts four of them: UFO in Kushiro, Landscape with
Flatiron, All God's Children Can Dance, and Super-Frog Saves
Tokyo, while Thailand and Honey Pie are not included in this
film.
Murakami’s
signature style still feels very strong in this film, almost similar to other
works that have been adapted such as Norwegian Wood. The story may not be easy
to immediately understand and can feel strange, but that is exactly where its
charm lies—through symbols and implied meanings. Something that seems absurd,
yet holds depth that slowly reveals itself.
The
film opens with a conversation narrative telling the myth of a man and a frog
trying to defeat a giant worm in order to protect Tokyo from disaster. This
story is then brought back again at the end, as if becoming the final piece
that completes the whole story. This presentation makes the audience feel like
they have found a puzzle that is finally fully assembled.
Even
though the four stories look very different from one another, the main idea
they carry feels similar: the emptiness experienced by the characters and the
search for identity that leads to an ending that gives a strange sense of
satisfaction. The 1995 earthquake that constantly appears in every story
becomes a unique connection, strengthened by a clear timeline so it still feels
easy to follow.
Technically,
the camera movement, presentation of details, and transitions between scenes
are shown neatly. The acting from the characters also feels natural, without
being excessive. There are no explosive scenes or adrenaline-pumping moments,
everything moves in a calmness and silence that slowly cuts deep—leaving an
impression that lasts longer.
Another
strength of this film lies in the balanced division of the story portions.
Every part is worked on seriously, without any section feeling heavier or
neglected. Because of that, the whole film does not feel carelessly made.
After
The Quake is not just a collection of stories combined into one film, but a
quiet journey about humans trying to understand loss, belief, and themselves.
Through strangeness that feels familiar and calmness that slowly cuts deep,
this film does not offer definite answers, but instead space to reflect—that
between emptiness and unanswered questions, perhaps that is where the meaning
of life begins to form.
Memorable Scene:
One
of the simple yet deeply meaningful scenes in After the Quake is when
Yoshiya, who has continuously been called the child of God, starts feeling
tired of the reality that seems hidden from him. Until a question comes out of
his mouth, “If God is always testing us, why are we not allowed to test Him?”
That
question does not appear just like that, but is born from the anxiety often
felt by humans when they are unable to understand what is happening in their
lives. Especially when facing disappointment and suffering. So critical
questions begin to appear—not to be ignored or forced into silence, but instead
as the beginning of the search for the true meaning of life.
Memorable Dialogue:
“Have you ever thought about how you will die?”
Ending:
Cliffhanger
Recommendation:
Worth
to Watch
(Aluna
Uwie)
 – Four Quiet Stories Behind an Earthquake That Never Truly Ends){kind=link}
0 Comments