Teketeke (2009) User Reviews

Urban Legend movie that is poorly executed.

[HorrorDisasterGuy-90617 · 5/10 · 3 July 2023]

I do think the story is pretty interesting on how it's based on a Japanese urban legend that I never heard of. The movie does a good job on explaining the myth of the spirit and the backstory of her. The opening of the movie actually does a good job on building up the suspense when the spirit first appeared. And I like how the movie doesn't show the spirit face until the end.

Unfortunately the movie contains a couple of flaws to it. The movie feels similar to other supernatural movies with the characters trying to find answers about the myth. The creepiness factor feels really weak because things happened way too quickly and there isn't that much suspense after the opening. I also find the climax to be poor because it feels really anticlimactic at the end. And I felt the movie could be a little bit more longer to make the movie more creepier.

Cringiest movie ever

[SyoKennex · 4/10 · 7 October 2018]

I really love to watch a good urban legend based horror movie. Lights Out. Kuchisake-onna. Teke-Teke.

Or at least, I expected Teke-Teke to be somewhat good. The story of a woman's torso going around Japan cutting people in half, and two desperate girls trying to break a curse. It sounds like quite a lot of Asian / Japanese horror movies, but this one has potential. It was based off of one of the most famous Japanese urban legends of all time! This legend was so famous, people use to avoid train stations if they could go with other people after dark. It held districts in fear.

And that fear was exactly what I was looking for within this movie. Maybe it's my own fault for holding so many expectations, many of which were high - but this really didn't do it for me at all.

The acting was relatively well done in most moments when needed, but there were many times it just didn't come through. The characters do something insufferable that sometimes leads to death and you're just left staring at the screen like "Were you born naturally stupid or did you have sections of your brain removed?" That's part of this that I'm pretty sure I lost IQ points watching. It's generic horror movie dumbness but it seemed even more rampant throughout this and I assume that's down to the characters not being believable as people.

The CGI was painfully to watch, especially as Teke-Teke starts jumping around. It's meant to be tense scenes that have you sat on the edge of your seat, but you just sit there laughing at how purely ridiculous it looks. Now props to the editors and everyone, this did come out in 2009 when CGI wasn't as great - but it was still a degree better than it was in the film and it seriously could have been better.

It's been months since I saw this movie and I can still write a coherent review on how bad it actually was, that's alarming.

Overall, if you're here to watch something scary, give Teke-Teke a skip. However if you're here to watch something comedy, give Teke-Teke a try. They were in the ballpark with this movie, but in the complete wrong state. Comedic in general, not as horrifying and scary as you would think and a bit of a let down to the original urban legend.

Watchable...

[paul_haakonsen · 5/10 · 5 April 2024]

Given my love of Asian cinema, then there was no doubt about me sitting down to watch this 2009 Japanese horror movie titled "Teketeke", as I happened to stumble upon it by random luck here in 2024. I had never heard about the movie before, so I didn't know what I was in for, and thus also had no expectations. Which meant that writer Takeki Akimoto and director Kôji Shiraishi had every opportunity to entertain me.

Just seven minutes into the movie there is a gory scene. And that definitely was a nice way to start the movie. Thumbs up for that.

Now, I am not familiar with the Japanese urban legend upon which this movie is based. So how true writer Takeki Akimoto was to the source material, I have no idea.

The storyline in the movie was okay. But I've been watching Asian horror movies for the better part of 35 years, so this movie wasn't particularly impressive. Sure, it was watchable, and I suppose if you are a newcomer to Japanese horror cinema then you're in for a treat. However, as a Japanese horror veteran, "Teketeke" was a mere walk in the park. A shame really, because the movie started out so nicely.

I wasn't familiar with a single actress or actor on the cast list, which is actually something that I do enjoy when I sit down to watch a movie. The acting performances in "Teketeke" were fair enough, though hardly anything outstanding, if I have to be blunt and honest.

Visually the movie is adequate. There is a bit of gore and blood, which definitely helped to keep the movie afloat for me.

Watchable and enjoyable for what it was, I doubt that I will ever return to watch "Teketeke" a second time.

My rating of "Teketeke" lands on a five out of ten stars.

Idol Horror movie

[ethSin · 9/10 · 11 July 2009]

This film has two dimensions, as an idol movie and a horror movie. Typically these two do not mix, but it did for me in this case.

Teketeke is an urban legend of a woman with no lower body who chops anyone who turns around into half.

Ooshima Yuuko, the girl who played the leading role is in AKB48, a ridiculously large (48 members) idol band, but her acting was very good, just like Maeda Atsuko in "How to Become Myself", a fellow AKB48 member. Of course, she's very cute, but what I really liked about her was her unique voice. Although AKB48 is an extremely stupid band that releases really horrible songs in my opinion, I am looking forward to more movies starring its members.

"Teketeke" is a typical Japanese horror movie. It's scary, but not so much that I can't sleep at night. Girls get chopped into half, but not overly gory and gross. Just perfect for me in every way. All the victims being really beautiful women and cute girls is an added bonus. The people who made this movie must have been pervs, but I must also be a perv too for liking it.

The balance of horror (scary parts) and everyday life (introduction, mourning, researching on the monster etc) was perfect. Overall great direction and production that maintains the suspense throughout the film.

This movie may not stand out among hundreds of other Japanese horror movies, but it's my absolute favorite.

Easily on par with Ringu and The Shutter

[stylegamer · 9/10 · 8 January 2017]

First of all i am not Japanese and i watched this movie recently with English subtitles. Over the years i have watched horror movies the The Ring and shutter and this movie isn't a rehash of the stuff released earlier. It tells the story of an urban legend and a ghoul that only has the upper part of its body and moves fast on its arms. Teke Teke finally offers up something beyond the long haired girl that seems to take up the spot of every ghost in Asian cinema. Not only is the long hair gone but so are the legs as Teke Teke is an urban legend of a ghost who is missing her legs. In the film they say that if you cross the train tracks after dark you'll hear Teke Teke behind you. If you turn around she'll slice you neatly in half and even if you manage to escape you'll still die 3 days later. And so goes Teke Teke.

The visual imagery here is genuinely creepy and although it takes a familiar Asian horror setting and premise,it still manages to give it a new dose of horror by combining elements of a creature flick. It is not so often we see a movie with a fast moving ghost but still retain the same slow brooding tense atmosphere that we all crave. However the film is not without its flaws. Although the horror scenes were exceptionally filmed, the other scenes depicting the every day scenarios could have been better in terms of cinematographer. It gives the visual sense of amateur cinematography and live sound being combined in the film.

Other than having some minor flaws,It's not the greatest horror work around but it is at least trying to offer something different. With some much needed gore added and a nicely done ghost, the movie manages to beat out a lot of the other offerings. the film is worth watching and be sure not to miss it as u will enjoy this one in a dark room .