‘When You Open The Door’ Is A Surreal Japanese Werewolf Movie That Gets Lost In The Cycles Of The Moon [Fantasia Review]

“I got bitten by a wolf.”

There are certain horror monsters that are classics for a reason. Vampires, zombies, and werewolves represent far more than deadly supernatural creatures. Werewolves, in particular, are monsters that we’ve literally been telling stories about for thousands of years, and yet we keep coming back for more. Werewolf stories have become such a potent coming-of-age allegory, increasingly for women, but this perspective becomes even more layered when it’s filtered through different cultural and societal expectations. When You Open the Door is an 86-minute lucid dream that feels like David Lynch mixed with early Sion Sono, marking an extremely exciting start from debut filmmaker Eriko Katagiri.

When You Open the Door is about fragile self-discovery, but for a hard-working architect in her late 20s, rather than some clumsy teenager on the cusp of puberty. Miki’s (Serena Motola) life may look put together from an outside glance, but she’s suffocating in ambivalence as she searches for purpose to break through this monotony. When You Open the Door provides an accurate snapshot of Miki’s life that’s suddenly interrupted by a prophetic wolf bite. Miki’s quest for answers regarding her new condition prompts an even deeper dive into what she really stands for as a person. It’s a surreal and highly stylized Japanese werewolf coming-of-age movie that doubles as a lonely, lethargic reflection on identity and femininity.

This is a film that’s full of werewolf and transformation references long before Miki is in any sense of danger. It’s as if her lycanthropic metamorphosis has been fated. When You Open the Door feeds on this energy so that this werewolf film becomes a mythological and theological awakening. Some of its most interesting ideas come from ancient folklore and rituals. 

When You Open the Door is a transformation story that’s arguably even more internal than it is external. There are very real changes happening not only to Miki’s body, but also to her shifting perception of the world. There are plenty of moments that feel just as at peace with Andrzej Żuławski’s Possession as they do with Ginger Snaps. When You Open the Door’s visuals are often disorienting and cryptic, but never unaccomplished. Katagiri achieves a very precise cinematography and visual style that effectively mirrors Miki’s transgressive journey.