10 More Horror Movies Where Evil Wins
3. Cure
Kiyoshi Kurosawa's criminally underseen 1997 psychological horror Cure is an especially interesting example given that the villainous presence actually dies, but their influence absolutely does not.
The story follows Tokyo detective Kenichi Takabe (Kōji Yakusho) as he investigates a bizarre series of brutal murders across the city, wherein the culprits quickly confess and yet have no clear motives for their actions.
It's eventually revealed that the real person responsible is Kunio Mamiya (Masato Hagiwara), a master of hypnosis who has planted hypnotic suggestions in the perpetrators' minds to compel them to carry out the killings.
In the climax, Mamiya escapes custody, prompting Takabe to chase him down and shoot him. As Mamiya dies, however, he draws an "X" in the air - a recurring symbol found on his victims throughout the film.
The final scene then shows Takabe eating at a restaurant, and after a waitress serves him, we see her suddenly brandishing a knife. Though we don't see what happens next, the implication is clear, that Mamiya has effectively hypnotised Takabe into unconsciously continuing his work, basically allowing his legacy to live on after death.