The Ring
(2002) (***1/2)
review by Jon
Waterman
Alright, I have to write this quick, because apparently I
only have seven days to live. “Why?” you may ask.
Well, because I’ve seen “The Ring.” Legend
has it that after watching the tape, you become cursed – doomed
if you will. In exactly seven days, you will die. Following
the odd, untimely death of her niece, newspaper reporter Rachel
Keller decides to put the rumor to the test. This of course
includes watching the evil movie. Now she has just one week
to fit all the pieces of the puzzle together and hopefully
stop whatever it is that happens from happening.
Director Gore Verbinski takes his shot at remaking the Japanese
film, “Ringu.” Along with his cinematographer Bojan
Bazelli, he creates a genuinely spooky world that is terrifyingly
fun to explore. The locations have the deep shadows necessary
for such a suspenseful feel, yet they still manage to be quite
vibrant and lively and at the same time, otherworldly. The
tape in question is given its own personality. Aside from looking
like an utterly pretentious student film, the harsh contrast
and grain lend it its eerie tone.
Writer Ehren Kruger (“Scream 3” and “Arlington
Road”) does a wonderful job of taking the original work
and fleshing it out into something more interesting and more
cohesive. Instead of being largely psychic or intuition based,
the characters actually need to use the tape to find clues.
There is a legitimate mystery behind this guise of a horror
film. Everything comes together full circle in the end, too
(pardon the pun). The symbolism had the potential to be weak
and corny, but actually it’s handled very well and the
visual links work beautifully as well.
The acting is a little off and forced yet still far above
other horror films. The biggest offender is David Dorfman,
who plays Rachel’s son. You can’t expect Haley
Joel Osment “The Sixth Sense” quality out of every
kid, but he was a little stiff, and could have been slightly
more off-putting (in a good way). It didn’t seem like
any of the actors really gave it their all (not even Naomi
Watts in the lead). However, at no point did the lines seem
forced or overdone – and that’s rare in this type
of film.
Strangely enough, this American remake is much better than
the slightly annoying, humdrum Japanese original. I hesitate
to use the word “scary,” but it’s definitely
effective and severely creepy. It lacks the cheap thrills and
jumps, which makes it a more satisfying overall experience.
This film is the best argument against being a couch potato
and watching movies. With that said, grab some popcorn and
your blankie and see “The Ring.”
respond to jon@filmbrats.com
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