REGARDED BY MANY as the most unsettling film since “The Exorcist,” “The Ring” is a very tense and disturbing film.
Although “The Ring”starts off like most of your run -of – the – mill teen horror movies that have been hitting the big screen over the past five years (with two young girls discussing an urban legend) it proves to be much more unique and successful than it’s predecessors.
As legend has it, there is this mysterious video tape containing nightmarish and surreal imagery, in circulation. The consequence of viewing this creepy film is death; seven days later, from the exact moment of watching the tape, the viewer will meet their demise. Unfortunately, one of these two girls has viewed the tape, just seven days prior.
After her death, the girl’s grief-stricken mother turns to her sister, Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts) in search of answers. Rachel, a reporter, begins her investigation and learns about the legend from a group of her niece’s friends.
Keller learns her niece was not the only one who watched the tape, but was one of a group of four, who all met their deaths at the exact same time.
While searching for clues, Rachel stumbles upon the location of where the teens viewed the film- a rented cabin. Here Rachel finds the tape and views it for herself, not believing that it could possibly be the cause of all of this. Soon after watching the tape she begins to see disturbing visions and she is now a believer.
Knowing she has only seven days to solve the mystery and possibly save her life, she collects clues as to the origins of the tape. The more she learns, the more her fears come true; now not only does she have fight to possibly save her own life, but also that of her young son, who has found and watched the tape as well.
Director Gore Verbinski (“Mouse Hunt” and “The Mexican”) does a fabulous job on this film. One of the key aspects that make this movie so frightening is the fact that most of the gory details are left to the imagination, keeping the movie suspenseful and haunting. Of course, the foggy atmosphere of its Pacific Northwest setting certainly helps “The Ring.”
Cinematographer Bojan Bazelli’s gift of camera photography was also witnessed in some of his other works like 1993’s “Kalifornia” and “Boxing Helena,” as well as 1992’s “Body Snatchers.”
Naomi Watts, who caught everyone’s eye in her breakthrough role in David Lynch’s “Mulholland Drive” (2001) plays a superb role, making Rachel Keller a real and strong female character. Martin Henderson (“Windtalkers”), plays Noah, Rachel’s romantic intrest and the person she confides in. Rachel’s son, Aidan, is played by David Dorfman.
Although many viewers may think the “The Ring” is just the latest horror movie, they are wrong. “The Ring” is actually a remake of the 1998 Japanese horror film which is simply titled “Ring.”
The original film, directed by Hideo Nakata, caused a huge sensation when it was released in Japan and has subsequently spawned a sequel (“Ring 2”), a prequel (“Ring 0”) and a 12-part TV adaptation. Both the American remake and the Japanese original are based upon the bestselling novel by KCB4ji Suzuki.
Of course, it’s hard to say if anyone seeing this film will be as spooked as executive producer Roy Lee, who introduced the film to DreamWorks, was when he first saw the Japanese version.
He was so scared, he told a reporter, he simply turned off the movie several times while viewing it on a VCR. The new version, like the original, is very visual and unpredictable.
Bringing together superb cinematography, grisly special effects, and suspenseful and frightening story, “The Ring” will undoubtedly be one of this year’s hit thrillers.
“The Ring” opened last Friday at local theaters and is rated PG-13 for violence, sexual content, language and some drug references.
