The Ring (Widescreen Edition)

Rating:
Summary: Viscerally creepy, but not a whole lot more than that
Review: Gore Verbinski's THE RING is the classic example of a film that is all style and very little, if any, substance. Verbinski certainly knows how to make a creepy horror film: this film is laced with atmosphere and dread and gray skies. Technically, it is quite impressive. It's too bad that all the skillful visuals are put in the service of a really dumb plot---or, at least, that's the way it turns out. Perhaps the idea of a videotape killing people could make a good horror film---but when the screenplay by Ehren Kruger starts trying to explain how the videotape was made and then how to dilute the videotape's power, this movie just became plain stupid for me. How could anyone be duped into blindly accepting this kind of silliness? I suppose, though, that that is a very subjective reaction and that some people might find its visuals and atmosphere effective enough to accept the film without a second thought. Still, I remember that John Carpenter's HALLOWEEN never really provided an explanation for Michael Myers' motives (except, of course, that "he's crazy"), and I think that perhaps horror movies shouldn't be so burdened with having to explain the horror in them---it should merely be felt, since film is such a visual medium anyway (leave explanations to writers, hehe). In the case of THE RING, we feel the horror, but we also feel a plot that strains to explain itself, and ends up merely being laughable instead (especially that final twist, which I had difficulty swallowing). If Kruger hadn't tried so hard, maybe this would have turned out to be a highly effective horror film instead one that made me wonder what the heck the horse in the middle of the film had to do with anything. I think THE RING is viscerally creepy enough that it earns its three stars here, but all of Verbinski's style cannot hide the fact that, plotwise, this film is a mess, and I certainly don't plan on seeing this film's intended sequel whenever it comes out.

Rating:
Summary: A good & suspenseful psychological thriller with some horror
Review: I am sure you have all heard about "The Ring" so I will not belabor the plot, but I will just give you the basics. The movie centers around a video tape that if you watch, you will receive a phone call stating that you will die in seven days and in seven days, you see the ring and you die...creepy, huh?

Well, the movie starts out very well and I can certainly see where people thought this movie was very scary...there are elements of horror to this film, but "The Ring" is really more of a mystery/suspense thriller than a "pure horror" film. Certainly, Samara and the whole idea of this very creepy VHS tape provide the audience with moments of pure terror.

Ultimately, "The Ring" is very much a psychological suspense thriller and you really have to pay very close attention to keep up with what is going on throughout the movie. Also, the tape itself is very important as every single item or scene that you see in the tape has a specific meaning and is part of the puzzle that Rachael must put together in order to save herself and her son.

However, the majority of the movie is not about horror or death, but it is about Racheal and Noah investigating this tape and trying to figure out the mystery behind this curse. I think this investigation creates a building suspense in the audience as the movie moves towards its fantastic conclusion, but the essence of the film takes on a characterization of mystery/suspense rather than horror.

The ending of this movie is quite scary, but the ending could have been even better. All in all, this is a good film based on its merits of horror and certainly deserves a place in the horror genre, but it is just simply not a great horror movie and would be a better film under the mystery/suspense genre instead.

If I was writing this review and grading it on the elements of suspense and mystery it creates, I would give it at least 4 stars, but I am a horror film addict and critic and based on horror film criteria, I can only attach a 3 star rating to it. One final note: "The Ring" was based on a Japanese film called "Ringu" which I have not seen yet, but plan on doing so soon. I will write a review about that movie as well. Please check out all of my horror movie reviews.

Rating:
Summary: Well, I like it
Review: As with just about everything that is a big time as 'The Ring' is, opinion on it is strongly divided. Personally, I think it's great, and found it to be very scary on initial viewing, though it has somewhat lost it's ability to scare under repeated viewing. (as films are certain to do) However, this hasn't dimmed my appreciated for the film any, as I'm not really interested in being scared by a film. Besides, that's a stupid way to review a film, a what people are frightened by in film seems to be the most difficult to predict thing there is, and reviewing something by those standards will irrevocably color the way the audience views a film, so that they may not be able to appreciate the other aspects of it. 'The Ring' is certainly a horror film, but it's mostly a moody, imagistic horror film, though it still does leap to life at the appropriate moments. And, I think it's a great horror movie, and a great movie by any standard. If you haven't actually seen it yet, don't go in expecting to be terrified. Just go in looking to see an interesting, well-crafted movie.

Although everyone already knows it, I'll give a basic plot summation. Alright, Rachel's niece, Katie, is killed one night under mysterious circumstances, and Rachel proceeds to investigate into how this might have happened. She discovers that a number of her friends died at about the same time, and that they viewed a tape just a week earlier, which is rumored to kill you seven days after you view it. She finds and views the tape, becomes convinced that it is in fact the cause of death, and desperately searches for a solution, particularly after her son Aidan views the tape. I'll admit it, this is one wacky plot. I was interested when I saw the ads, and heard some positive reviews from sources I trust, but was still a little worried upon hearing a plot synopsis. I think this is why so many people don't like it- they just can't take the notion of a haunted videotape seriously, and this is a horror film that simply will not work if you can't take it seriously. It's not just a matter of being scared, it's that some people won't be able to take this seriously even on a simply dramatic level, and the whole film will just be really silly. Whether or not you will be able to take it seriously is a question I can't really answer, though I can say that me and all my friends were all concerned about the odd premise, but we all ended up liking it anyway. So, even if you have doubts about it there's still a chance you can get into it.

The performances are strong, though there generally isn't a whole lot in the way of characterization. Rachel isn't all that likable, though I do rather like Noah, her estranged boyfriend and the father of Aidan, so there's a certain amount of personal involvement in the film. Still, the strength of the film is in it's mood and images. The tape itself is quite cool. The old random montage of images is something of a cliché but they make it work anyway. There are a number of truly striking images, particularly a large, solitary and vaguely surreal tree, which repeatedly shown at sunset, and a quaint yet extremely creepy and sparse little bedroom in the top of a barn, which can only be accessed by a frightfully tall and old looking ladder . The film is set in the Pacific northwest, so it is perpetually raining, but it's a dreadful, depressing sort of rain rather than the `scary thunderstorm at night, kinda stuff. The whole film was blueified, but for once this technique actually works, and it isn't so overdone that the characters look alien. (See the plotless wonder `Crazy/Beautiful' for a film that has been over-blued for no apparent reason)

There are some powerful set-pieces as well. The opening scene, depicting Katie's death, is a standard `victim wandering about the empty house' scene, but it works better than most, and is really quite intense. There is also a powerful, frightening suicide scene and an inexplicable scene involving a horse going wild and killing itself. And the final horror scene is quite effective, though I won't go into specifics.

Most of all, however, it's just a clever film, displaying connections and multiple meanings, some of which require multiple viewings to uncover. It displays a nightmare logic, where numerous things connect to each, but we're often uncertain of how or why they do so. Things they see in the tape are reflected in the real world, sometimes perhaps just a coincidence, other times suggesting an inevitability and lack of control on the part of the protagonists. This is scary, I think, but it's mostly just cool. I would try and go into specifics, but I'm having a tough time describing it, and I suppose it would be better to just see these things yourself.

Well, I've been writing and writing and not done an at all good job of explaining myself, so I'll just screw it, and suffice to say that Kcin highly recommends this movie. Take that for what it's worth.

Rating:
Summary: The only horror movie that gives me nightmares!
Review: Back in the 1980's, when I was in Elementary School, I saw my very first horror movie, Nightmare on Elm Street part 4. After that, I didn't see another horror movie until Middle School in the early 90's, I saw Friday The 13th part 7. After seeing Friday the 13th, I started really liking horror movies and started watching everything from Stephen King, every Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th, a lot more that aren't so popular and of course the Halloween movies. I was able to watch horror movies for years and years without being affected really. It was to the point that some horror movies were just putting me sleep because they weren't scary. That is, until I saw The Ring!

I saw The Ring in the theatre and from that first time, it scared me to death. I literally jumped during many scenes and after it was over, it wasn't really over for me. That night after I got back home, I couldn't sleep with the light off. I didn't want to see any static on my TV because I was so scared. My friend who I saw it with kept mentioning a static TV just to scare me and it worked. I have also had a few nightmares about Samara coming after me just recently. This movie is still affecting me to this day. I did buy it on DVD when it came to stores because I feel it's a must buy because it's the only horror movie that scares me. I have watched it many times on DVD during the day and avoided watching certain scenes but it still freaks me out. I must say, this is THE HORROR MOVIE of all horror movies! I still can't stand to see a static TV!

Rating:
Summary: My New Favorite Movie-
Review: As someone who heard a lot from here friends about the movie, i think the movie isn't that scary as everyone think before they even see it.
In my opinion, "THE RING" is an interesting movie, i enjoyed watching it and i think you should watch it and judge it for yourself before your read the other reviews about it.
The movie is a great horror movie, that keeps you in suspens thruogh all it. And, i just can't wait to see "THE RING 2"...i hope it will be as good as the first, but better.

Rating:
Summary: The scariest movie I have never seen
Review: The scariest movie I have never seen
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I WAS 14 YEARS OLD WHEN I SAW THIS SCARY MOVIE WITH MY FAMILY. I had heard of this movie from people around me when it had first come out.
There are jumps and twists in this film, that are indeed frightening, but what I really like about the film is the originality of it.
The movie is about a video tape that four teenagers may have watched and after that the phone rings and tells them that whoever sees the video tape has 7 days to live.....
The scariest scene in the film is when an image pops out from the t.v and then.....
This scary movie is for teenagers and adults.
The movie has an open ending and there is sequence movie.
From all the scary movies I have seen, this movie is the best.

Rating:
Summary: The Ring
Review: The Ring is a Horror movie (and one of the most scaring ones). It is suitable for teenagers and adults.
The Ring is about a reporter, Rachel, (Naomi Watts) that found out that a video tape killed her niece ,Kathy. After she investigates the tape, she finds out that this tape has many strange things. When Rachel watches this tape, her phone rings and a strange voice tells her that she will die in seven days. Her ex-husband and her child watch the tape as well and then they try to look for the origins of the tape and to save their lives.
I recommend to all of the Horror movie lovers to go and watch this movie, I garantee you won't sleep peacfully at night after watching it. But it's worth it....

Rating:
Summary: I WASTED MY TIME!! THE RING SURPRISED ME!
Review: The ring is not intresting for teenagers,and espacially not to adults.It's not a scary movie, there is more suspense then there is scary parts!!
This movie was boring and desapointing.
I'm the last person who saw the movie among my friends.They said it was a little scary but it wasnt the scariest movie they have ever seen. When i decited to see the movie it already came out on TV, my bast freind and i started watching and we were vary SURPRISED.
All of my freinds were right it was a complitly waste of our time,the ring is not scary at all, it has a lot of suspense but its not scary.Maybe there were some parts that was a little scary but that's it!
I would not be surprised if the ring 2 will be as teribal as this first movie.


Rating:
Summary: Review
Review: "The Ring" is an American remake of the 1998 Japanese hit "Ringu", based on Koji Suzuki's popular novel.
"The ring" is a horror movie that talks about a videotape which kills every one who's watching it within 7 days.
After you've seen it the phone rings and a voice whispers:"seven days".
A reporter for a Seattle newspaper named Rachel, investigates the sudden death of her cousin Katie by her mother's request.
Rachel begins to investigate the videotape, and watch it with her ex-husband.
Soon she realizes she would die within 7 days and she can't prevent it.
She begins to invistigate further and finds out the true story behind the video tape. What's really "motivates" Rachel is the fact her little son watched the horrible tape during the night, and would die 7 days later.
Within the investigation she gets to know the story behind Ana Morgan, the owner of a stable.
Ana Morgen couldn't have children, that's why she adopted a girl, Samara.
What's her connection with this horrible videotape? Is this a scary little girl, a ghost who chooses to avange through the media instead of rattling chains in a house? How can misery transfer itself to an inanimate object?
All questions would be answered through a focused view of the movie.

Rating:
Summary: Huh? What??? This is supposed to be a horror movie?
Review: Oh, I remember when this movie came out. I was 13 and my friends would tell me they saw it and according to them, it was just the scariest movie ever to them. People would say how scary it was, and it nearly made them cry. Well, me, believing all the hype went out to see it for myself; I was looking for a good scare, and this seemed like the movie for me.
God, I wasted my time and money. And the people who said this was the scariest movie ever, I'm questioning whether they were on something when they saw this movie.

I'm now 15 years old, and I still say the same thing I did 2 years ago: this is the MOST OVERRATED MOVIE EVER!!!
First, I remember watching it. In the dark. By myself. I was ready for a good horror, that would have me shaking with fear. Well, I watched it. Halfway into the movie, I asked, "okay...when's the scared-to-death part going to happen." And then, the movie ended. "THAT'S IT? WHAT THE HELL! THIS IS SCARY!"
Please. Scary? I'd say this is the least scariest movie I've seen. Blair Witch Project scared me more than this. The movie didn't scare me. In fact, it almost put me to sleep. It was boring. Maybe that's why it's scary. For it's boredom perhaps? I don't know, but I still can't believe this movie scared people. The Count from Seasame Street gave me more nightmares! Jesus, if this movie scared you, then I feel sorry for you, for you must be afraid of your own shadow too. I'm still trying to figure out how people are scared of this. I wasn't moved by this at all. I got scared watching other horrors, but this so-called scariest movie ever, barely gave me shivers.