Rating: Summary: Stylish but Silly Review: Great performances and some thoughtful and subtle direction, make this an intriguing diversion. However, the complete and utter implausibility might fall flat on the more literal-minded.*spoiler* I mean, c'mon, a little girl climbing through television screens killing people because she got thrown into a well, when she was asking for it in the first place...whatever... However you'd have to say it's another feather in the cap of Naomi Watts, who acquits herself admirably, given the complete lack of irony in the film's approach to the subject matter (which is probably no bad thing, the sly, wink-wink, nudge-nudge thing is getting a little tired). Overall though, a triumph of style over substance.
Rating: Summary: The most disturbing film I have ever viewed Review: This movie was way beyond disturbing, but that is what makes it so good. After I watched this movie, I was pretty uneasy for a while. I kept looking in the bathroom thinking I might see this freaky woman combing her hair. I will never get rid of these darn images this movie offered my brain. I look forward to viewing this movie a second, third, fourth, and maybe if i'm not completely scarred for life, I will watch it a fifth time. I am even scared to review this movie! I am a loyal horror movie fan, and I don't even own this dvd! Anyways, back to the movie. This movie is extremely eerie and if you are a horror fan, watch this. This is a good movie to watch on Halloween night with your friends with all the lights off. This is a soon to be classic, and I will be on my way to buy this dvd before long. Have a "spooky good time" watching this, I know you will!
Rating: Summary: AMAZING NEW MATERIAL!!!! Review: I'm glad that Hollywood got ahold of RINGU and made this amazing horror movie! When I saw the previews it was confusing to me, and I had to wait until it came to video, and I instantly fell in love with it! It was unique and origional and it just struck me as one of those "soon to be classics". There have always been mini rumors of a similar subject floating around, but this makes it fun! It wasn't as much as scary as I thought it would be but it was very suspensful and it did scare me a few times! Ok, so there is a whispered tale of a movie that kills you 7 days after you watch and a reporters niece dies from it, and she gets ahold of the tape and watches it for herself and now her lif is on the line as she tries to figure out how to stop the tape from doing what it is set out to do and discovers that it is a nightmare of a girl with mysterious powers who was killed by her mom. It was very good and hopefully it will become a classic like Carrie and Jaws, and maybe a sequal is in order! That would be realy interesting to see how that movie goes about, like maybe take the viewers into the world of Samara, or go into more detail about her life. That would make a good sequal!!!
Rating: Summary: A Two-Hour Lobby Against the VHS Format Review: Eddie Murphy used to make fun of idiot movie characters like the one Naomi Watts plays in The Ring. Not only is she dumb enough to watch a tape she has already been warned will kill her - she then plays it for her ex-boyfriend. That's being a little bit spiteful, isn't it? Then, and this is the kicker, she makes COPIES of the tape, and leaves the copies around for friends and loved ones to stumble upon. Characters like this deserve to advance straight to Death. No passing GO. No collecting $200. They must die, and they must die painfully. And when people in The Ring watch the deadly videotape, they watch it with their noses four inches away from the TV monitor. Have you ever tried this? Your head explodes after about five minutes. Who watches TV like this? Suffice to say that if the videotape doesn't kill all the characters, radiation poisoning surely will. Consider it a mercy killing. More cliches abound. The Ring also features not, on, not two, but THREE Scary Kids. The Scary Kid cliche has dominated horror movies for the past five years, and director Gore Verbinski thinks that having multiple Scary Kids adds up to a masterpiece of terror. The end result ends up being quite the opposite. There are some mild scares in The Ring, but it's essentially a scary movie for people who are scared by everything. And if you can figure out why the film's "twist" ending is actually a twist, please let me know. Not that I'm dying to figure it out.
Rating: Summary: Enough twists to keep your blood cold Review: I TiVo'ed this on a whim and was pleasantly - and chillingly - surprised by its quality. There are at least three points in the film where a critic probably turned it off and labeled it derivative drivel - but each time, there's a nice twist that prevents 'The Ring' from being conveniently boxed in with the rest of the restless-spirit-must-be-heard, Sixth-Sense/Stir-of-Echoes clan. At the 1:40 mark, I thought I had this one figured out. I didn't. Recommended for your next dark and stormy night. There's still a few plot holes here and there (after it's over, try and puzzle out the whole garbage bag/seven days issue) that cost it the ultimate fifth star, but really it's about 4.5.
Rating: Summary: A couple of important details done right! Review: A couple of details make this B-movie a cult classic. The film within the film was spooky, but deliciously abstact and surreal. I think it is a tribute to Luís Buñuel's surrealitic short 1928 film "Un Chien Andalou". At least the editors didn't try to force it to make sense or have logic- That would have ruined the effect! Also the whole concept that the viewer is part of the cycle- and that you too must act to remove the curse!- is great. A guilty pleasure, but it has its charms. By the way, the phone calls are supernatural- don't try to figure them out. Turn off your brain and enjoy!
Rating: Summary: Better than Ringu? Review: I have heard many state that the original Japanese film 'Ringu' upon which this film was based is much better. I disagree with this analysis and believe that 'The Ring' actually stands up much better than 'Ringu.' What really makes this film for me is the dreary atmosphere. The gloomy, constant rain of Seattle certainly adds greatly to the grim storyline. Also, the apartment building that the main character lives in struck me as ugly as Hill House and again adds to the air of gloom and even dispair. These touches are sadly missing from 'Ringu'. There was some totally unnecessary gratuitous violence in this film which almost turned me off completely, most particularly the death of the horse on the boat. However, compared to the slasher movies that have become so prevalent, this movie is relatively tame and stayed on psycological terror rather than falling back on gratuitous violence. Finally, of course the film doesn't always make a lot of sense and there are a lot of questions that I would have liked answered (who really made those awful phone calls after the victim watched the video?). Still, sometimes the audience should be left guessing. I was really looking forward to seeing Naomi watts again after her appearance in 'Mulholland Drive'. She does very well in this film but the role does not allow her the opportunity to show how great she is. Even so, she acquits herself well and I hope that her enxt film offers an opportunity to showcase her talent as in 'Mulholland Drive'. The DVD shows a possible alternative ending that I wish was added to the original film and makes me glad that I did pick up the DVD. I strongly suggest that you watch the special features for this alternative ending. All in all, I think that this is a pretty decent addition to the horror genre.
Rating: Summary: Best "creepy" flick in some time! Review: If you want to have some fun... give this to someone who has never seen it and is unaware of the story. Tell them to start watching it at night! If you can find out when they view it...give them a call about 5 minutes into the flick... I bet they don't watch the rest of the DVD that night! This movie is truely creepy if you don't sit there and try to deconstruct every aspect! have fun. There are a number of scenes where you just might have to stand up and walk out of the room for a minute ....or two!
Rating: Summary: What's The Big Deal Review: When this movie first came out everyone said that they loved it. After I watched this movie I felt emotionally and physically drained. It seemed that what little storyline the movie did have was not connected at all and sometimes the movie made no sense at all. I will try not to spoil the movie but the "death tape" made really no sense at all to me. The only cool thing was watching the content of the tape, it was very bizarre. I will regretfully say that despite popular opinion I do not recommend this movie to anyone.
Rating: Summary: The Ring....one awesome movie! Review: After seeing this movie, all I could say was....wow. This is one spectacular film by Gore Verbinski, and I highly recommend it for horror film fans. The director added tons of suspense to the movie, and the end is just plain scary (but I won't give it away!). This is the best movie I've ever seen in my life....a must see!
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