The Ring-My Honest Review
The Ring made me jump in my seat!
It's absolutely true. I went to the movies with a friend one evening to catch this flick called The Ring. I already knew the story from the original Japanese version but I was curious to see how it was redone in the US. Many people criticized the American remake of the film for adding in too many special effects taking away the chill factor of the original. In fact most of my friends here in Japan thought the same but still curiosity got the best of me. Maybe it was my low expectations and bad reviews from my friends, but I rather enjoyed the film and it literally made me jump in my seat a few times.
Not your average teenage horror flick
The Ring is a remake of a Japanese film called RING. The storyline is similar but there are many differences. The US version of The Ring adds many extra details that the Japanese version does not have. For example, the US version adds some special effects to the film while the original Japanese version uses very little probably because of the Japanese preference for subtlety.
The Ring is not your typical aimed-at-teens horror movie with college kids getting slashed one after another. The storyline is simple. If you watch a certain video tape, you will die within seven days. I won't get into the actual story because that's for your to find out on your own and I don't want to give it away. Part of the enjoyment of this movie is trying to figure out the mysteries behind the haunted tape.
The movie relies on subtlety rather than in-your-face shocking scenes although there are a few scenes that will make you jump out of your seats like I did. However the feeling of dread and fear is constant throughout the entire film. The Ring is a complex movie with lots of mystery that separates it from your typical horror movie.
A well made remake of the original
In conclusion, I really thought the remake of The Ring was well done and genuinely scary. In fact, it's a movie that I don't recommend watching alone. Full of eerie atmosphere with hidden clues and symbols littered throughout the movie, The Ring delivers more than cheap thrills.
