Movie Info

The Ring - "Before you die, you see the ring."

The Ring is a remake of a Japanese movie based on the novel by Kooji Suzuki. I really enjoyed the movie and thought that it was a good step away from the traditional hack and slash horrors that have become so popular here in North America. So if you're looking for something to kinda send chills across the back of your spine, go watch this flick.

For those who watched The Ring and didn't get it, the movie, in my opinion, is about evil and how that evil can never be destroyed. I don't really want to ruin the plot for those who haven't watched it so I won't say anymore. The brief non-spoiler synopsis of the movie is that there is this VHS tape that, if watched, the viewer has seven days to live before dying. Right before death, you see this ring and BAM! You're dead. Apparently you die of fright, though there are other ways to die as well.

The movie has several oddball characters in it. Rachel Keller is a journalist and a single mother. Her son, Aidan, is a little strange in that he is way too mature (he calls his mom "Rachel", not "mom") for his age. This is a deliberate character trait for the boy, which makes the movie even creepier. Rachel's niece had watched the tape and died suddenly. So Rachel is asked to investigate by her sister. She does so and watches the tape. So she has seven days to solve what the tape is about before she bites the big one. On a side note, Naomi Watts is pretty hot. At some point in the movie, Rachel pinpoints the evil that is prevalent throughout the movie. Like I said before, can't say much about it.

I'm not sure if this was intended by the author, but I thought it was a funny social comment about how the TV is used to kill people. Sorta saying that the TV is a tool for evil (sometimes it is). Perhaps the author is making a statement about how we really take television for granted. We do watch too much TV. Kids should go outside and play, not watch Yu-Gi-Oh.

Well, back to the movie. The movie wasn't very long and there weren't any scenes that seemed out of place. The character development was excellent. I really understood Rachel's character towards the end of the movie. Many people would find this movie a little confusing because of the surreal images and the lack of explanations. However, I think this adds to the entire feel of the movie. It wouldn't be that evil if you understood it right? I know I just get chills thinking about it. Though I am somewhat superstitious (I firmly believe in apparitions).

So is this movie worth the absurd movie ticket prices? I don't really think so. It's just as effective if you rent it and watch it. In fact, I think it's more effective, especially if you rent a tape. The movie isn't that different if watched on the big screen. However, if you can afford to watch a couple of movies, definitely put this on your list.

Dragoncrypt