Where do I even begin with this? Ummm... okay, how about by telling you to go see it, because no amount of reading or talking will do justice to this film. You just have to experience it yourself. For those of you who are looking for a good Halloween movie, this is it. For those who want to think about the philosophical meanings behind why the director would choose this shot over that shot, this is it. For those of you who have a tendency to talk and joke around with your friends during the movie, and unwittingly spoil the experience for you, your friends, and others around you, may you see the ring when you DIE!
With that out of the way, I'm going to try my best to just write a review and not tell you too much. The story, as you can tell from the trailors and all the buzz around the film, is about a journalist (Naomi Watts, Mullholland Drive) who, after her niece dies a mysterious death, begins investigating rumors of 'the tape.' The urban legend goes that after you watch this mysterious tape, the phone rings and someone says "You're gonna die," and then seven days later you do. Nonsense, of course, I mean it just sounds like one of those "stare into the mirror and say Candyman 5 times" kinda things. But Candyman was a good scary movie, and I guarantee that almost everyone who watched it didn't look into their darkened bathroom mirrors for a while. The Ring has that feel to it, that scare that goes beyond a 'jump' in the theatre, but stays with you. It won't give you nightmares (unless you're prone to getting them anyway) and it won't make you afraid to go to the bathroom at night, but it will make you turn on every damn light in the house on your way to the bathroom.
I'm not saying another word on the plot, because it's well told story, and I don't want to be the one to mess it up for somebody. I will say that just when you think the story is just going to be a familiar spooky tale, it does soemthing totally original or puts an original spin on a cliche. So if when watching it, you begin to think "Seen it," just keep watching. You won't regret it.
The actors are all exceptional, even though most of them aren't in it very long. The direction is great, and i think that's what I loved most, the style to the film. The way the tape was not only a plot device, but the gritty video images tend to reflect the everyday-life scenes, too. Lots of high contrasts, really washed out whites and deep blacks. The script was good, but this, like I mentioned in regards to the actors, wasn't a 'talking movie.' The dialogue is good, but the story drives itself, and it's this lack of constant conversation that adds to the horror element.
I'll admit, too, that this movie scared me. I don't get scared from many movies. I might jump a couple times here and there, but that's not a genuine scare. I jumped in Jurassic Park but I don't consider that a scary movie, it's just a mix of the sound effects, music, and the way the shots play off of those. Scary movies have things, like I said before, that stay with you. The two little girls in The Shining, they freaked me out. The suspense in The Sixth Sense when Osment is going to the bathroom and the ghost is in the hallway. That was a good scary scene. This movie ranks up there with the best.
Now I haven't seen the original that this is based on, so I can't say how it compares to that, but I would definately reccomend everyone to go see this movie. I wouldn't reccomend watching it on video tape, though.
--GARTH SIMMONS.
Page design by GARTH-ART.
Salty Cracker Pictures c. 2002. All rights reserved.
Contact The Salty Cracker Team