“The Ring” was officially released in 2002. (same year Spirited Away came out) It received positive reviews from critics and movie goers alike. Plus, it made enough money at the box office. A sequel (unrelated to the Japanese version) came out in 2005 and the most recent entry “Rings” was released in 2017. The Ring kickstarted a trend of American remakes based on Japanese Horror (J-Horror for short) films. Most notably, “The Grudge.”
It’s Halloween Month 2023. I’ll be watching and reviewing several Horror films throughout October. I already wrote an article on the OG “Ring.” So, don’t forget to check it out. What J-Horror film should I review next? Please leave a comment and I’ll reply back.
This review contains no SPOILERS.
Lifted & Cursed Aspects
Lifted: Naomi Watts, Daveigh Chase (Lilo and Stitch, Spirited Away) & Brian Cox (one of my favorite actors) all did a fantastic job for their respective performances.
Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean Trilogy, Mousehunt, Rango) did a great job directing.
Ehren Kruger wrote the script. He’s one of the nincompoops who wrote Michael Bay’s “Transformers” sequels.
Scare Factor solely relies on psychological elements. I prefer Horror films relying psychological elements over Jump Scares. Thankfully, the remake gave me the heebie jeebies.
Hans Zimmer (The Dark Knight Trilogy, Gladiator, Interstellar) orchestrated the soundtrack.
Cinematography didn’t go through technical issues.
Given it’s a psychological Horror film, a mix of a Blue & Green Filter fits the atmosphere. “Minority Report” used a Blue Filter to match a film noir’s tone set in the future.
At the 23:05 mark, there’s a VHS tape of “Scent of a Woman.” Al Pacino starred in Christopher Nolan’s “Insomnia.” My favorite film of 2002.
Pacing didn’t feel like a drab. I was hooked since the beginning.
The remake adds a disturbing look of a dead body after the victim gets killed for watching the tape. Ten times scarier than M. Night Shyamalan’s “Signs.”
At the 29:59 mark, “I Am Weasel” is on TV. I used to watch it on Cartoon Network. Speaking of which, “The Powerpuff Girls Movie” also came out in 2002. Man oh man I miss Cartoon Network’s glory days before “Teen Titans Go” butchered it. All we got is Toonami on Adult Swim.
The remake recreates the infamous scene with Samara climbing out of the TV. I’m giving it Bonus Points. Same with the OG version.
Cursed: Unlike the original, Noah’s forgettable. He doesn’t have psychic abilities.
Aidan takes over Noah’s role as a psychic. He’s not Haley Joel Osment in “The Sixth Sense.”
Samara’s killer isn’t the same dude from the original. If you’ve seen both versions, you probably understand why.
A random moment involving a hotel clerk playing pick a card with Rachel. Doesn’t connect to the plot whatsoever.
Aidan speaks with a monotone voice. He rarely shows diverse emotions. In the original, the kid wasn’t creepy, he was normal. Martha Brooks from “Baskets” displays a variety of emotions. As if Hayden Christensen taught the kid acting lessons in one day.
The Final Verdict: B-
Although not a perfect remake like the OG version. The Ring’s an average psychological Horror film. I’m not saying it’s bad, I find it adequate. If you’re looking for something to watch during Halloween Month, perhaps a double-header of the original and remake. Compare them to apples and oranges.
Nickthemoviecritic.com 