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At first The Ring looks like another teen horror flick.
Fortunately, we soon discover that it’s not, but unfortunately
it’s not all whole lot better. The Ring is based
on a previously made Japanese film of the same name and, with
the exception of the film work, feels very much like a Japanese
B-horror movie.
The story revolves around a mysterious videotape that, as one
character mentioned, looks like some strange student film. This
film, however, is such that anyone who watches it dies a week
later. Rachel (Naomi Watts) is a news reporter who discovers and
watches the tape and also learns that she will die in seven days.
With the help of her ex-husband, Noah (Martin Henderson), and
son, Aidan (David Dorfman), she investigates the tape, trying
to figure out its origin and end the terror.
The Ring has some gory images, which actually work to
undermine the film’s scariness. The Ring also heavily
relies on jumps and cheap startling effects, a few of which are
effective, but most of which just feel heavy handed. The scariest
part of the film is actually Brian Cox, who’s unsettling
character plays a part in the background of the tape, and whose
looks and demeanor tell us something’s just not right.
The best part of The Ring is its cinematography and cold,
metallic blue tint. The blue shade adds a lot to the cold eeriness
of the film and establishes an environment of fear in a way that
film didn’t do years before. I also like the occasional
quick cut scenes that mirror the videotape style of film work
and bring us further inside the mystery. In the end though, The
Ring, although thoroughly engrossing, is never really affecting
and, while fun at times, doesn’t leave us with anything
to take with us.
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