The Ring (Widescreen Edition) Reviews

• Brainy Horror, Nicely Done

  
  By A2V3P1XE33NYC3 on 2003-05-17
  "The Ring" is an American adaptation of the 1998 Japanese horror film called "Ringu." The plot is hideously simple: a videotape floating around kills anyone who watches it at the end of seven days. We know this because after the poor viewer gets to the end of the film, the phone "rings" and a voice whispers "seven days." A week later, someone finds the body of the viewer dead as a doornail with horribly swollen facial features. During the final week of life, people who watched the tape suffer from unpleasant hallucinations and nosebleeds. If this sounds like an urban legend to you, you're right on the money. But when this urban legend appears in the form of a movie like "The Ring," it blows hooks hanging off doors or ghostly hitchhikers right out of the water. This movie is full of creepy shocks, claustrophobic atmosphere, and hidden symbols and clues. It even has Naomi Watts, the blond babe from Lynch's schizophrenic "Mulholland Drive" as the main character.

  The beginning of the film pulls no punches. Katie and her friend Rebecca are discussing the effects of electromagnetic waves on the human brain when an offhand comment about a videotape that kills comes to the fore. Katie looks fearful as she confesses to her friend that, indeed, she saw the tape in a cabin with some friends. After some playful hijinks, we discover that Katie really did see the tape as we catch a quick glimpse of her final moments of life. This tragedy brings into the story her enigmatic cousin Aidan and his mother, a reporter for a Seattle newspaper named Rachel. At the request of Katie's mother, Rachel begins to investigate the videotape, a task that assumes dire proportions after Rachel watches the tape and realizes she might die in a week's time. What follows is a race against impending doom, a doom that assumes additional dimensions when Rachel's acquaintance Noah and her son Aidan watch the video.

  Research into the tape unearths one strange turn after another. A woman who appears in the tape turns out to be one Anna Morgan, a horse breeder who went insane after adopting a little girl named Samara. Moreover, the images Rachel saw on the tape continue to turn up during her investigations. As the mystery slowly unravels, many questions arise. Who is Samara and what is her connection with this dreadful videotape? Is this frightening little girl a ghost who chooses to haunt through the processes of media instead of rattling chains in a house? How can misery transfer itself to an inanimate object? And my personal query, did anyone else find Aidan as eerie as Samara?

  One thing is certain: repeated viewings of this film are most helpful. One time through won't do the trick with this movie. You must be patient and pay attention because the answers are do not come easy. I think too many people expected an undemanding slasher film instead of this suspenseful, downbeat exercise in cerebral terror. I for one welcome these fresh attempts to deepen the horror genre. Gory exploitation films and teenage stalker movies certainly have a place (consider how Jason, Freddy, and Michael Myers are now a permanent part of our pop culture), but for those of us who want something deeper and darker to strike us insensate, "The Ring" delivers the goods. The scene where Noah experiences what really happens when one's seven day waiting period expires will stay with me for a long time, and it was all done without a knife, axe, machete, power tool, or whatever else horror film murderers are using to dispatch their victims with these days. I haven't been this unsettled by a little girl since the twins in Kubrick's "The Shining." "The Ring" hits a home run on several levels.

  The DVD version, with wonderful sound and a great picture enhanced the horrific aspects of the film. Included on the version I watched was a trailer for the original "Ringu" and deleted scenes that provide additional information about the mysteries of the film, including a chilling alternate ending. Regrettably, there were no commentaries or behind the scenes clips for the movie, although one imagines that a "Special Edition" will soon appear containing such things (for extra dollars, of course). If the Japanese public's response to "Ringu" is any indication, expect a sequel to "The Ring" in our country within a year or two. Sequels often do serious damage to the original picture, but if more films take us deeper into the mysterious realm that is Samara, I welcome them with open arms.
  
  

• a cut above the sludge that Hollywood usually calls "scary"

  
  By A234C5HDEQYQ7D on 2003-02-16
  After being barraged with countless trailers and promotions for all the movies that come out, I somehow manage to find only three or four really worthwhile movies that I like every year.

  Despite some of the criticisms leveled at The Ring by a variety of disparate sources, I consider it to be (if not a masterpiece) a provocative and entertaining movie.

  I watched this movie without the corrupting influence of Ringu to color my views. I have yet to see Ringu (I await its imminent release on the 4th), so I have rated The Ring based on its own merits rather than comparing it to the original (which by the way differed so much from Koji's book as to relegate criticism leveled at Kubrick's "The Shining" for its lack of similarity to King's book to a low level of believability).

  I bring up Kubrick to make a point... I consider Verbinski's "The Ring" to be just as frightening as Kubrick's "The Shining." And when evaluating the merits of Kubrick's work, it is unfair to compare it to another source (in this case the book). It is similarly unfair to criticise differences in Ringu and The Ring. Carbon copies stink of redundance... and the twists that Verbinski adds to his work to "Americanize" it should give Ringu fans another perspective from which to view the characters.

  The other source of criticism lobbed at The Ring stems from what some consider to be an editing problem on a massive scale. I argue that this was intentional and fit the schizophrenic and unpredictable plot better than spoonfeeding us the whole thing. The whole reason that the movie was frightening to me was that it had all these subtle connections (like the fly on the tape walking in circles) that you had to really look hard to notice. And those little things added to the subtle ghost story that is The Ring.

  Upon watching the first scene, I was worried that this was going to be another teeny flick, but then I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the teeny-bop feel of the beginning was incidental and that the plot would be mainly played out by adults. In fact, one of the strongest points of The Ring is that, unlike most horror bilge, it does not use violence to carry the plot. Of the relatively few deaths that occur, I can say that each was in the plot for a definitive reason. There was no ritual "killing of the excess characters" that always seems to be a staple of the more "R-ish" rated movies in Hollywood this century.

  And this is the real terror of the movie. There are a few jump scenes (including the infamous final sequence that still makes me nervous when I walk past my TV) but the feeling of dread is constant. I could not distinguish points in the movie when there was less or more dread (as one can usually do in horror flicks to accurately predict such jump moments) so the few BOO!s that there were had me surprised and scared.

  The Ring was more than anything else a classical ghost story wrapped in the facade of a modern setting. In fact, I was reminded in some scenes of the last great ghost story to grace the theaters... The Shining. The difference being that the ghostly Samara chooses to haunt our technology rather than be constrained to a specific place. This is an interesting cultural event... our world has been "shrunk" by technology and people are no longer tied to one locale. Neither is the haunting in this remarkably innovative movie.

  Overall, I highly recommend this movie for anyone who wants to be frightened sans knowing that a good portion of their ticket cost will be paying for the massive quantities of katchup used to produce the film. Verbinski's "The Ring" is an intelligent movie for an intelligent audience that will neither compare it mindlessly with its predecessor or need the actors to spoonfeed them the whole plot in direct dialogue. So, go watch it. You know, you have to, because... Before you die, you see "The Ring"!
  
  

• Psychological Horror

  
  By A23GFTVIETX7DS on 2004-04-03
  For those who like their horror with spurting blood and ear-piercing screams, "The Ring" will disappoint since its disturbing eeriness stems more from psychological tension and creepy images. That's not to say it doesn't have its gory moments, though. Naomi Watts plays Rachel, a reporter, who sets out to decipher why her teenage niece died unexpectedly. When she hears rumors of a deadly videotape, she tracks it down and watches it alone in a cabin. The tape itself is not frightening - not at first; it's a surreal collage of striking, bizarre images. But immediately after seeing it, Rachel receives a phone call that sets everything in motion.

  The pacing is superb as no scene, no moment is wasted. Director Verbinski makes sure that the viewer must pay attention to every word, and this intense demand on the viewer increases the tension. The videotape itself evolves as the film does, making its initial strangeness transform into real horror. As Rachel discovers the meaning of each image, the suspense mounts, especially when her friend Noah (Martin Henderson) and her small son Aidan (David Dorfman) become involved. Watts does an admirable job keeping her character grounded and real, and that goes a long way in upping the stakes for the viewer. Little David Dorfman plays her adorable but creepy son Aidan with just the right amount of wide-eyed expression and deadpan delivery. Just wait until the next time you slip a VHS tape into a player, or flick on the television. You will immediately be taken back to this film with a small jolt.

  This chilling film relies heavily on atmosphere and anticipation to evoke its horror. Watch it at night in a darkened room for maximum creepiness. Viewers with overactive imaginations will be freaked out, and shouldn't watch it alone. Skip this, however, if you don't find cinematic mind games creepy enough. Although most people won't find "The Ring" heart-palpitating terrifying, they will come away from its viewing with its disturbing eeriness under their skin.
  
  

• Modern horror's finest hour...

  
  By A3OWVC8YMCK1NS on 2003-01-30
  Let me start off by stating the fact that I am somewhat of a horror movie buff, I watch just about any horror movie that I come across and I own a horror movie collection that contains about 75 real gems of pure terror. With that being said , I must say that the only movie that has ever truly disturbed me while watching it would be Gore Verbinski's stunning remake of "The Ring". I found myself on the edge of my seat from the chilling opening scene right up until the mind bending conclusion.

  This is in my humble opinion, the best horror film to be released in at least 10 years. Any analysis of the plot would reveal too many spoilers so I will only stsate that if you are a fan of cerebral horror and dont mind the fact that the story will not be spoon fed to you in the style of a slasher film, then do yourself a favor, turn off the lights, and watch "The Ring". Fans of the genre should not be disappointed.
  
  

• How awful.

  
  By A19WMHHBY7Y583 on 2002-11-25
  Well, having seen the Japanese version the only way I can in the US, downloading it (a case could be made for buying an all-region or region 2 dvd player, but that's ridiculous), I then saw this. What a mistake. This remake ( would be more appropriate considering their choice to hide the fact that it is based on a far superior Japanese film) is terrible; unnecessary and laughable additions were made and much of interest was dropped (like, those character thingies, who are like people. but who needs any sense of real characters anyway?) such as the ability to use REAL suspense and SUBTLETY in favor of cheap shocks that weren't even shocking. Acting was...awful. I expected better of Naomi Watts, and knew nothing of the rest (except for the fact that they were in a relatively successful film now, I wouldn't expect to see much more of them either).
  The movie is an insult to American audiences --or perhaps American screenwriters. Ambiguity (no, I'm not referring to the pointlessly unanswered questions it DOES have) and subtlety were thrown out the window, as if to suggest American audiences wouldn't understand them (considering recent "horror" in the states, this is a somewhat understandable assumption). That, or the screenwriter was unable to use such techniques.
  The great and famous (nearly) final scene of Ringu was horribly corrupted and nowhere near as disturbing and frightening as the original, and even ruined in advance (it's far more unexpected in the Japanese version).

  And by the way, the Japanese version (based on a book, which is even MORE different yet) is unavailable currently in the states, despite being four years old (Which is not "a long time ago" as one other reviewer thought).
  
  

• God save us from creepy little girls.......
  By A3HB5BTD9VHDS8 on 2002-11-26
  All right I know. I know this film makes no sense, I know it's as corny as an Iowa turf. I know. I also know that I was scared stiff, things don't have to make sense if there scary, and this was scary. We had disturbing images of people combing there hair...a chair...oh and lets not forget that glass of water, now there is terror for you. It takes a special film to make a ladder seem horrifying, to make a tree against a red sunset a horror, and most of all...to make a little girl as scary as a thousand chainsaw wielding maniacs. I have this image of Jason Voorhees and Michel Meyer running out of the woods, and behind them is Samara....poor Samara...how many kids do you suppose Hannibal Lecher fathered, at least one that we know of. The silliness about watching a video tape and how they arrive at conclusions is overshadowed by the fact that this is just too darn creepy,and too interesting to take ones eyes off. I have seen it twice....if there were any wells around where I live I would avoid them, and I am so thankful for DVD's, they can't have cursed DVD's can they? I mean Samara is analog right? I hope so. Not since I was a kid, many, many too many years ago, have I been afraid of the dark, or of the white noise on the TV...be afraid, be very afraid lock up your horses and head for the hills !
  
  
• Pretty Darn Scary
  By A1TSZ9ZCNL5C8Z on 2003-03-03
  Ok, let me start by saying that I saw The Ring in the theater and it scared the bejeesus out of me, not so much in the theater as over the next few days in my own home.
  How scary is it? It's probably an individual thing. Some people can't stand the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard, for others it's the sound of a squeaking balloon; I thought the Exorcist was a joke, some people call it still the scariest movie ever. For myself, I don't think I've ever seen a movie that freaked me out as much as this one, but that's just me. I guess that what tweaks that sensitive nerve is different in everybody.
  There has also been a lot of comparison between The Ring and the original Japanese Ringu, mostly by reviewers whose level of discrimination and taste are, by their own admission, far beyond that of the average American. Please! Most criticism in this area is just snobbery. Ok, I haven't seen Ringu, and I admit that The Ring probably has suffered to some extent in it's adaptation for American audiences. For example, the cursed video contains some images which are meant to be disturbing but which do not have anything to do with the movie, and that probably weakens it. But the original Ringu video (which I've seen) is only about 40 seconds long, too short for an element so central to the film. On the plus side, The Ring's production values are outstanding and the acting is solid. I'm sure The Ring stands up nicely next to the original.
  To Verbinski's credit, The Ring doesn't succumb to the temptation to explain everything. That may make the movie seem disjointed and plotless to some, but in my view such spoon feeding is usually just patronizing. Some ambiguity here is probably a good thing.
  I can't promise that this movie will scare everyone, but if my TV (which is broken) ever turns itself on and shows static, I'm running!
  
  
• The Ring
  By on 2003-02-11
  Though the majority of truly effective scares resound most clearly when borrowed from the original source material, Gore Verbinski's reworking of the phenomenally successful 1998 Japanese film Ringu is a suitably chilling version of the story that has already seen a Korean remake, two sequels and a made-for-television movie. That is no reason to bash The Ring though. That's just what critics like to do. Well forget what they have to say, this film is SCARY! Wisely opting for a sustained sense of dread over a series of shock scenes or over-reliance of special effects, The Ring also benefits from the suitable and assured lead of actress Naomi Watts despite some over-dramatization of events early on. The majority of newly incorporated plot elements are also fairly effective, with at least one instance aboard an island-bound ferry reaching a fever pitch of disturbing heights. The critics say that there were plot hole, but that is also a lie. NO PLOTHOLES. Everyone in the theatre understood it, and was able to follow it, but the simple-minded critics, need everything spoon fed to them. Let's face it, the critics try to sound important, but fail by making us TRUE filmgoers laugh. If they don't like a film, than it is probably good. The Ring is a scary movie that'll mess you up for a while. Watch it alone in the dark!
  
  
• The Scariest Thing Is The Hype
  By A2CT2SA6KFE8GC on 2003-03-21
  Yeah, I'm also gonna be a party pooper on this one. I'm gonna be a schmuck and tip the scales, earning 100 or so negative votes from die hard Ring fans. Maybe it's been the billions of horror films I've seen throughout the years, but I just don't see what everyone's messing their trousers over. Of course we should all know by now that when a movie is hyped so much as being "so scary"(see Blair Witch and Sixth Sense for more examples of this mass hysteria), it's usually a letdown. The cold sweat inducing, heartstopping horror must have completely slipped past me. I don't think so coz I really watched this film with a completely open mind and gave it 100% of my attention. My opinion is that it wasn't there(the scares). I can understand that this flick would scare the pants off of you if you don't watch many horror films, but to those fluent in them, we can see every "scare" coming a mile away. And the whole "psychic kid" deal is pretty old. Every horror film since The Shining seems to think a psychic kid means big scares. Psychic kids are annoying. So, shelve The Ring with the rest of the PG-13 horrors right in between your copy of The Sixth Sense and The Others.
  
  
• 'Before you die, you see THE RING'
  By AH5Z0XEQHQL0W on 2002-11-23
  That's the Tagline that cringes up your spine after seeing THE RING. This movie is a complete Horror, Suspence, Thriller that mixes all of that and more to entice the senses of the Human mind.

  THE RING is a story about a journalist who's investigating a mysterious video, that after watching it, you die in EXACTLY SEVEN DAYS.
  Naomi Watts does an Incredible job as the main character, so does Martin Henderson (Noah) and David Dorfman (Aidan). You get to understand that each character feels for one another because of the things that happen all through the movie.

  With Gore Verbinski, as the director of the film, he kept the creepiness of the original Japanese movie with some minor changes. The score of Hans Zimmer is also Well Done, lots of sudden sounds with mellow moods, adds to the whole unknown feeling of the film.

  THE RING has tons of disturbing images, along with the mysterious video, which will stay in your head long after you see the movie. The pacing of the film never slows down because it makes the audience become involved, as if they are really living out the film. Also, the way it counts down from the first day all the way the seventh was very clever.

  If you want a good new fright, THE RING is an instant recommendation.
  
  

• Creepy Chiller
  By A2AOZQ3WTNVVOK on 2003-11-01
  A truly scary movie confuses you and chills you with the unexpected, the unknown, and occasionally, the incomprehensible. "The Ring" gives you all this and more.

  This film continues a recent trend in horror movies of taking place in a setting we all know that likely exists in our own home. We have a comfortable familiarity with electronics, safe and snug with the doors locked. The horror that finds us sounds much like an urban legend. Watch a mysterious, bizarre videotape that causes fear in some, and others to scoff at its amateurish style and technique. Moments after watching the videotape, the phone rings and a voice says, "seven days." Seven days later the watcher of the video dies with a most horrible expression of fear on their face.

  Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts) learns of this urban legend when her niece dies in a most disconcerting way, and a friend who was with her becomes insane. Rachel tries to back track recent events that happened to her niece and friend and discovers an unlabeled videotape in a remote mountain lodge. Not yet believing the urban legend, Rachel watches the videotape. The phone rings, and the fear begins.

  Soon joining Rachel is her ex-husband Aidan (David Dorfman), and even more frighteningly, her son. Hoping that the story isn't true, yet knowing she cannot wait for the end, Rachel begins following the clues in the video to determine whether there is a way of keeping from dying. We discover with Rachel and Aidan in a journey that fits all the pieces together that every image in the movie has meaning.

  The ending of the movie was a bit of a let-down, and yet almost as creepy as the movie itself. As with many movies, especially horror movies, the ending can make or break a movie and the ending of this movie almost undoes all the excellence of the movie's body.

  This movie is one of the best horror movies I've ever seen, and the best I've seen recently. Elements of the movie are similar to "Fear Dot Com," which was also chilling and bloodier, but not as creepy and ominous as "The Ring." I enjoyed how all the elements of the movie were tied together for those with the diligence to keep track of imagery throughout. Horror movies always play better when ambiance and a growing sense of fear win out over the splatter of unnecessary and excessive blood.
  
  

• Before You Die, You See
  By on 2002-09-01
  As a lifelong fan of horror films, I have constantly looked for something new, something frightening. After having the intense, frightening "pleasure" of seeing the smash Japanese horror sensation "Ring", directed by Hideo Nakata, I knew that a certain part of my horror film desire had been satisfied. When I heard of an American remake, I wasn't surprised. I was kind of worried, yet excited at the same time. I was hoping that the original film would not be ruined by an American attempt at a remake.

  Fortunately, I was able to catch an advanced preview screening of the American remake, and boy was I surprised. It was able to capture the same bleak, creepy atmosphere that the original Japanese hit had, and the performances were very well done.

  The story concerns Rachel Keller, a journalist who is investigating the death of her teenage neice, who apparently died of an "urban legend" that concerns a cursed videotape which causes the viewer to die after seven days. Her investigation leads her and her boyfriend to the tape, and the bizaare, chilling images on it. It then becoems a race against time for them to solve the mystery of the cursed tape, before a hideously unspeakable, evil force comes from beyond the grave to kill them.

  This remake follows very close to the original film, with just a few small changes and twists added in. But that's to be expected. Naomi Watts is fantastic, perfectly cast as Rachel, while Martin Henderson portrays her boyfriend Noah. The young boy who plays Rachel's son is also very creepy and pulls off his "Shining"-type role in the film. The movie builds in suspense, just like the original, slowly tightening the screws. It is a very well-done antidote for horror fans who are sick of the "Scream"-type films that have been overdone recently. This is a smart, creepy, well-acted chiller, with some very disturbing visuals (especially the corpses of the videotape's victims, and the infamous, skin-crawling final scene--which I won't spoil for you). It definitely surpassed my expectations, and joins the ranks of the recent horror triumphs: "The Blair Witch Project", "What Lies Beneath", "The Others", "Signs", "House of 1000 Corpses", and "Jeepers Creepers".

  If you are a fan of the original, or just a horror/suspense movie fan, and are willing to sleep with your lights on, then you definintely need to see "The Ring". Beware!
  
  

• I've seen both...
  By A295TM118Z5O86 on 2003-01-30
  I've seen both the American "Ring" and "Ringu", which I own and I enjoy both! "Ringu" is more subtle. The american version has more gotcha's in it. Comparing the two I can see why the americanized it. Some aspects of the original story just do not translate well, EX: predicting volcanic eruptions. The typical american would just not care about this as part of the story. Other than that difference as a major one, the rest are petty differences. The two movies are almost exact scene for scene in some instances. The American version does move the story along at a faster pace than the original does. Do see the Original version and then the American one and you will see the merits of both.
  
  
• Very disturbing horror flick
  By A2ARRAMXWT83PT on 2003-02-19
  This is on the top of the list of the scariest films that I have ever seen. This one will send chills up your spine over and over again. I won't go into the plot much, since everyone already knows. Plain and simple, I will never mess with any unmarked videotapes found in extremely creepy cabin resorts ever in my life. Enough said. The finale is classic. Just when you thought it was safe to come out from under the covers....

  See it, but preferably with a friend. Not one to watch alone, and definitely not for children. Recommended to older folk, however.
  
  

• Great Movie
  By on 2003-02-28
  The Ring is really one of the best scary movies that has ever been made. Basically, it is about a seattle reporter investigating her neice's death- supposedly from seeing a certain film when she was on a weekend trip with her friends.

  It is, in my opinion, a real scary movie. If you think about it, what is so scary about killing rages seen in most scary movies after they are seen for the first time? This shows what a real horror movie is all about. I saw it months ago and thinking about it still gives me the chills.

  Watch the movie- but realize that the plot is very elaborate and it won't be understood if you don't think about it.
  
  

• What other horror movies long to be...
  By A121DVCJORFWXK on 2002-10-17
  Let me say first, that this is a film that really plays mind games with you, which to me is one of the most effective and impressive things about it. For example, in the opening scene you'll feel you're going to be terribly disappointed, as you're about to see another cheesy teen horror flick. A couple of teenage girls alone in the house, each trying to scare the other, certainly leading up to an over-the-top and invariably unsatisfying scare, right? No, not right. This movie catches you off guard and starts out with a bang, and continues that terror for not only the next 2 hours, but long after the movie is over! These little tricks continue throughout the film, often letting your expectations do the work of terrifying you. Many of the scares are sort of left to your imagination, but that's not to say that you won't see plenty of horrible, disturbing stuff!

  I consider myself a fan of horror movies, but I had fallen under the impression that none could truly terrify me. The Ring changes all of that! There's something brilliant in the way the disturbing and horrific images were designed and filmed. The cinematography, sound editing, and all other aspects of the medium play an important role in making you *feel* the terror rather than just seeing a bunch of gory pictures. In fact this movie has very little gore! Even the black and white video with all its abstract images managed to send chills up my spine.

  Furthermore, Naomi Watts, who plays the lead character, gave an *amazing* performance! This woman can do horror. Not to mention a particular scene with her pulling an object attatched to a very long cord out of her throat, which was truly an excruciating thing to behold. She helped keep the whole story real, which surely helped to create that penetrating fear, as even though the idea behind the story may seem a bit silly and unrealistic, you still almost feel that it could happen. I still find myself jumping when I see a TV screen with static.

  I can't say enough about this movie. A friend of mine saw a special screening of it and told me it surpassed any horror movie he's ever seen, but I thought he was exaggerating, until I saw it for myself... The Ring will surely go down as one of the classics of horror, and even of filmmaking in general.
  
  

• Never trust a monochromatic child...
  By AZ1UFPNARPZD2 on 2002-10-23
  The Ring is a surprisingly effective and subtle horror film that, through genuine wit and intelligence, stands out amongst the computer-generated messes that seem to pass for so much of Hollywood's current attempts to bring the other worldly to life. It's also a surprisingly dark film with a nicely unexpected little twist at the end that stands in nihilistic contrast to the feel-good, life-affirming style of horror typified by "The Sixth Sense" and the many imitations that have followed.

  The film sets up its central premise with admirable speed and clarity. Supposedly, there's an urban legend about a mysterious, unmarked video tape that somehow causes the death seven days later of anyone unlucky enough to watch it. One unlucky viewer is the doomed niece of neurotic reporter and single mother Naomi Watts. While investigating her niece's death, Watts has the misfortune to watch the tape herself. Director Gore Verbinski's visualization of what is on that tape has to be counted as one of the film's major triumphs and he is to be commended for not taking the easy route of filling the screen with a bunch of explicit but meaningless "shock" images but instead, creating a creepy collage of surreal but recognizable images. Though in the end, the tape seems more inspired by the Salvador Dali than the Prince of Darkness, it's random images have a disturbing power that get under the viewer's skin with such skill that it creates a feeling of continually growing dread that doesn't become obvious until it's already too late to escape from it.

  Having watched the tape, Watts soon recieves a phone call informing her that she (and apparently, the film's audience as well) now has precisely seven days left to live. Refreshingly, Watts goes against American horror film convention by neither ignoring the threat or attempting to escape in the stupidest, most illogical way possible. Instead, she immediately sets about to try to figure out just what the tape means and how she can prevent her own seemingly inetivable demise. Aiding her in this endeavor are her ex-boyfriend Noah (Martin Henderson) and her disconcertingly Haley Joel Osmentish son (played by David Dorfman).

  In her search for an explanation, Watts discovers even greater horrors than what awaits her and it would be wrong to go into any further detail about the plot. Occasionally, the speed and the ease with which Watts discovers the truth behind the tape strains credibility (this is a film where typing in a stranger's name on an internet search engine will automatically get you exactly the result you need) but both Verbinski and Watts manage to craft such a believable thriller, without resorting to cheap histronics, that it's nearly impossible not to surrender your skepticism and go along with the ride, if just to see where it might end up taking you.

  The film is largely a triumph for director Gore Verbinski, who gives the audience a stylish chiller without ever resorting to cheap shocks. This is the rare Hollywood horror film that actually respects it's audience's intelligence enough not to have it's heroine freaked out by finding a stray cat wandering around the pantry. Instead, Verbinski gets his scares by filming an off-center vision of a world that is still recognizably our own. He takes the patience necessary to create a subtle atmosphere of fear that plays not on our immediate impulses but instead on the usually hidden fears that lurk within us all, the knowledge that at any moment, our life could be on the verge of ending for reasons we'll never know. If Verbinski does succumb, as has every other young director filming his first horror film, to the temptation to add a painfully obvious hommage to the bell tower scene in Vertigo, it still doesn't take away from his truly outstanding achievement with this film. Perhaps Verbinski's greatest accomplishment is that when the film's main horror finally does make itself visible after nearly two hours of dominating the viewer's imagination, it still manages to be as frightening as anything we could have visualized in our mind's eye.

  Though this film is obviously designed to showcase the skills of its director, one cannot ignore just how much of the film's success comes from Naomi Watts' performance as a very untypical horror heroine. Playing her role with an unstable neurotic streak even before watching the tape, Watts manages to make her character somehow both endearing and frustrating and most importantly, real. In a time when so many horror films tend to present women up as either cute but hormoneless survivors (who survive precisely because they don't have any of those annoying traits that would make them individuals as opposed to ideals) or else as victims born only to be exploited and punished, Watts gives us a recognizable human being who, though understandably terrified, also displays a welcome strength and determination. Watts is one of those rare performers who can come across as both vulnerable and capable at the same time and she brings a welcome conviction to this role, giving the film a needed boost of reality. Though the film is largely a showcase of Watts, mention should also be made of Martin Henderson, playing her ex-boyfriend and sole ally. Though he doesn't have as much to work with in his role as Watts, Henderson brings a lot of natural humor to the film without every detracting from the film's scares. The previously unknown (to me, at least) actor brings such an instant likeability to what could have been a stock role that he adds an extra level of poignancy to the film's unexpected final twist.
  
  

• Good remake--unique among American horror flicks
  By on 2003-01-13
  The only problem I have with the U.S. version of "The Ring" is that it adds very little to the original Japanese film (Hideo Nakata's "Ringu", with some elements of "Ringu 2" thrown in). As a fan of the original (couldn't get it out of my head for weeks after seeing it), I still enjoyed the American film, yet it didn't have the same impact. The visual effects were far cooler, possibly coming at the expense of the eeriness and shock quotient you get in the Japanese "Ring."

  You'll know 10 minutes into the film whether you like it or not--the beginning is probably the best part. Avoid it if A) you're a splatter fan [not much in that department], B) you find ghost stories hokey, or C) you're a stickler for logical consistency. Otherwise I recommend it (or any of the several Asian variations) to all interested in a good, "supernatural"-themed horror flick.
  
  

• Have YOU seen the ring?
  By A2YVV3TCN3SUMR on 2003-03-06
  I want to start out by saying I'm not easily scared. There are only a few movies that have had me peeking through my fingers as I watched it. "The Ring" is one of them. You probably already know the plot, so I'll just tell you what the actual movie is like. Every scene seems to be important or have some frightening part. Even though the discussion at the beginning of the movie isn't even supposed to be scary (about television waves), I already had the creeps. Know why? It was too quiet. There wasn't any background music, there wasn't ANYTHING. Just two teenage girls talking to each other. You never know when something's going to jump out at you. This movie seems to really take advantage of that. Practically the whole movie is quiet in the background. When there is music, it sends chills down your spine. During "THE TAPE", my cousin claimed to have heard "Cha-ching" noises in the background. I've yet to heard this, but I believe him. Everytime you see this film, you notice something new. A lot of the things you notice will scare the heck out of you, too. There are "rings" in a lot of scenes, for instance, when Noah picks up his coffee cup, there is a ring left on the table. I haven't seen the original movie called "Ringu", but maybe it's better that I saw this one first. While a lot of movies (Scream, I know what you did last summer) seem to think that violence equals scary, "The Ring" takes a different path. It scares you psychologically with smart images, a unique story, and terrifying scenes. There's hardly any violence, actually. When I think of this movie, I remember myself huddling down in my theatre seat and closing my eyes. Yet, I never wanted to leave. It's great movie, that's just on the brink of comfortable scary, and a little too scary. It terrified me and everyone I saw it with. But we LOVED it! This movie somehow targets what scares you most and intensifies it for 2 hours. My cousin and I talked about it after we saw it for about an hour. It sticks with you. The last time I saw it was October, and I still think about it! See this movie, if you dare.
  
  
• Break out the vaseline!!
  By A3M8H644ON5FQD on 2003-08-05
  One of the most troubling and confusing aspects of "The Ring" is the fact that something so blatantly insulting and unapologetically pandering to its audience could be one of the biggest money-makers of the year. Then again I guess I should learn to accept the fact that, in light of the ever-decreasing collective IQ of the movie-going masses (coupled with the intellectual bankruptcy of studio executives), it was only a matter of time before the horror movie industry finally hit rock bottom. "The Ring" is a movie that has become the new bastion of Bad Horror, an artistic abomination whose financial success will undoubtedly spell the demise of any self-respecting horror fan's hopes for the future of the genre. I've said enough. If you enjoy cheap thrills, scary movies that aren't scary, and movies that just plain stink, then "The Ring" is definitely for you. Stand in line, hand over your hard-earned cash, check your expectations at the door and break out the vaseline. It usually makes getting (CENSORED) a little less painful.
  
  
• Solid 'Ring' with a Few Gaps in the Link
  By A3EE0H0NWQ9QVL on 2008-06-22
  (3.5 *'s) Nearly into the first thirty-five minutes of `The Ring' I got so many jolts, I nearly turned the DVD off. Popular, and often revered by horror fans, the film renders a favorably mixed bag. Conceptually it frightens and fascinates even if its premise is hokey, and there are many rules of thumb that are broken or inconsistent. Still, I was glad to take the journey. If the goal of a horror movie is to scare and tell a story, then the film truly has the goods to deliver.
  
  The movie is nearly universal, so I'll be brief: Two teenage girls, Katie Embry and Becca Kotler, are sharing the tale of a video that once seen will be followed by a threatening phone call announcing the viewer has but one week to live. The girls are playing it out as a ghost story as they jive and enthuse one another, but on every other turn each becomes serious until one girl gets the phone call. There are many false alarms that work effectively, but once we're in, there's no turning back.
  
  A short time later, the death sentence has turned out to be true and the haunted vision comes upon those who have viewed the videotape. Anyone would pass it off except all the teenagers associated with it stayed at a cabin with the tape turn up dead.
  
  Naturally, believing it or not requires investigation, so Katie's aunt, Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts) is every bit willing and ready as she tries to tie together what or who caused her niece's death. Her own son, Aidan (David Dorfman) is much like Cole in `The Sixth Sense,' and his own supernatural take on dreams and drawings gives us more of an eerie feeling about the whole affair. Her loved one (Martin Henderson) is drawn into the sleuthing mission, but his skepticism does much for the film's tension.
  
  `The Ring' is a carefully crafted full-length `Twilight Zone' or `Night Gallery' adventure. There was one episode of the latter where a "Nutcracker" curse was brought upon its recipients, but that was shorter with rules that seemed to work better. Much of the credibility comes from the videotape itself, which would win in an art exhibition and brings much atmosphere to the movie, but it stretches belief a bit. (Sprinkling clues to bring participants to the truth of a mystery--why not leave a straightforward message? This is answered partly in the movie, but not well enough.)
  
  As a story it works. It does have a mystery to unveil, and mostly it is a satisfying tale of tragedy, but I do have some complaints about the ending. Without revealing the store, there's a scene played out near the fireplace that brings some question as to the rules being broken near the end. The ending is meant to be a chilling resolution, but unintentionally the fireplace scene shows that the powers that be can be manipulated. Let's just say I see a way out of the curse that the ending doesn't seem to indicate.
  
  (Based on a novel by Japanese author Koji Suzuki and an original Japanese movie. Directed by Gore Verbinski.)
  
  (Special thanks to fellow reviewer Steve Hedge for putting this film on my radar screen.)
  
  
• Did This FIlm Totally Miss The Editing Room?
  By A2LWKZGGMBGN21 on 2002-10-24
  First let me start out by saying that I am a true movie fan. Especially when it comes to GRADE A horror films. Too bad I haven't had the pleasure in a long time. I had high hope for this film, not only from it's opening gross at the box office, but from the many reviews I read prior to seeing this film. I can't totally dog this movie however. I was really getting into it UNTIL the barn scene. Was this movie rushed to make the release date? During the Barn sequence my friend and I notice the BOOM MIC that was ok. It was kind of funny, it happens. Not a minute later we see it again, and again, and again, YOU GET THE PICTURE! At one point we not only saw the MIC but the entire pole it was on. The only thing missing saw the guy holding the pole. By this point we felt as if we were watching a behind the scenes documentary about the film or that at any second it would turn out to be a movie within a movie. We finally lost count around a dozen times. This happened at such a critical part in the film. We both found it very hard to get back into the story. As the film ended we both found ourselves asking alot of questions that neither of us could answer. Questions that should have been explained in the last 5-10 minutes of the film. In closing, if you go to this movie be sure to wear blinders.
  
  
• Overrated, Plotless Mess
  By ALJWRGOANWDWJ on 2004-04-20
  Where shall we begin? As a lifelong and avid fan of genre films, this has to be one of the most overrated and disappointing movies I have ever seen. I'm not a horror film elitist, all I ask for is a decent story and at least a few scares or squirms. To summarize:

  1. Naomi Watts-superb actor, she can do (and has done) so much better than this (Mulholland Dr., anyone?).
  
  2. Plot & story-where are they? So full of holes you could drain pasta with it (do any screenwriters actually work in Hollywood any longer? or have they all given up and left the writing duties to the mailroom staff?). This is VERY puerile stuff here, adults beware.

  3. Scare factor: on a scale of 1-10, ZERO. 0 suspense, 0 surprises, 0 credibility, and especially, 0 horror. This film simply is not scary, not at all, never for a moment.

  4. Mama always told me: never put anything down unless you can come up with a better solution. SO--here are some recommendations for smart, interesting, intelligent, well-written and especially FRIGHTENING genre/horror films:

  *The Devil's Backbone (Guillermo Del Toro): now THIS is scary!

  *Don't Look Now (Nicolas Roeg): the most haunting, beautifully-shot (in Venice) and erotic horror film ever made. Just try to forget this one.

  *The Hills Have Eyes (Wes Craven): visionary and still shocking.

  *The Haunting (Robert Wise--the original, not the ridiculous modern remake): the best and most frightening ghost story EVER, period.

  *The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Tobe Hooper): unrelenting, claustrophobic, sweat-inducing and repulsive. This is an iconic and endlessly-imitated masterpiece, right up there with George Romero's "Night of the Living Dead." The recent remake (if not compared directly to the original) is NOT BAD, actually....
  
  *The Mothman Prophecies (Mark Pellington): YUP, believe it or not, this is a tight, though confusing (you absolutely must read the book by John Keel prior to seeing this film) and above all VERY frightening and unsettling bit of business. Highly recommended for those looking for something different and a bit.....off.

  *Repulsion (Roman Polanski): The granddaddy....if this one doesn't disturb you on a very deep and lasting level, I would worry. "Rosemary's Baby," also Polanski, is another winner and timeless classic. Actually, ANYTHING Polanski is better than most of what's out there.

  My humble opinion: check out the movies listed above and avoid "The Ring"--annoying, unnecessarily oblique, and just plain dumb-dumb. Avoid.
  
  

• The Ring - Explained in Detail (Big Spoilers)
  By A2PNLF2BOM7B2W on 2005-11-29
  The Ring (unlike its inferior sequel) is a complex, mysterious movie with a deep backstory. However, it is told in a subtle almost evasive way in which the audience needs to figure it out through repeated viewings. The Ring's fascinating yet mysterious story spawned many websites and web forums simply devoted to unraveling its mysteries. If you were ever confused about what in the world this movie was about here are the basic meanings behind the story. Though the movie is meant to be "interpretive" and many create their own explanations to many of the mysteries, here are the ones generally agreed upon by The Ring aficionados. Much of this information is taken from Ring websites and forums. WARNING: Watch the movie first since this will basically give all the major story behind the plot away. You've been warned.
  
  The Backstory of Samara and the Morgan's:
  Samara, when alive, was a very powerful psychic child with a terrible sadistic streak. She could implant her nightmarish mental images into photograph film. This specific ability is labelled by Eola County Psychiatric Hospital as "projected thermography". This is what is generaly known as PHOTOKINESIS (the telekinetic ability to create, control, and manipulate light and energy). She also had limited Telepathic powers as she had the ability of implanting thoughts and images into the minds of others (into her parent's minds and the horses at the Morgan ranch), however, she could not tell the future nor read other's minds since she could not stop her own murder. She may have had Hydrokinesis (the ability to manipulate water) and she also seems to have Pyrokinesis (the ability to manipulate fire) -- the wooden walls in her barn room were burned by her. Anna Morgan could not have a child naturally and according to her husband Richard, "was not supposed to". The Morgan's left the island and came back with a very young Samara, "adopted, they said". Afterwards Samara began attacking Anna Morgan (along with the horses and apparently Richard Morgan) with horrific images and hallucinations. Anna was driven almost insane and would spend hours brushing her hair in front of a mirror for no reason. Anna spent some time in a mental ward. Samara was diagnosed by doctors and paranormal researchers. Richard Morgan apparently put a stop to that and tries to hinder any more attention on the "little monster" Samara (apparently out of concern for society). Anna, out of sheer torment and maybe also out of concern for society, kills Samara by throwing her down the well. (Its interesting to note that Richard may have also been there helping since its unlikely Anna had the strength to move the stone lid over the well by herself). After spending seven days slowly dying at the bottom of the well Samara contemplates revenge on all humanity over her horrific death. Anna Morgan commits suicide by jumping off a cliff apparently out of a combination of guilt and persisting hallucinations (probably intensified by Samara's agony and rage directed at Anna while dying in the well).
  
  The documents:
  There are shown several documents regarding the whole backstory from which some of the above is based on. There are two interesting ones of note. A certificate of live birth of Samara is shown stating the Morgan's as parents. Another interesting document states that Samara was impervious to physical pain. Neither of these two documents seems to be of any relevance in either of the two Ring movies.
  
  
  Samara, the present:
  Samara, now dead, exists mainly in these 3 primary ways:
  1) Her psychic energy persists inside the minds of her victims who watched the tape (in dreams and hallucinations).
  2) Part of her psychic energy seems to persists in the physical world mainly in broadcast signals (air waves, phone lines) and magnetic media like VHS tape, (example: the phone rings when you make the connection to her after watching the tape). When alive one could assume that Samara learned or accomplished this while spending months isolated in a barn with only a television as her companion.
  3) Around the immediate vicinity of death. Her spirit haunts that place down in the well.
  
  The Tape
  The images on the tape are a combination of dream imagery and symbols that representing some aspects of Samara's life, her suffering and death, and the "nightmare images" she likes to come up with. Most prominent was the ring of light created by the well's stone lid that she would stare at for seven days until she died -- hence The Ring.
  
  The Curse:
  Samara, now dead, has no power over the world or the living, except down in the well which she haunts. The ONLY way Samara could spread her curse and kill her victims was through the visuals of her VHS tape. The images act as a conduit for her psychic force to infect the minds of the ones who watch the images. If Samara is in your head, she can kill you! (Apparently in the most horrific way causing cardiac arrest and facial deformity.) The VHS tape concerned in the movie had its origin in the lodge that was built above her well where the teens where taping a football game but the "curse" images were taped instead. Samara's angry spirit did it. The victims, with Samara firmly in their brains overseeing them now, were spared death if they made a copy and made someone else watch it, but that is merely a riddle that few can solve in time. Thus, a perpetuator of the curse is spared death but most will die.
  
  The death of Richard Morgan:
  Richard Morgan was still being plagued by the hallucinations for years until his death (he states this in the bathtub scene) and somehow knew that now (via the tapes) Samara's curse was out in the world so he kills himself. Richard thought the tape-duping was only the beginning in which Samara would be unleashed on the world.
  
  Conclusion:
  There you have it. Take this with you next time you watch the movie, ;). This also does not contradict the inferior sequel's continuity of the story either, even though the sequel seems to diminish the importance of the tape curse (unfortunately). The disappointing sequel is a lot less about backstory, unsolved mysteries and family ambiguities and more about the immediate scenario of Aiden's possession by Samara's spirit and it also tries to add conclusion in the form of a hockey hollywoodesque showdown between Rachel and Samara. The only backstory information we get from the sequel is that Samara's real mother is still alive but insane and Samara's spirit has tried many times throughout the years to posses other children, that's really it.
  
  
  
• A stylish and genuinely scary horror film
  By A3QZCA4LTTVGAD on 2002-10-23
  "The Ring," directed by Gore Verbinski, gets off to a solid start as two characters discuss a truly intriguing phenomenon: a videotape which, if you see it, will somehow bring about your death seven days later. It's a premise that sounds like a classic urban legend.

  Naomi Watts stars as Rachel, a single mother who investigates a death seemingly linked to this cursed videocassette. The film is a mystery that tantalizingly unfolds as Rachel goes on her bizarre and frightening odyssey.

  "The Ring" is a really creepy film that is shot with visual flair. The filmmakers succeed in creating an oppressive, unsettling atmosphere. Watts is a solid heroine, and the supporting cast is also fine. I was especially impressed by young David Dorfman as Rachel's son; his is one of the most disturbing child performances I've ever seen.

  In the end, I don't think that "The Ring" fully lives up to its fascinating premise and solid opening sequences. But still, it's a solid film that combines cinematic artistry with palpable menace; it also examines such issues as longing, fear, paranormal phenomena, and the existence of evil. "The Ring" is a jigsaw puzzle of a movie that I look forward to viewing a second time.
  
  

• One of the Best Horror/Mystery Movies EVER!
  By A3UUNDWQ23GK1C on 2003-01-26
  The Ring was one of the greatest movies I have ever seen! It shook me up the time I went to go watch it. Everyone in the theater actually jumped up or screamed! That was a first for any horror movie I've seen. The plot is easy to understand and the twist at the end is very unpredictable. I can't wait for this movie to come out! I give it 5 stars.
  
  
• A Creepily Good Time
  By A330YFACWTPGVO on 2003-04-01
  The Ring, the Dreamworks Pictures remake of the Japanese film Ringu, is pervasively creepy, etching unsettling images into your head which will make you want to sleep with the lights on. Its enjoyment comes from the ominous visuals and camera shots, and the slowly escalating feeling of doom which drives the movie. It's a different kind of horror movie - there are no jump out of your seat scares, squeemish gore scenes, or any of the usual conventions; instead it's about tension and skin crawling apprehension.

  Naomi Watts plays Rachel Keller, a journalist who, at the request of her sister, is investigating the mysterious death of her niece. The trail leads to the cabin where her niece, boyfriend, and teenage friends spent the previous weekend, and she soon learns that everyone from that group died freakishly at exactly the same time as her niece, 7 days to the date. There she finds an unsettling video tape which the group watched - nightmarish images in grainy black and white video which play out like a terrible dream. As soon as Rachel watches the tape, the phone rings and a child's voice says, "Seven days." So the clock starts ticking.

  Matters are complicated when her son and ex-boyfriend also view the tape, both receiving the seven day call. From there on the majority of the movie is a creepy mystery - like an X-Files episode - following the dark clues to try and unravel the secret of the video tape before time runs out. Why are the faces of everyone photographed after watching the video distorted? What is the lighthouse seen on the periphery of the video's tracking? Who is the little girl who calls with the seven day warning, or the woman in the mirror on the video, and of course, what is the Ring? The images do serve as a puzzle, and, by the end of the movie you will understand what The Ring is and its dark images mean.

  Those expecting in-your-face type of scares will be disappointed, since that's not what this movie is about. It takes its time and uses it to keep upping the ante on the apprehension level. But the creepiness is so thick it makes your skin crawl. This movie is about knowing something horrific is coming for you, and watching it inch closer and closer. It's about mood and atmosphere, about trying to unravel some twisted, dark little puzzle where the consequence of failure is an unspeakibly horrifying death. It's been compared to the Sixth Sense, and I think that's accurate. The Sixth Sense was scary because it got under skin. So does The Ring.

  Watch it with the lights out. Enjoy the atmosphere and think about it long after it's over - the Ring makes an excellent addition to the thinking thriller collection.
  
  

• the ring is a perfect fit for a pawnshop
  By A12WTXKP9IPL2M on 2003-05-27
  in gore verbinski's the ring, based on a hugely popular japanese film, there exists a videotape whose content causes its audience to die within a week of viewing. the premise is similar to another movie released this year, feardotcom, whose content caused many filmgoers to engage in behavior also originating in japan: seppuku.

  naomi watts plays a journalist whose niece dies unexpectedly in the opening sequence. the girl's mother asks her sister to investigate the death. she chats with the girl's high school friends, putting her skills as a reporter to the test ("hi, i smoked pot once" is enough to create a bond: "dude, she's cool. we should, like, tell her stuff"). the path leads her to a lodge, whose owner remarks that the group in question, like many other kids, skipped out on the bill (why isn't it his policy to require visitors to pay before they stay? why have the scriptwriters decided to needlessly tarnish our image of the recently deceased?). she borrows the videotape, the only one in the lending library without a case, and views it in the same cabin her niece stayed.

  her six-year-old son (david dorfman), apparently a graduate from the h. j. osment school of acting, is fiercely independent -- making his own lunches, drawing alone often -- in order to deal with his mother's chronic tardiness due to the late hours she keeps at the newspaper. in one scene her boss tells her she is fired, only to have her reply that she isn't; that settles the argument. a consequence of her not being present is that her son finds and watches the tape.

  she enlists her friend (the boy's father, though no one seems to have ever told little david) to help uncover the mystery behind the tape, which they copy so that they can study the images, which include horses washed up on a beach, a tree whose leaves appear sanguine in the sunlight, and a woman brushing her hair.

  the movie does have a few moments that are genuinely unnerving. a spooked horse smashes windshields on a ferry. a dead girl pulls herself through a television screen to incapacitate her next victim. however, rather than adequately describing the videotape and its contents, by denouement the film has merely succeeded in stacking plot twists of varying incomprehensibility on top of one another.
  
  

• Brilliant, effectively creepy horror
  By A3A48XEYWLWH7T on 2003-10-12
  It's heartening that effective suspense and horror can still come out of Hollywood in this era of Scream, Scary Movie, and the remnants of moronic teen fair [Freddy vs Jason]. Not since Blair Witch and to a lesser extend, Jacob's Ladder has a movie like this creeped me out. Taking itself completely seriously, there are no moments of humour and that contributes to the crawling terror. In a gritty, almost monochrome colored setting, four teens die a week after watching a mysterious video tape. The tape falls into the hands of a reporter, one of the kids' Aunt, who is trying to find out why her niece died. She watches the tape as does her sensitive son and the boys estranged father. She is told by the mysterious phone call that she now has 7 days to live. The race is then on to solve the mystery of this tape, its origins and its demonic hold on the viewers. Slowly, like an onion, the movies' layers are stripped away with hallucinogenic imagery and strange revelations. The protagonists start their research on the NET, move to moldy public library sources, and ultimately to insane asylum records. Eventually, the drama reaches its conclusion with additional jumps and starts all the way through. Amazingly, this film got away with a PG-13 rating despite it's nightmarish imagery. Very effective, brilliantly creepy film. Recommended.
  
  
• A Two-Hour Lobby Against the VHS Format
  By A3U20DIY3TCSNI on 2003-10-24
  Eddie Murphy used to make fun of idiot movie characters like the one Naomi Watts plays in The Ring. Not only is she dumb enough to watch a tape she has already been warned will kill her - she then plays it for her ex-boyfriend. That's being a little bit spiteful, isn't it? Then, and this is the kicker, she makes COPIES of the tape, and leaves the copies around for friends and loved ones to stumble upon. Characters like this deserve to advance straight to Death. No passing GO. No collecting $200. They must die, and they must die painfully.

  And when people in The Ring watch the deadly videotape, they watch it with their noses four inches away from the TV monitor. Have you ever tried this? Your head explodes after about five minutes. Who watches TV like this? Suffice to say that if the videotape doesn't kill all the characters, radiation poisoning surely will. Consider it a mercy killing.

  More cliches abound. The Ring also features not, on, not two, but THREE Scary Kids. The Scary Kid cliche has dominated horror movies for the past five years, and director Gore Verbinski thinks that having multiple Scary Kids adds up to a masterpiece of terror. The end result ends up being quite the opposite. There are some mild scares in The Ring, but it's essentially a scary movie for people who are scared by everything. And if you can figure out why the film's "twist" ending is actually a twist, please let me know. Not that I'm dying to figure it out.
  
  

• The Ring Two (Unrated Widescreen Edition)
• The Grudge
• The Grudge 2 (Unrated Director's Cut)
• The Others (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
• Saw