Ju-on (The Grudge) Reviews

• So THAT's Why They Call it a CrawlSpace!!

  
  By A96JD9312DHWC on 2004-11-13
  When someone dies in the grip of a horrible rage, a curse is born. And that curse consumes the place it touches like a cancer, writhing through the world adjoining its own and killing everything it touches.
  And, o, how it kills.
  
  While you may be curious as to how this movie is, I'd make the following suggestion to those of you that might want to watch it.
  Before you start reading anyone's thoughts on this movie, you should first ask yourself if you want to see something that's (A) presented intact or if you (B) want to see a beast with some of its proverbial teeth pulled. If you choose "A" (and most people choose "A," if you're curious about mean and the like), you should consider the fact that this movie could be ruined if you keep reading people's reviews. Ju-on isn't one of those boorish films that rely heavily on a point that it has to drive into your viewing mind like a hammer hitting some "look, mommy, I'm a monster" nail. Instead, it works by telling a story in fragments, letting you have snippets of the tale along with a dose of the horrific and rewarding you as you follow along. It reminds me of a mystery that you know portions of right away because of conjecture/ horror movie conditioning, but one that you have to keep following because of the fun that ensues as little elements (the all-too-human kind) keep touching some base terror and then suffering as they help spread it. And its one of those pieces that you REALLY want to kick people for talking about with any depth, because any portion of the plot being revealed could fracture the effect it has when it's revealed on the screen. The little tastes of depravity, the nuisances that make your spine sink and say "O my god" when the lovely effects play out - yeah. You should definitely go out and take it for a ride without listening to the prattle of the masses.
  
  If labels scare you and you need more convincing, then let me say this. As far as comparisons go, this movie has gotten a lot of press that it didn't deserve. It's been called arthouse, implying that it was cheap and that it was abstract, and it's been called "like Ringu," implying that it's a rip-off. But, watching the film (and countless others in the horror genre), I'll have to say that neither of these generalizations apply. Sure, the movie does have places where the monetary constraints show and, sure, it does have a few places where it does cross boundaries with other movies. Still, most horror movies are like that. At its very essence this is a (1) foreign film and falls into certain patterns predicted by what its target audience enjoy, and (2) it is a haunting film and gives you some haunting love. But it has a lot of other things, too, packing some bite for the buck. When it comes down to horror, its one of those evils that simply doesn't let something step on its toes and walk away. O no, it's a whole lot sexier than that.
  
  And, for people that don't know, this is the film that The Grudge was adapted from. Does that mean that you should just go out and see the adaptation and shelf this film? Hell no. Seeing both The Grudge and Ju-on, I'll have to say that I personally preferred the taste of Ju-on. While it didn't have the budget of its counterpart, it did have (1) the unrestricted rating that allowed for some interesting imagery with a box cutter and with the terror itself, (2) an atmosphere that made me cringe in some parts instead of merely jumping at loud noises that perhaps frighten the newly-inducted horror connoisseur but that don't have the edge of a good scare, and (3) the ability to make me want to know the history of the house I'm living in. It had a LOT more truly elemental horror, and is a lot more fun to follow.
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Cover your eyes; Ju-On set to terrorize American shores

  
  By A3G602Z4DWDZKS on 2004-09-19
  Finally after a long wait, North America sees the release of "Ju-On: The Grudge" on DVD, no doubt meant to coincide with the American remake called "The Grudge" starring Sarah Michelle Gellar which will be released in theatres this fall. Ju-On belongs to the cream of the crop of J-Horror, perhaps the best spooky house horror movie I have ever laid eyes on. Brilliantly directed by Takashi Shimizu, Ju-On is an unrelenting spectacle of spooky sights and sounds that manages to outcreep even the likes of "Ringu" and the Pang Brothers' "The Eye" without even a drop of blood spilt. Interestingly enough, the American Studio responsible for the remake has decided to enlist the services of Shimizu himself to direct the remake and to set the action in Japan alas with a mostly American cast. The remake will have a very tough act to follow if it whishes to outspook the original, however this has been achieved before with "The Ring".
  
  The prologue shows us what led to the house becoming haunted; a man who believes his wife had an affair kills her in an uncontrolled rage then kills himself. The couple's young son, who witnesses the savage act, disappears and is never to be seen again. Fast forward several years: the house is now inhabited by the Tokunaga family of three, a husband and wife and the husband's old frail mother. While husband and wife are away on a trip, the nearby welfare center sends volunteer social worker Rika to look after the house and the old mother. While cleaning the house, she witnesses ghostly apparitions that drive her away from the house. Soon after, when the tenants of the house return from their trip they too are terrorized by the vengeful spirits of the dead family.
  
  Several factors are responsible for making "Ju-On" such an utterly scary film. Director Shimizu for one is a master at building intensity in a scene through the use of rising ominous music and creepy visuals. But the way he does it is very unique. In the vast majority of haunted house movies, it usually involves one character seeing a supernatural entity and then said supernatural entity disappearing before anyone else can see it therefore making the witness appear crazy. Not here. The ghosts here can be seen by ALL no matter what, making them seem all the more dangerous and frightening. Also, the viewer is always kept on edge since the ghost of the little boy keeps appearing in all sorts of unexpected places like in windows, mirrors and myriad reflections and corners of the screen. And then there is the house, this is just a regular-looking house in a suburb, giving the film an element of realism seldom seen in these types of movies. I find that setting the events in your average suburban house is a much more effective scare tactic since after all how many of us have ever lived or visited a giant gothic mansion? This hits much close to home.
  
  Ju-on weaves a complex storyline with numerous continuity jumps and gaps that give it a certain Lynchian feel. Those continuity jumps are very confusing for the first-time viewer (Huh, does Rika die twice?) but it's also one of the things that makes the film stand so well to repeat viewings because it does make sense the second time around. Which is not to say the film is without its problems. Although I found very few flaws with the execution of the film, certain things simply don't make much sense such as the spirits following people in places outside of the house and also if the house is history to so many people dying of fright because of ghosts how come new tenants keep moving in? It must have a very convincing real estate agent looking after it! Still, minor misgivings for a tremendous horror film. As for the remake I'll welcome it with open arms; many on the internet have addressed resistance about the casting of Gellar as the central character. I for one believe she'll be fabulous. This is a role where looking scared is of paramount importance and Gellar has shown us time and time again in Buffy how convincingly she can put a frightened face on. And besides with original director Shimizu at the helm, what could possibly go wrong?
  
  
  

• Mixed Bag

  
  By A4UKBG3M5U5TI on 2004-11-27
  A young social worker named Rika is sent to check on an elderly woman. When she arrives at the house, Rika finds that the woman is near comatose and a strange young boy is hiding in the closet. As the story unfolds, numerous people begin to die in mysterious ways. We also gradually learn more about the boy and the house, both of which seem to play a role in these deaths. The story is told in an episodic manner, introducing several characters and then depicting how they're related to the tale.
  
  Japanese director Takashi Shimizu made "Ju-On" as well as its recent American remake, "The Grudge." Asian horror films have a certain ambience and style that has started to catch on in the US, and some of this flair is present in "Ju-On." Several scenes are genuinely creepy and quite effective, particularly when a woman appears who makes disturbing clicking sounds. Unfortunately, the directing and acting are somewhat erratic, severely undercutting the movie's effectiveness. I actually laughed during several scenes, especially during the first 20 minutes. In addition, several elements of "Ju-On" (e.g., the way the female ghost moves) are more than a bit reminiscent of "Ringu" (the original version of "The Ring"), making the movie seem clichéd and tired.
  
  The movie eventually finds its stride, although it remains somewhat confusing at times. Furthermore, a miserable ending severely limits the impact of the movie. Overall, "Ju-On" is an average horror film: I enjoyed it and it speeds along at a zippy pace. However, it's not on a par with other recent, more skillfully made Asian horror films, such as "Ringu" or "The Eye."
  
  
  

• A Great Movie

  
  By A2EW45P80VO9H5 on 2004-10-27
  I am a long-time fan of Horror. I have not enjoyed many recent American Horror for some time - save for Freddy vs Jason which is directed by a Hong Kong Director.... I have recently been collecting Japanese Horror and place this series of films (there are 4)at the top; That and DARK WATER. Yes there is a feel of the RING in it, but these are "Ghost stories", not slasher films. If you want more blood then start with tracking down the first - JU-ON the Curse, the Grudge is the 3rd. I have not seen movies that have "freaked-me-out" like this since THE CHANGELING with George C. Scott. If you did not like the RING (Japanese), then you may not like this either. They are similar in style and this style is popular in Horror from Japan. If you are not familiar with Japanese shows or movies, it can be troubling to see the flow of the parts due mostly to Japanese names, as they are connected by the characters relations to one another... this may seem confusing to those who cannot remember which character Kazumi is and so on... my mother is also a fan of horror and she remembers this as her favorite as well.
  
  

• I hate this film...

  
  By A3I3JZPQVN6T55 on 2004-11-07
  ...because it has frightened me so badly that I have'nt slept in two weeks. I have been looking for a movie that could *really* scare me for years. For a long time, The Excorcist held the top slot. Then along came Blair Witch, which I thought did a very good job at inciting that deep-down fear. But now I have gone and seen Ju-On, and it has wrecked me! Be careful what you wish for! Why though? What exactly is it about this film that is so intensly, deeply frightening? I don't know if I can put it into words. Most horror movies use the "jolt" tactic for a quick scare, and this one is no exception, yet these are more than jolts. These are sounds and images that burrow deeply into the mind and stay there, only to come to surface at the most undesirable times (such as the middle of the night). I have found that the most ordinary household bumps and creeks can now paralyze me, and catching my own reflection out of the corner of my eye as i pass by a window or mirror can suddenly chill me to the marrow and cause the hair on my arms to stand straight up. I find that my dreams have been haunted as well. Mostly consisting of ordinary-looking staircases that draw my attention and curiosity, only to find them to be occupied by a croaking, grotesquly twitching pale woman slowly scaling down them like a crab or a bug, toward me...and as much as I need to, I just cannot look away. I am 30 years old, and I do not scare easily. So, if you are one of the many jaded horror buffs who think a movie (a ghost story no less) can't be reeeeaaaalllly scary, see this. However, a fair warning: there can be unpleasant side-effects to veiwing this one. Ju-On can literally haunt you if you let it inside your mind. I loved it, but there is no way in hell I'll see it again. I feel like I need to watch the Excorcist again for some light entertainment!
  
  
• A skillful and lingering haunted house tale
  By A2B8GXSCB1R05T on 2004-10-22
  The best horror movies unsettle your everyday life, lingering after the closing credits, hiding behind closed doors and darkness, and generally making you afraid to turn off the lights. "Ju-on" is particularly skilled in this, leaving the sensation that every single spot out of your immediate rang of vision is occupied by some eerie blue ghost with penetrating eyes.
  
  The story, that of a cursed and haunted house that kills everyone who enters it, is told in non-chronological fragments much in the style of "Pulp Fiction." Slowly, the story unfolds of a wife's murder by her jealous and suspecting husband, who then commits suicide. Her vengeful spirit curses the house, absorbing the spirits of those who dare to live there or even enter at all. The first to fall under her spell is her own son, Toshio, who becomes her companion in the grudge. As the film goes on, she is joined by many others.
  
  Aside from the fragmented story, what separates "Ju-On" is that the director Takashi Shimizu has utilized the space of the Japanese house to its fullest effect, drawing out the essential spookiness in its architecture in much the same way Kubrick's "The Shinning" found the horror in the grand hotel. Packed with tight corners, steep staircases, deep closets and attics, and doors on every room, the Japanese home is a maze of unseeable spaces. Everything is out of your field of vision, and Shimizu has accentuated this effect by tightening the camera view, removing all peripheral vision for a claustrophobic and tense effect. If you happen to live in a Japanese house, I can guarantee that you won't climb your stairway as confidently again, or peek up into your crawlspace.
  
  Working from a small budget, Shimizu has also created a ghost-effect that unnerves without relying on expensive special effects or gore. The simplicity of the imagery magnifies the sense that this is taking place in the real world, rather than the film world or Hollywood.
  
  The pacing of the story is patient, reflecting Japanese sensibilities of storytelling. Also, the complete story is never told, and the viewer is expected to see the story beneath the surface, connecting the dots without having all of the information handed to them. This can be a bit trying to American viewers used to more active storytelling, and I am sure that the American re-make will fill in the blanks in the same way it did with "Ringu." There is no "why" behind "Ju-On." There is merely an angry ghost, her victims, and a deep and lasting grudge.
  
  
• Another Vengeful Ghost Tale
  By AGH0AMXYMWZRS on 2004-09-11
  Juon has recently been remade for American screens as "The Grudge," and stars Sarah Michelle Gellar. This is one of many parallels one might draw between this movie and "Ring," which was remade with Naomi Watts and has spawned an entirely american sequel.
  
  The vengeful ghost trapped in an item or location is a very common theme in Japanese horror and storytelling. Films like Juon and Ring, as well as games such as Fatal Frame (PS2) feed off the fears inherent in the stories of vindictive undead. One main difference between the Japanese and American versions of these is the degree to which our fear can be assuaged with some sort of explanation. Juon, like the original Ring, offers vague hints as to what happened to its ghosts and what does happen to their victims. The ending offers no explanation, no enlightement, and might be unsatisfying to some viewers. Interestingly enough, it is that lack of resolution that makes this genre so strong and helps it leave a lasting impression. There may be no solution to the ghost problem. The evil unleashed may be unstoppable.
  
  The movie is somewhat slow, especially compared to the horror flicks we're used to, which doesn't mean its characters don't fall into the usual victim traps (like being unpardonably dumb). There's no obvious violence to speak of and none of the detective fiction element that has strengthened some other scary films. However, if you enjoy the slow building of a subtle and chilly atmosphere, and are prepared to be scared without reprieve, you will really appreciate this movie.
  
  
• Very cerebral, if ambiguous, horror film
  By A33CLVW2K7SL1P on 2004-11-15
  I wish I had seen this before seeing The Grudge, or at least have learned more about the background of Ju-On, specifically that there were two films that preceded Ju-On (The Grudge).
  
  For one thing, I would have learned that the Americanization of the film had it completely wrong, even though Takashi Shamizu directed both films. I spent a good portion of this film trying to anneal the two versions, but ultimately realized that I could not and therefore accepted them as separate works of art. Once I did this, my enjoyment for this particular "Grudge" grew immensely, although I still couldn't help comparing the American and Japanese version, and wishing that the American version had been truer to its Japanese roots, just like The Ring (from Ringu).
  
  This was a scary film. Not the kind of scary that makes your blood run cold or that makes you jump in your seat - it's the superior form of scary that keeps your eyes glued to the screen watching every minute detail, and upon reaching the denouement, feeling a tremendous amount of sorrow for...well, I can't tell you, or that would be giving it away. This is so non-traditional that it soars above its competition. Sure, parts of it are ambiguous, and we wonder why certain things happen the way they did. But the last few scenes answer those questions if you're paying attention and thinking. That's why I say this is a superior form of "scary" - it's cerebral. It gets inside your brain. It paints images that disturb you, and then mollify you, and then introduces actual sequences that leave you disturbed and questioning. That's really the heart of Japanese horror - ambiguity. The answers aren't so much on the screen, but in your mind, and it's up to you to put together the images and sequences as they are presented to formulate a unified whole.
  
  Now, if only I could get my hands on prequels to this: Ju-On (The Curse) and Ju-On (The Curse II) at a reasonable price, but sellers on e-bay seem to think that these movies are Pentagon secrets, if their prices mean anything.
  
  One correction. Ju-On's are zombie like creatures. When one kills another, another Ju-On is created. That's a concept completely absent from the American version. They make it seem like the story of a haunted house, and that's simply not the story.
  
  
  
• Scary.
  By A16LR96HZ5UK7Z on 2004-10-29
  Ju-On: The Grudge
  directed by Takashi Shimizu
  2003, 92 mins
  
  First things first: there's Ju-On, and there's Ju-On: The Grudge. Ju-On: The Grudge is a remake of plain Ju-On, with a different cast and a bigger budget, but the same director. This review concerns Ju-On: The Grudge, as the original Ju-On has not been released here (sadly, because it has Chiaki Kuriyama in it). That taken care of, let's carry on to the review itself.
  
  Movies don't often really scare me. The Exorcist? Pssh. The Shining? Meh. However, I was caught off-guard when I saw Ringu for the first time. Now this was scary! I mean, just imagine this creepy girl coming crawling out of your TV! That was the first time I regretted watching horror movies in the middle of the night, in the dark, all by myself. I watched several more Asian horror movies after Ringu, including all the spin-offs and whatever, but none of them seemed to be able to come anywhere near Ringu. That was, until I got my hands on Ju-On. I find it kind of funny, I find it kind of sad, the night I watched this movie, I almost wet my pants.
  
  How come? I don't know. The movie in itself is not really special, to be honest. The acting is quite okay, and the technical aspects, nothing wrong with them. The story lacks, to say the least. But is it scary? Oh my shizzle, yes. This movie is loaded with scenes that are just too creepy for words. I could of course spoil them, but that takes away the, well, 'fun' of it. You should just see for yourself and get scared (or not, since some people apparently don't find it scary at all; they find The Exorcist much scarier *coughs*). I'll tell you this: since I watched this movie, I always turn on the lights before looking into a mirror. Hella, I don't believe in ghosts or anything, but crap, Ju-On really got to me. Evil Dead couldn't breed any fear for mirrors-in-the-dark here, but Ju-On could. Therefore, I praise it.
  
  Oh yeah, the make up looks like crap.
  
  mos says:
  
  Scares? 100/10
  Gore? 2/10 (blood-soaked ghost-women count)
  Scary kids? 1/1
  Fun factor? 10/10 (if getting scared is your kind of fun)
  Turn-on-the-lights-before-looking-into-the-mirror factor? 10/10
  
  
• 3 weeks without sleep
  By A27NIPQ6R14H9L on 2004-11-06
  I have seen a lot of very scary films but this one is the most disturbing I have ever seen...ever. I am fairly new to J-horror and therefore in reflection have had a fairly tame horror upbringing.
  
  I watched this on a fairly normal Saturday afternoon in my girlfriend's house; she was working on her computer at the time. I began watching it with the english over-dub, but that was a bit crap so I watched it in original Japanese with subtitles. I could already tell after about 15 minutes that this film was going to be whopper! Excited, I ran and told the other half about how good it was and when I came back down, I rewound it simply to see what I had missed. I was nearly sick. My stomach turned and from that moment I knew I was dealing with the big boys.
  
  Since then the dvd has sat menacingly on the rack in my house and like some disturbed heroin addict in remission, I have teased myself with watching it again. I'll pick it up, but then something bites and reluctanlty but also thankfully I'll return it to where it now sits, hovering behind me.
  
  I live alone (not with my girlfriend) but since that pleasent Saturday afternoon my life has not been the same. I have not slept alone apart from once when I had to get steaming drunk so I could actullay sleep without caring. I won't look under the bed covers, I won't look out of the bed covers, I can't shower in peace, I can't walk up the stairs without all of the house lights on (like that helps!!) I can't even have poo at work in peace without the fear of hearing...that noise.
  
  The thing with ju-on is this. Close your eyes and imagine every safe place you can, every safe situation, every safe person and then imagine there is no hope. Ju-on attacks everything you hold sacred, but not in a violent manner; in a silent and vehement mode. It is the cute child that conceals an uzi behind his back. It is the pizza that has that extra helping of arsenic. It is not horror - it is pure evil.
  
  You owe it to yourself to watch this film. You ought to watch it and I mean ought in its full literal sense. It is a diamond film and a great great deal can be learnt from it. Yet again the Western world, Japan has shown us the way forward - domo arigato!!!
  
  
  
• TO-SHI-O
  By APCHVFMSQZVY4 on 2004-10-10
  When I first saw this film I noticed that there were a few similarities between it and ringu (the original japenese ring) like the curse and the avenging ghost with long black hair that covers her face, but thats where the similarities end.
  Personaly I think that JO-ON is 10 times better than ringu, not that I think that ringu is a bad film but it isn't slow or have boring scenes of dialogue.
  The story is about this haunted house not a big mansion just a small and regular house whose inhabetants were murdered, the wife was killed by her husband because he found out she was in love with some one else.
  Both the husband and the son dissapeare and there is no explanation, the story can be a bit confusing.
  So anyone who enters the house gets a curse on them, I thought that the small boy Toshio was the creepiest charecter in the film.
  He kept popping up all over the place and in the closet lol, I jumped out of my seat its that scary.
  this is probably the best japanese horror film I have ever seen, I can not wait to see how the american remake is gonna turn out since it is going to be directed by the same director Takashi Shimizu.
  Make sure that you get to watch the prequal and the sequal if you like JU-ON the grudge. I think its very hard to find but it is worth it, the unborn foetus and bloody school girl will give you nightmares.
  
  
• Scary as all hell!
  By ALH8OD35DMXFK on 2004-10-11
  Simply put, this first theatrical (and third film in the 'Ju On' series) is the stuff of nightmares. There is imagery here that will keep you awake for weeks.
  
  It's arguably the weakest film in the series...but it still delivers scares the likes of which U.S. audiences have never seen before. I hope Lion's Gate puts out the other three 'Ju On' films soon.
  
  
• I Think We Have a Misunderstanding...
  By A17TCFYU5HS9DM on 2004-11-01
  Might I point out to all of the people who left recent reviews: THIS IS NOT THE SAME MOVIE THAT IS OUT IN THEATERS! I'm am astonished that few realize that this DVD is being released in one week--movies are not released on DVD WHILE in theaters, and while doing well, I might add. This is the Japanese version of the movie, which is, as I hear, quite different, although generally the same storyline. The movie in theaters is a REMAKE of this one, like "The Ring" was for "Ringu!" Thought I'd straighten that out for some of ya.
  
  
• Disturbing, Creepy Images
  By A1CQI33L16R5KG on 2004-11-27
  If you like Ringu and other similar Japanese horror films, then you will enjoy Ju-On. As mentioned in other reviews, this movie is about a haunted house or rather the curse that exists in said house because of horrible events which took place there years earlier. Because the previous victims died in the grip of a terrible rage, a curse has been born; anyone who lives in or enters the house will become its victim. And, unlike most haunted houses, these spirits can follow you home and create all sorts of havoc.
  There is no specific point of view or any comprehensible plot to speak of. Rather, the film consists of several narratives as seen through the eyes of the folks who either live in or visit the house and what happens to them as a result. Most of the time you learn what becomes of them; other times you draw your own conclusions based on what has become of other characters. Moreover, you're not given enough time to become seriously attached to any particular character as each one generally meets his or her demise rather quickly. So if you're into the traditional horror flick-the hero/heroine discovers the ghosts, tries and fails repetitively to defeat them upon discovering why they exist, only to triumph and survive in the end-this film is not for you. No happy endings, no neatly-packaged conclusions. If you have an undying need for resolution-look elsewhere. In fact, there's a sense that the horror will continue long after the film has ended. As for the lack of character attachment, I don't believe we as viewers are supposed to become attached to them; rather, we should focus on the spirits' rage and the destruction this rage wreaks on anyone who comes in contact with it.
  An aspect that many viewers may find perplexing are the jumps in time. You may have to watch the film more then once just to comprehend them. However, I believe that Shimizu incorporates these time shifts to emphasize further the enduring power which the curse possesses.
  The final ending, rather trite and typical for horror films, was salvaged by the preceding images of the deserted town in which the house resides, somewhat suggesting that the spirits have succeeded in destroying everyone.
  Overall, I liked the film well enough that it has stimulated a desire to see the other three in the series, if I can find them locally. One other thing-this film manages to be fairly frightening without all the gore(except for the first shot)of most horror films; the spirits' visages are disturbing enough to keep you watching despite the fact that some of the narratives tend to mimic each other in action.
  If you do decide to view this movie, just a suggestion to enhance the creepiness-watch it alone, late at night, with all lights extinguished. You won't be sorry. Or perhaps you will.
  
  
• Scaredy-Cat takes in movie on frightful All Hallows Eve 2004
  By A1VCU7P4R0HEMU on 2004-11-01
  I went to see this movie recently with my boyfriend since it was Halloween Night and we were looking for something fun and spooky to do.
  
  Now I will tell you from the start that horror flicks are NOT my thing. I am the biggest "scaredy-cat" when it comes to fright films and the brief trailer/description for this film that I read on-line did not give me much confidence going in...
  
  "She hears a strange scratching sound coming from the attic of a catatonic shut-in...AND GOES TO INVESTIGATE??..."
  
  Ahhhhhhh, Creepy! I don't even want to KNOW what is up there or why anyone ELSE wants to figure it out. Well, I guess SOME people DO want to know...
  
  (Even though we all know what they said about Curiosity and that old [black] Cat...)
  
  The film was full of all different degrees of scares and seemed to delight my not-so-scaredy-cat boyfriend (though he turned to show me gooseflesh on his arm at one point in the picture).
  
  I covered my eyes for a lot of it and still had a hard time sleeping last night because of the subtle scares/foreshadowing frights that this movie provided---many that you could not even hope to expect. Wow. Chills.
  
  I thought the film was well-acted, a well-told story, and the special effects were tremendous.
  
  My only criticism would be that I would have liked to see a little more explanation of "the Grudge" Ju-On evil dead/undead spirit and it's history and it's powers and etc, etc, etc.
  
  I have always been fascinated with Japanese culture and beliefs and I think this would have made the film even more spooky and even more interesting for it's viewers.
  
  Perhaps that is being saved for a sequel, since another review I just read on www.amazon.com seems to hint at this as a four story sequel/series. (Do NOT tell my boyfriend, please!)
  
  I have not read the book (and since I'm still trying to get the frightening movie images out of my head in time for bed tonight), I likely will not. So, I am not sure if the book gives more explanation of this aspect of the story/plot line.
  
  The premise is very interesting and very frightening and again, just a good all around scary movie to see, (and not just on the Eve of a Pagan Holiday like Halloween!)
  
  En--joy!
  
  
• Disappointing and repetitive
  By A5CWLQF6QO3CN on 2004-10-13
  The selling point of The Grudge was the story was written by the same minds behind the ever scary The Ring. However, apart from certain similarities that you could find from The Ring, The Grudge is far from satisfactory and mediocre.
  
  The story is about an curse / grudge that prevails in a haunted house that caused every single person who had visited that house to disappear through a haunted experience. The idea is good but at the same time reminds people of the serial video of The Ring. It is also because of this that makes the story less convincing. The video in The Ring is more mobile so it could affect more innocent people could be understood, but the way in The Grudge to make people visitng that house and then snatched by the dark force is just really unconvincing.
  
  The movie started off pretty good with normality turned haunting but then as the reel rolls on, you only feel that it is too repetitive and you already expect those people to end in a scary experience, which because of the expectation, it is hardly scary anymore. The Ring and Dark Water made themselves into the classic list because of their great imagination and tension building. The Grudge simply lacks that completely. When you watch it you just feel that the story is repeating itself again and again and you get tired and fed up with the story. Also the characters are not characters you care about anymore as everyone only constitutes a small part and their stories are not appealing enough to capture your care and sympathy towards them.
  
  Another failure of the movie is the similarity of the killer ghose to The Ring, which gave you the feeling of "oh not again". Basically people behind the Grudge should employ more imagination over the whole story to make it more interesting. The lack of tension and lack of coherent of the story, together with the unnatural marriage of different stories together contributed a lot to the failure of the story.
  
  The Ring and Dark Waters are classcial thriller that make you want to watch again but still feel scared. However, for The Grudge, it just didn't make it. It is just another Japanese "scary" movie.
  
  
• Love Japanese horrow films
  By A1PDH7IY7PPT11 on 2004-10-26
  I really liked this movie...actually better than Ringu. It seems pretty obvious to me after reading all the reviews, which people actually were aware that this was a remake or even aware that it was the same director as Ringu (which would explain the similarities). I like that the movie doesn't have some retarded American happy ending and sticks to it's original Japanese roots. I think it would've been awful if they tried to change the movie too much to appeal to more close-minded viewers (such as in the area I live in unfortunately). For those of you who were upset that there was no ending....there is a sequel so no need to panic about not knowing what happened.
  
  All in all...great movie, would definitely watch it again and own it on dvd (the original of course).
  
  
• A MASTERPIECE!
  By A8DI0COTCMRDV on 2004-11-13
  Takashi Shimizu's original "JU-ON (the grudge)" is simpley one of the scariest horror films i have ever seen! this movie DOES! MAKE! SENSE! if you don't try so hard to understand it.everything is kind of backwards & yes it can be hard to understand at times but those are the times your not supposed to understand it,i mean being confused at times makes for great viewing atmosphere,being unsettled & not knowing what to expect next, in my personal opinion makes the scares that much more intense.these are some of the very same reasons i am a BIG fan of directors like Lucio Fulci & Dario Argento these artist are the godfather's of leaving the viewer unsettled & confused. there films are like dark dreams/nightmares & they have proven over & over again that a horror movie doesn't have to make perfect sense to be scary as hell!! these types of movies are made for multi-viewing's. anyway,if you are looking for a very very very creepy horror movie then "JU-ON (the grudge)" is exactly what you are looking for! my girlfriend & i are big HORROR MOVIE HOUNDS & most the time she deals with the extra scary one's by cutting the circulation off in my hand BUT this time,while we we're watching this movie my whole arm went numb!!!!! THIS MOVIE IS SCARY! IF YOUR A REAL HORROR FAN HURRY UP & ADD THIS MASTERPIECE TO YOUR COLLECTION!if your not a collector & your just looking for a good weekend scare go rent it,but if you scare easily don't watch this alone! p.s. to all the non-educated reviewer's out there! this is the original version of this movie not the american remake! & in my opinion, bigger budget or not, most the time the original is better. MOST THE TIME!?
  
  
• I almost understood it...almost!
  By A1DI3PU62K8KZ0 on 2004-11-18
  I had wanted to watch the Japanese version first, then the American Remake second, but I did the opposite. All I can say was I am glad I did. I usually prefer the original to most remakes. (I did like the Japanese "Ringu", a bit more than the American "Ring"). In this case I expected to like "Ju-on, The Grudge" But unfortunately, I did not simply because it was too confusing. The ending completely lost me.
  
  I understood the Japanese original was low budget film and I was willing to accept there would be less scary and thrilling specially effects. I also knew the storyline would be slightly different and some changes in character presentation would be expected. But what I didn't expect was to be confused as not to know what happened in the end.
  
  Actually, the last 30 minutes of the film didn't make a lot of sense. The whole time/slipping concept was okay, but the way it was shown often made me want to review the scene(s) before since I couldn't figure out where the new scene came from. It jumped about so much that I lost the flow of the story line.
  
  Then there were the holes or bloopers in the story. (Spoiler) Case in point, Mariko, the school teacher says she is going to visit the home of a student that has not come into class since school started. When we find out the student she is referring to is the dead boy Toshio, I have to ask, just who enrolled this child at the school since he has been dead for over five years? If he had been enrolled when he was still alive five years ago, I think the school would have taken his name off the attendance sheets by now.
  
  (Spoiler) And what was with the whole "peeking through the fingers" thing. I didn't get that at all. I thought maybe it was a game Toshio and his mother Kayako used to play, something like "Peek-a-Boo". Perhaps they were playing it when Toshio's father Takeo, killed his wife. If he killed her in front of his son, then his son continues playing the game even as a ghost.
  
  The story didn't make sense at the end. I didn't even think Rika died until someone pointed out she was killed by the ghost of the husband Takeo. The American remake was easier to follow. If I hadn't watch the American version first, I think I would have understood even less of the story. Having that as a guide helped me.
  
  The story in itself was good, that a house absorbed the horror and curse of previous murders to relive them again and again to new inhabitants. I accepted the fact that persons dwelling in the house would be subject to the curse and killed. But I thought the concept of the curse and ghosts following individuals outside the haunted house and killing them at their work or homes was farfetched.
  
  I was disappointed with Ju-on. I had thought it would be as good as Ringu which I liked, and I had high hopes for this film, but it just didn't deliver.
  
  
• * Some Necessary Background Information *
  By A3PIPHWD45VOGI on 2005-01-23
  ~
  Again I've been met with severe disappointment! I'm disappointed because, once again, one of the most influential and talked about films from Asia has not only found its way to our American shores but has also spawned a halfway decent "Hollywood Remake" -- resulting in the fact that I can no longer gloat about being part of an exclusive elite, so to speak, with regard to having had the fortune to experience this and other once 'inaccessible' films.
  
  But now that another attention-getting spook-story from Japan has been introduced to a wider audience in the West, it is perhaps a good time to share some of the "deeper" elements of the story, its history, etc., especially since a lot of misinformation has been circulating about everything connected to & associated with this film in other forums, and is already beginning to take firm root in Amazon's review forums as well. So I'm taking it upon myself to clear up some of those misconceptions DESPITE the fact that very few people in this and other review forums really don't seem to care or appreciate that someone is trying to set them on the right path. (This has, unfortunately, always been my curse in life.)
  
  First, the film's title should be explained. The name, "JUON," is also seen alternately rendered as "JU-ON." Whether there is a 'hyphen' inserted in the romanized title is really a minor issue as far as anyone is concerned; I personally prefer not using it. Many of you will probably consider the following information that I will now supply about the movie's original title to be a case of "nit-picking," but please hear me out.
  
  The Sino-Chinese characters (or "kanji") that are used together to make up the film's title is, in reality, a "non- word" in the Japanese language: It is the result of two deliberately selected kanji placed together by writer/director Shimizu Takashi (hence, the 'explanation' given as to its 'pronunciation & meaning' in the film's introductory text prior to the opening credits). Taken together, the new word's translation into English means, roughly, "A Curse of Resentment"; Separately, the kanji literally read as "Curse-Grudge." So, in actuality, EITHER word-- "Curse" or "Grudge" --could indeed be (and actually has been) used as a way to translate the film's title into English. But whereas the use of either title in English is 'essentially' correct, neither one used by itself is 'technically' correct -- and a deeper, more forceful sense of meaning is lost without this additional understanding.
  
  As new initiates into this film are virtually all aware of by now, this film's "unofficial" English title, "The Grudge," is associated with both this film and with its Hollywood remake. What is not commonly known, however, is that this English title was also given to this movie's original Japanese theatrical sequel, "JUON 2" (hence: "The Grudge 2"). But here's where it starts to get kinda fun (and confusing) -- Remember how I said that the English title, "The Curse," had also been used? This is correct, but it is not in connection with this film and/or its sequel (which were both major 'theatrical' releases in Japan & throughout East Asia), it is more often associated with their two predecessor movies: "JUON" and "JUON 2." Yes -- Same titles -- But Different formats.
  
  The "original" original "JUON" (a.k.a. "The Curse") began as a 2-part "V-Cinema" (i.e. "made-for-television"/"video") production.
  
  And before you start getting too confused, let me help alleviate any additional confusion which is likely to develop due to much of the misinformation being propagated by those "not-in-the-know."
  
  By now you are hearing or reading a number of remarks stating that the THEATRICAL version of "Juon" ("The Grudge") is a "REMAKE" of the V-CINEMA "Juon" ("The Curse") --
  
  [[B.S. ALERT!!! - B.S. ALERT!!! - B.S. ALERT!!!]]
  
  When you encounter anything or anyone repeating that statement as fact, be very much assured that such information is blatantly FALSE! "Juon," the 'theatrical' version, is NOT -- (repeat) -- "NOT" a 'remake' of the 'V-Cinema' releases! The "theatrical" release of "Juon" (this film) and its theatrical sequel, "Juon 2," are both "CONTINUATIONS" of the same story established in "Juon" and "Juon 2" the video productions. To call the 'theatrical' release of "Juon" a remake of the 'V-Cinema' productions would be like calling "STAR TREK II: The Wrath of Khan" a 'remake' of the "Space Seed" episode of the original Star Trek television series. So, in effect, "Juon" (this film) and "Juon 2" (its theatrical sequel) are to be considered as "Juon, part 3" and "Juon, part 4" respectively.
  
  This takes us to the REAL 'remake' of this film, the Raimi/Shimizu collaboration, "THE GRUDGE." I'll be forthright and honest in admitting that I was not entirely impressed with the Americanized version: Not because I'm prejudiced in favor of the Japanese original, but because the whole 'feel' of the movie just wasn't right -- It reeked of "Hollywood" (too loud, too bright, too fast, too crisp -- not enough of the 'gloominess' and 'ambiance' that make this film-- "Juon" --work so well).
  
  On the plus side, Sam Raimi ("The Evil Dead"), who financed the Occidental remake, had sense enough to employ the same director of the original films. And though it was not really necessary, Mr. Raimi chose to keep the story set in its native Japan and limited the use of Caucasian actors -- yet the remake could have just as easily (and I think more convincingly) been set in NYC, LA, or here in Honolulu, where heavy Asian populations already reside and have the added benefit of speaking English as their native language (assuming that it was their intent was to continue to cater to Japanese or other Asian cultural themes).
  
  Mr. Raimi & Shimizu-san are also to be commended in that, most unlike Gore Verbinski's infuriating so-called 'remake' of Nakata Hideo's "RING" and Walter Salles' apparently equal affront to Nakata-san's genius (as can be easily attested to just from viewing the preview trailer alone) with his horrendous reworking of "HONOGURAI MIZU NO SOKO KARA" (currently in production as "DARK WATER"), the Raimi/Shimizu remake of "Juon" is the closest thing to a TRUE & GENUINE "REMAKE" of any film I have probably ever seen! "The Grudge," for the most part, remains VERY faithful to the source material -- even reusing many of the same sets, the same locales and even, yes, the same actors! Unfortunately, because of using a new cast of Caucasian actors while having key members of the Japanese cast reprising their original roles, the story as it plays out in the remake loses some of its effectiveness and rationale, due to the inability to duplicate certain situations which account for certain behaviors among several of the characters in the original.
  
  One final comparison between this version of "Juon" and "The Grudge" (just to confuse you a little more before I sign off). The common proclaimation being tossed about is that the "The Grudge" is a remake of this film, "Juon" (i.e. this 'theatrical' release). That statement is only HALF correct. In actuality, "The Grudge" is a remake of "Juon" AND "Juon." Have I totally confused you yet? Don't be confused -- here's what I mean: The American remake incorporates scenes and elements from both "Juon, Part 3" (this film, the first 'theatrical' release, a.k.a. "The Grudge") AND from "Juon, Part 1" (the first 'V-Cinema' release a.k.a. "The Curse"). So if you should watch both this movie and the American remake, this additional information will help to explain why there's such a difference between the two versions. "The Grudge" (the remake) is basically giving more of the "backstory" which is not to be had in this edition of "Juon" -- so all of the "additional" and "different" scenes in "The Grudge" (remake) are not so much "artistic license" as they are giving you more of the story you would not have been familiar with unless you had been privileged enough to have seen the original V-Cinema release(s).
  
  Although the remake incorporates elements from the first video production of this series, this first theatrical version can still be thoroughly enjoyed and understood even without the 'back story,' because enough is revealed throughout this movie to allow you to follow the sequence of events, to piece together the history of the curse, to figure out who the characters are and what's motivating them, etc. I take great confidence in declaring this because it was this same film ("Juon" - the first theatrical edition) that introduced me to the entire series.
  
  As for my recommendations concerning the inclusion of the American remake as a companion to this film? Well -- this gets a bit complicated.
  
  On the one-hand, if you're a real stickler for wanting to get some of the details on the 'back story' and you are unable to acquire any of the original 'V-Cinema' DVDs (especially the very first edition), then I'd say, yeah, go ahead, give it a shot (even though, again, because of the use of newly introduced American actors against a cast of already established Asian characters, some very pertinent story details are going to be overlooked or slightly changed and will not completely offer any satisfactory explanations into why certain key characters in the movie are the targets of ghostly rage, which will result in a slightly different interpretation from what you would get from watching the original series).
  
  However, if you watch this film and fall immensely in love with it (as so many of us have), but you have those nagging doubts about wanting to see ANY remake after witnessing the dog-awful treatment given to the [quote/unquote] 'remake' of "Ring" (the original of which you've also loved)-- and especially if you're a huge fan of "Honogurai Mizu no Soko Kara" and have seen the trailer for the [quote/unquote] 'remake' of that one called "Dark Water" and are just appalled at what is being done to it even this early in the production phase --then I honestly can't say whether or not I could recommend the remake under those circumstances. Again, because of my own personal biases & preferences, I have decided not to include it in my own personal collection simply because it doesn't 'look & feel' quite right to me -- which is NOT to say that the Raimi/Shimizu remake is necessarily a bad film by any means, because, again, like I've said earlier, this is the closest thing to a true "remake" I have seen that has been labeled as such since 1990's "NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD" (not counting Van Sant's "PSYCHO," which was more of a "re-SHOOT" than a remake). So if you want to see what a truly "FAITHFUL" remake of an Asian film looks like that doesn't take unnecessary "liberties" with source material, then the remake ("THE GRUDGE") just might work for you as well -- but you MAY want to rent it first, just to be on the safe side.
  
  As for recommending this film, "JUON" -- no problems recommending it whatsoever. Just be forewarned that like most Asian "vengeful spirit" stories, it's not going to be the most terrifying experience you've ever had -- the suspenseful build-ups are going be long, slow and involving. But if you enjoy a lot of 'tension' and 'atmosphere' and not a whole lot of bloodshed with your horror or ghost stories, then there's not much of a chance you can go wrong with this one -- (Dumbed-down, SFX-addicted "Hollywood Zombies" need not apply)!
  
  
• Talcum powder is not scary
  By A151YBOWGU3KJF on 2004-10-15
  This is one of the crappiest movies I have ever seen. To think that a little boy dipped in talcum powder with a bit of eye liner and mascara would be scary....well...I think NOT!! The entire plot is repetitive and boring and by the end of it, you are just waiting and wanting everyone to die because they are all just so lame. The only highlight of the show is the end credits because you can finally turn the tele off. The film works more as a sedative than an adrenalin rush. I give it the big THUMBS DOWN!!!
  
  
• Scarier than Ringu
  By A17KCWWEHBJCJX on 2004-10-23
  I rented Ju-on: The Grudge because its American remake is coming out, and I wanted to sample the original without prejudice before the marketing assault of the remake robs me of that chance. I wasn't expecting much however, figuring it to be in the same vein as the original Ringu, which wasn't all that scary. Ditto the American remake. Of course, I am wrong as usual. From the very first scenes, you can tell there is a skillful director at work. Takashi Shimizu easily concocted the mood and atmosphere that a hack like Brett Ratner can only dream of. And the film is actually scary, not the cheap oh-it's-a-cat type of scare either but genuine fears of what is happening on screen. The structure of the story is interesting too, told episodically without chronological order, it actually asks for audience participation instead of hosing us down with its plot. Other things conspire to elevate the film high above the norm, like the masterful use of sound effects and suggestions of what is behind closed doors. The only mistakes are a sometimes illogical behaviors from its characters and the overexposure of the many vengeful spirits late in the film. They are not fatal, but the film would have been perfect without them. Anyways, if you thought Ringu was scary, you ain't see nothing yet.
  
  
• Great series
  By A1U7JVKZUFNQFN on 2004-10-30
  This series of four movies is really great. It's not your typical slice and dice, jump out of the darkness for a cheap scare type movies. It's the lighting and the mood set by this lighting that makes the movie haunting. Also, it's not as predictable as other "horror" movies. If you can get all four movies, DO SO. Better than "The Ring" quadrilogy.
  
  
• ANOTHER GREAT JAPANESE HORROR FLIM, SORRY HOLLYWOOD!
  By A2ZYUJWGO30U76 on 2004-11-04
  WELL LOOKS LIKE THE CHEAP SCARE FANS, CAN WATCH THE CHEAP HOLLYWOOD RE-MAKE WITH BUFFY AT THE THEATRES. REAL ART HOUSE HORROR FANS STAY AWAY FROM THE GRUDGE! MICHELLE, STICK WITH BUFFY MOVIES, STICK WITH WHAT YOU KNOW! FOR US SMART ART HOUSE FOLKS THE REAL HORROR FANS, SEE JU ON, THIS IS THE REAL GRUDGE MOVIE TO SEE! JUST LIKE RINGU, THIS IS A VERY CREEPY MOVIE WITH SOME GREAT SCARES! THE LITTLE BOY GHOST IN THIS MOVIE IS SCARY AS HELL! THIS IS A VERY STYLISH MOVIE WITH GREAT DIRECTING AND VERY GOOD ACTING! YOU HAVE TO READ SUBTITLES, BUT SO WHAT? UNLIKE THE CHEAP SCARE HORROR FANS, WHO LIKE TURDS LIKE VAN HELSING, SMART HORROR FANS DON'T MIND USING THEIR BRAINS! CHECK IT OUT YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED! FIVE STARS ALL THE WAY, TEN STARS IF I COULD! DOWN WITH BIG HOLLYWOOD!
  
  
• The Japanese original was low-budget and it can't hide it.
  By A283KOPXUSXS8B on 2004-11-15
  I saw the American rendition of The Grudge first and I just watched the Japanese version (after purchasing it from amazon) just an hour ago. This whole thing about Sarah Michelle Gellar "tainting" the movie is absolute bull. To my point, the Japanese original was a low-budget project and it's obvious that the director tried his best with the money he had. The American version is BY FAR more sophisticated, refined, and downright scary as all hell. Directed by the same guy, he had more money (and resources) at his disposal in America so he could bring out his ideas more eloquently.
  
  The American storyline is streamlined and less confusing. For instance, the use of time-jumps, for lack of a better term, is better executed in the American version whereas in its Japanese counterpart the time-jumps are just all over the place. Unlike the American version, you can't possibly piece together the Japanese storyline without physically straining something in your cranium.
  
  The suspense and scare elements are lackluster and nothing compared to its American successor. The way they setup the wife that kills everyone was not mysterious at all. The American audience was greeted by a Ring-esque setup where the faces of these characters are barely shown if at all for only a few quick seconds at a time; thus increasing the scare factor the way the sequences were filmed. The Japanese version puts no mystery in the wife at all; her face in plain sight with painfully slow "scare" sequences.
  
  I can go on with my gripes, but this would become an essay. There are a few good scares in the movie but it's nothing compared to the American version out in theaters right now. My recommendation is to stay away from the original unless you're a movie analyst or critic or whatever and just see The Grudge with Sarah Michelle Gellar while it's out in theaters (or buy the DVD once it's out and blast the volume on your home theater system). The "American-ized" story is easier to follow but just as complex as the Japanese version (wanted to be), the characters can't be confused with each other, and it's by far more scarier (20 times as much). This isn't a testment to American film being better than Japanese film -- this in no way alludes to such a notion. Both movies were directed by the same Director. The only factors that really decided each movie's outcome was the availability of money and resources - the American Grudge did what the Japanese Grudge could not.
  
  
• Scariest movie I've ever seen!!
  By A2P49WD75WHAG5 on 2005-02-06
  
  
  Ju-On: the curse of one who dies in the grip of a powerful rage. It gathers and takes effect in the places where that person was alive. Those who encounter it die and a new curse is born. -opening quote from Ju-On.
  
  The phrase "emotional bloodstain" comes to mind, as the curse arising from a murder that took place five years before still besmirches a house where the Tokunaga family, consisting of husband Katsuya, his wife Kazumi, and the former's mother live. All people connected with the house will either die or disappear. The story is broken into six segments titled after the people affected by the curse.
  
  In the first, "Rika," Rika Nishina, a student at the social welfare center, is forced by her supervisor Hirohashi to look in on the Tokunaga's, as the normal person assigned to them hasn't reported. She goes there to find the house in an absolute state, and Katsuya's elderly mother, Sachie-san, in a state of shock. However, she hears weird noises upstairs and discovers a black cat and a six-year boy named Toshio locked in an upstairs closet. But that's nothing compared to what she sees later.
  
  Cut to what happened the day before. In "Katsuya," the husband becomes possessed by something and his behaviour changes. His facial expression is simply scary, as it's far from the usual absent-minded but nice salaryman.
  
  "Hitomi," Katsuya's younger sister, is an office girl who has a frightening experience in the woman's bathroom at work and later her apartment. Distorted faces on the TV, Hitomi hiding in her own bed, and the low guttural croaking sound emitted by the curse-think of a Geiger Counter with strep throat, count as one of the scariest moments.
  
  "Toyama," is the detective who investigated the original murders of the house, and is reluctantly pressed back into service by Nakagawa, the current detective in charge, while "Izumi," his young daughter, has her own experience in the house as a high school student. She and three friends had gone in that house as a dare, but Izumi, scared, left before her friends were gotten at. Izumi becomes a nervous wreck who stays in her room, blinds down and windows taped up because "they are watching." Finally, in "Kayoko," the name of the first victim, we go back to Rika and her ultimate fate.
  
  Points of note: The story must take place during a ten year period, the beginning being the first murders, the end being the death of Izumi, as at least five years pass from "Toyama" to "Izumi". It's also in her episode that we learn the discovery of one of Rika's body, so we assume Rika was allowed to live five years longer, as was Toyama. There is a small continuity error. From the daylight streaming through the house, it's clear that it's mid-afternoon when Hitomi's message is heard by Rika. Yet when we see Hitomi making the call herself, people are getting ready to leave work, so it must be nighttime. Also, the curse is supposed to be all-pervading and powerful, so why does it need to ask Hitomi for her apartment number before it gets her?
  
  The performers are good to watch, especially Megumi Okina (Rika), Misaki Ito (Hitomi), and Misa Uehara (Izumi), who along with Yui Ichikawa (Chiharu, Izumi's classmate) makes her film debut.
  
  What makes Ju-On scary and vicious is that unlike Ringu, there is no spell to remove the curse, plus those innocents who get dragged into it, like poor Rika or Hitomi, are automatically doomed. The presence of the curse, embodied as a crawling long-haired woman in white dress-sound familiar?-is simply creepy, but so is the presence of Toshio, who might be a cute little kid if not for his ghost-pale complexion and large eyes. Shots of him darting away score for suspenseful moments. Most of the time, the curse is an indistinct black shadow, but even then it's pretty darn scary. People screaming as they are dragged away to their doom, and seeing the bedcovers bulge from beneath until the victim looks in to discover the creepy curse woman also provide some scary moments.
  
  Scarier than Ringu or its descendants, Ju-On is probably the scariest movie I've ever seen. If this is a scary movie, I don't know what Scream or Friday the 13th is.
  
  
• Creepy (Sort of spoiler alert!)
  By A3382QTLTR9Y5Z on 2005-04-04
  If you've seen the Grudge already, don't think for an instant you've seen Ju-On, by the end of the movie, they are completely different, not only with what characters are used (there is, for example, a high school student involved, as well as the inspector who originally studied the case, to name a few). Ju-On, unlike the Grudge, is made on a budget, and the lack of fancy special effects is very evident, but the movie doesn't suffer much for it.
  
  To be a bit more specific with it, Kayako (aka the Woman Ghost) is portrayed much more sympathetically in Ju-On than she is in the Grudge, and in the American remake she is far scarier (it sounds silly written down, but the Japanese Kayako has hair you could see from outer space), although I must admit that in the last climactic scene, the image of the Japanese Kayako was plastered in my mind far more than the American one.
  
  As horror, it worked pretty well, although, well, in the director's commentary for the deleted scenes he says he removed certain scenes because they were "laughable", that is they were too cheesy, or going too far to be taken seriously, and quite a few scenes still had that going (the very last scene, for example features a woman, not Rika (the main character) as far as I can tell and not Kayako (the ghost) lying dead in a garbage bag. Who is this woman? I still can't figure it out. But, it zooms in on her very slowly, making the parting bit predictable to the point of laughability (to use the director's words).
  
  Overall, if you like J-Horror, *really* liked the Grudge, or are a fan of low budget horror movies, I'd strongly recommend this. Otherwise, you may find it confusing, boring, or just plain old hard to watch. As with Anime, I'd strongly recommend having some concept of the Japanese language and a bit of knowledge of the culture, otherwise parts of it will make no sense at all. Avoid the dubbing, it's painful!
  
  
• Ferociously Terrifying: More Original Than the Remake
  By AGSWTH7SP2256 on 2005-04-16
  I very much liked the American remake of "The Grudge" (starring Sarah Michelle Gellar), but it is vastly exceeded by the Japanese original, directed by the same man, Takashi Shimizu. "Spider-Man" and "Evil Dead" director Sam Raimi does the DVD commentary and he ranks "Ju-On" as one of the top 20 horror films of all time, up there with "The Exorcist" and "Night of the Living Dead." In this case the simpler Japanese version is more surprising than the elaborate American (and I speak as one who thought "The Ring" was a much better movie than "Ringu.")
  
  The DVD includes several deleted scenes including the even more ghastly "alternate ending" (nobody dared to inflict this on Sarah Gellar, I guess.) There's also an easter egg on the Delted Scenes page: click on the small round white object under the menu and get another spooky surprise. "Ju-On" is less grisly than the average American horror movie (although it has many memorably frightening, graphic images.) The restraint works better than the numbing repition of gore that many filmakers mistake for horror. A movie has to engage your mind and heart to be truly terrifying, not just your gag reflex.
  
  "Ju-On" is relentless towards the characters, and this is made even worse because Shimizu has stocked his film with some heart-rendingly pretty young Japanese actresses. It becomes even more terrifying and upsetting to see these sweeties get it from the ghosts or demons or whatever they are. (There's interviews and backstage footage as a bonus on the DVD if you want to see more of them.) The same very black, cyclical view of history in "The Grudge" is also present in "Ju-On". The past is a trap: once you're caught you don't escape. The intricate storytelling, in which past, present, living and dead are intermingled is designed to keep you on your toes and anxious about what is revealed next. The movie becomes like a very scary jigsaw puzzle; you are dreading the whole picture as it begins to take horrific shape. The great American noir writer Cornell Woolrich, that dark poet of the inevitability of fate, could have easily written "Ju-On." Just be sure to watch it with a group of friends in the daylight, and not alone at midnight like I did. You'll be trying to shake off the shivers for days afterwards.
  
  
• One of the best horror movies yet!!!
  By A3UXCWI8J8551F on 2005-05-17
  This movie was fantastic! My only regret was that I watched the butchered American title first. Ju-on took a bunch of short stories and melted them all together perfectly. Yes that did make it a little confusing at parts but that added to the whole mistique of the movie. It had you racing tring to put the pieces in order while tring to keep up with the next story. And to top it all off the ending was incredible. Unlike many American horror films the ending ruins the whole movie but the Japanese have perfected the art. The ending totally matches the feel and message of the movie. My advice to you is watch this movie, you'll never go back to American horror ever again!!
  
  
• Startling...yes, but scary? No. The Ring reincarnated...
  By AFPQVUEI3D46K on 2004-10-24
  If you've seen The Ring, you'll see a LOT of familiar themes are cinematography in The Grudge...I mean, even the names sound alike. This movie does have a lot of startling sequences, but it's just not scary. They predictably build to these points and you know you're going to jump in your seat. Things unexpectedly flash on the screen and music bangs...ok, you got me once. The characters turn around only to find The Grudge standing there. How many times has this been done before?
  
  The plot is needs some super glue, at the very least. It meanders, like typical horror flicks, but doesn't bring home the bacon when you add even the slightest touch of common sense. I found this to detract from the movie so greatly, I gave it three stars.
  
  I still think the jury is out on this movie. I did like it better than The Ring, but it could have been SO MUCH BETTER. I'm a bit taken back.
  
  
  
  

• Ju-On 2
• Ringu
• Ringu Anthology of Terror (Rasen/Ringu/Ringu 2/Ringu 0)
• Audition (Uncut Special Edition)
• The Grudge