Tags
2000's, Brian Cox, David Dorfman, Gore Verbinski, Horror, Jane Alexander, Martin Henderson, Naomi Watts, The Ring
Film Title
The Ring
Director
Gore Verbinski
Starring
- Naomi Watts as Rachel Keller
- Martin Henderson as Noah
- David Dorfman as Aidan Keller
- Brian Cox as Richard Morgan
- Jane Alexander as Dr. Grasnik
The Ring is a remake of a well-respected horror so I can understand the trepidation of some people about how successful it would be. They need not have worried because The Ring is an exceptionally well crafted and very unsettling horror with imaginative brush strokes.
The Ring centres around an unusual videotape that comes with a strange and unsettling story. Filled with bizarre images, it is said that anyone who views it will then receive a phone call, telling the viewer that they will die in seven days. A group of teenagers who viewed the tape while on a trip all turn up dead exactly a week later and at the exact same time. One of the victims was the teenage niece of Rachel Keller, an investigative journalist. While supporting her young son Aidan who was very close with his cousin and is very troubled by it, she becomes curious after she hears someone mention the sinister tape. Being a journalist, she is naturally drawn to delve into the mysterious case. Tracking the whereabouts of her niece she comes to the cabin she stayed at, and it is here that she encounters the mysterious tape. In an attempt to understand the events attributed to the tape, Rachel watches it and sure enough receives the ominous phone call of seven days left. Desperate to uncover what is going on and fearing for her life, she calls upon the services of her ex-boyfriend Noah, who is also the father to Aidan. He is an expert in video technology and is helpful to her cause, though he is very skeptical of the power of the tape. In her investigation, the images of the tape and strange visions lead her to link it with The Morgan family, in particular a strange young girl named Samara. Yet there is still more to unearth that could spell a different outcome for all party to the tape. Now terrified of whether she can save herself and those closest, Rachel has just seven days to discover the origins of the tape before it is too late for anything else.
Gore Verbinski handles the material with a stylistic yet still accomplished sense of direction. He has a clear eye for pacing and making events not what they seem, deepening the mystery with resplendent assurance and command. While he is very much a visual director, he also taps into the unpredictable and unraveling mystery of the piece rather well. As The Ring boasts a lot more thematic maters than the average horror film, this is something of a given. I loved seeing a horror film that wasn’t mindless but instead intelligent and gripping. Imagery throughout The Ring is pretty haunting and the way that it is explored deeply is another bonus in the supernatural horror of everything. And by the far the most creepy image is that of Samara, a pale young girl in white dress and flowing black tresses that cover the eyes emerging from a well on the tape. There are some stretches within The Ring that get a bit too drawn out for its own good. But the overall impact and atmosphere paper over these minor cracks in what is still an essentially frightening movie, that gladly has brains as well as a scare factor. The green-blue tint that pervades almost all of the film conjures a surreal aura to everything, which goes a long way in making the audience feel both drawn into the building set of events and cause deep anxiety. This use of a colour palette can’t be praised highly enough as it weaves a creative spell all through The Ring. Hans Zimmer is on music duties and structures a deepening dead that drips from every sonic tweak he infuses into the film.
Naomi Watts is very convincing in the terrified yet steadfast role of Rachel, who finds that the mystery with the tape may just cost her everything if she doesn’t decipher it all quickly. Watts brings out a purposefulness and a confusion that go in hand in hand in making us feel something for the character whose investigation turns deadly and more unsettling. Supporting her is the easy charm and growing nervousness of Martin Henderson as Noah, who scoffs at the idea of a tape having that power but then regretting it big time. It must be said that the level of fear that both Watts and Henderson project is excellently conveyed and pretty potent. David Dorfman plays the scared and unusual child of Rachel’s well, with the drawings and things that he sees becoming integral to the plot. Brian Cox and Jane Alexander add a lot to their roles as people from Samara’s past, who are terrified of the horror that occurred and seems to be spreading once more.
A downright eerie film with a compelling mystery throughout, The Ring is one hell of a spooky film that knows just the right way to have you creeped out as well as getting you to think.
A Silent Spectator said:
Will watch it as soon as my exams end !
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vinnieh said:
It’s a good one. Really has that spooky atmosphere that keeps growing.
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Cattie's World said:
I’m under the Blanket with my eyes closed !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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vinnieh said:
It is one scary movie isn’t it? I always get the chills when watching it.
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barcud said:
Reblogged this on Ghost Stories and commented:
Scary film well reviewed:
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vinnieh said:
Thank you for that reblog. Much appreciated and glad to know you liked it.
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fragglerocking said:
Fab review V-man, won’t be seeing it of course 🙂
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vinnieh said:
This is nightmare fuel of a movie.
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New England Nomad said:
A very scary movie. Perfect for this time of the year.
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vinnieh said:
You read my mind there. Perfect Halloween viewing if you want an intelligent horror movie.
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filmsCine said:
Yep. I’m with you on this one. The Ring is a very intelligent and well-re-made horror.
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vinnieh said:
I liked how it wasn’t characters who were stupid or unlikable. You actually felt something for them.
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filmsCine said:
That’s what makes a good horror!
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vinnieh said:
I do enjoy when you can root for a character. Rather than just wanting them to be the next to die.
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beetleypete said:
As remakes go, this was indeed one of the better ones, and I did actually watch it.
But the Japanese original is so good, so different, and so scary, (it frightened me…) I cannot help but (once again) ask, WHY?
Of course, I know the answer. Subtitles. (((sigh…))) “slumps back into chair…”
Cheers, Pete.
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vinnieh said:
I must confess that I haven’t seen the original version of this. The general consensus seems to be that this is one of the better remakes. I thought it was pretty creepy all the way through. Some of that imagery was chilling.
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beetleypete said:
Imagine all that, and in the original Japanese too! You get the idea, so get watching it!
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vinnieh said:
Yes sir, will be sure to find a copy of it somewhere.
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Mario said:
Loved this film, great review. Naomi Watts is something else!
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vinnieh said:
She is a truly phenomenal actress. Can’t say I’ve ever seen her in a bad role, that’s how good she is.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Great review Vinnie! This movie scared the heck out of me!😱
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vinnieh said:
The mystery angle is what drew me in and how all the imagery meant something. Spooky stuff.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
One of my favorite scary movies!
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vinnieh said:
Just that image of Samara is enough to terrify me.
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Rincewind said:
As some mention yes the original is better but as a remake, damn good. The original is creepy but they did do this justice. I like them both equally much which is amazing.
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vinnieh said:
I’m making it my mission to see the original version. Though I did love this one.
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Rincewind said:
Absolutely. Me too, one remake I was actually ok with.
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vinnieh said:
Most remakes are usually shit so when a good one arrives, it’s nice to view.
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Reads & Reels said:
Classic and scared the crap out of me!
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vinnieh said:
I’ve seen it so many times, yet it still frightens me.
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Reads & Reels said:
The Japanese know their horror that’s for sure. It was a really great remake.
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vinnieh said:
I have quite a lot of catching up to do with Asian horror.
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Reads & Reels said:
I find some of the other American remakes to be lacking. Definitely not as good as The Ring
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vinnieh said:
What about The Grudge? That scared the living daylight savings out of me!
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Reads & Reels said:
Ya that was pretty good too lol
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vinnieh said:
I couldn’t sleep after watching it.
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Reads & Reels said:
The cinematography in those movies is what made them so horrifying. 😨
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vinnieh said:
Most definitely, extremely atmospheric stuff.
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EclecticMusicLover said:
Excellent, insightful review Vinnieh.
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vinnieh said:
I really liked this film and I think that’s why I wrote so much about it. Thank you for commenting.
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Eddie@Jaccendo said:
I love the Ring, would recommend it anyone looking for a great horror film. Good review.
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vinnieh said:
I too would recommend it to many. And I’d also tell them that it was an intelligent film and not brainless in the slightest.
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The Paperback Princess said:
This was one of the few movies that managed to scare me. I had to sleep with a night light and turn my tv around. Lol. I saw it in theatres, so I got the full scare!
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vinnieh said:
Hey, this film is very creepy so I think it’s perfectly understandable for you to react that way. At least no one uses video tapes anymore, that’s the good part!
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sweetarchive said:
Great review, V! Did enjoy this remake, however, there’s nothing like the Japanese version.
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vinnieh said:
It sounds like the original is a classic of the genre, at least from what I’ve read.
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keepsmealive said:
Yup, this one’s a classic. Awesome!
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vinnieh said:
It gave me the creeps.
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abbiosbiston said:
This movie scared the living shit out of me and I have refused to rewatch it on this basis.
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vinnieh said:
The first time I saw it, I needed a change of pants!
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