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The Ring (2002)

October has always had its share of horror films, with the moviegoers looking for a good scare to get into the Halloween mood, and this year is no different. There is the submarine science fiction thriller Below that was just released last Friday, not to mention DreamWorks Pictures' remake of the Japanese film The Ring that is opening this week, with Ghost Ship bringing up the rear at the end of the month. So which of the three will you have the most frightful time with?

The Ring follows the exploits of Rachel Keller, a newspaper reporter who decides to investigate her niece's mysterious death at the insistence of her sister. In the process she stumbles upon a rumor about a videotape filled with nightmarish images, in which anyone who saw it will die seven days later. Not the gullible sort, Rachel attributes the information to just another urban legend, until she comes into possession of the said video. Wanting to get to the bottom of this, she finally watches the tape. Now, with only a week's worth of time, Rachel must find a way to solve the mystery before she becomes the next victim.

With a cast as small as this one, Naomi Watts is definitely in a position to make or break the film playing the lead role. Fortunately, she does not disappoint and delivers a rather impressive performance. Her portrayal of Rachel is intense, but measured. Her character is in a race against the clock, but does not loose her cool as she objectively sifts through each clue. David Dorfman is equally good as the son Aidan, a child with maturity beyond his years; he often has to take care of himself because of his mother's focus on her career. His calmed and silent exterior often speaks louder than words, which only adds to the creepy atmosphere of the movie. There is a lot to like about the acting in The Ring, not to mention a small but solid supporting role from Brian Cox. My only concern is that the relationship between Rachel and Aidan was not explored fully, which hurts the overall believability of Rachel's desperation in trying to save her and her son.

Misdirection is the name of the game here, and director Verbinski plays it masterfully. You know that a scary moment is coming up, the tension is mounting, you want to look away or cover your eyes but you are afraid of missing the good parts. This is what makes The Ring such an enjoyable experience, just when you think that this is it, he pulls you back in and continues to keep you at the edge of your seat. Verbinski also make good use of the colors, a bit drab at times, the mix of gray, blue and black really accentuates the sense of dread and the ominous feeling.

The Ring is definitely not your normal by-the-book horror movie, it plays very well and has the ability to grab hold of you and refuses to let go until the credits roll. I see it as one of those films that leaves you with a good first impression, but ultimately when you think about it you will find the plot rather shallow and illogical. Unlike The Sixth Sense and The Exorcist, which are grounded in reality, The Ring just does not have the same impact after you leave the theater, it lacks the ability to give you the same chills days and even weeks later. Despite all that, I would still recommend The Ring to anyone that is looking for a frightfully good time, just don't expect anything revolutionary to the genre.

- Zalasta

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