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 The Ring (2002)
Rated: PG-13 for thematic elements, disturbing images, language and some drug references.
Runtime: 115 mins.
Director: Gore Verbinski
Writer: Ehren Kruger (screenplay
Tagline: Before you die. You see the ring.
Cast: Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, Brian Cox ....complete cast
Genre: Drama/Horror/Thriller
Most memorable quote: "Quit being a bitch Becca!"
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| Reel commentary: The premise could have easily been lead down the road to campiness, but instead, The Ring ends up as a smart and blood-curdling mystery with just enough sneakiness and deceit that we can't feel too comfortable in what unfolds before us.....full review |
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by Frank Wilkins
There are schlocky horror films with cheap Hollywood scare tactics and then there are smart psychological horror films with clever premises and interesting visuals. Although The Ring falls into the latter category it's probably more accurate to call it a "psychological mystery".
The Ring is an American remake of the wildly popular 1998 Japanese horror film Ringu that broke box-office records in its home country of Japan. Director Gore Verbinski has made a near literal translation of the Japanese film yet he sets it in the dreary, gray misery of Seattle that further enhances the dreadful and horrific nature of the subject matter.
The movie opens like a cornball horror flick. We learn of what we think is an urban legend as Katie and Becca tell stories of a videotape that once viewed, gives the viewer just seven days to live. The faces of those who have been doomed by the tape, appear as blurry, watery blobs in photographs. By the end of the week they die of mysterious causes, their faces frozen in horror.
In what seems to be almost a reprisal of her sleuther role in Mulholland Drive, Naomi Watts plays Rachel Keller, a bold reporter with the Seattle Post Intelligencer. Rachel is quickly drawn into the mystery as she learns of the death of her niece who died after watching the videotape. Rachel finds the cabin in the woods where her niece and her friends accidentally viewed the tape, all of whom are mysteriously dead by this point. She curiously watches the tape and after it finishes playing, the phone rings with a voice on the other end that says "seven days".
It's at this point that we begin to learn that The Ring is not so much a horror flick as it is a cerebral murder mystery wrapped in the skin of a psychological thriller. As Rachel begins to uncover the mysterious origins of the videotape, we are treated to beautiful Pacific coast landscapes and chilling abstract imagery that conflict with each other in such a way that our minds are left an uneasy and jittery mess. It's this escalation of fear in the viewer's own mind that works so much better at creating horror than resorting to loud and abrupt noises and jump cuts.
Rachel's son Aiden (David Dorfman), is the token "cute kid" who has a telepathic connection with the creator of the videotape and, to me, was a weak link in the whole story. I think his extra-sensory perceptions and robotic mannerisms only undercut the plausibility of the story. He spends most of his screentime in a mechanical, other-worldly trance. Although his character plays a huge role in the resolution of the story, I would rather have seen his role reduced throughout.
As Rachel Begins to unravel the mystery, we are bombarded with a criss-crossing array of clues and subplots that sometimes seem overwhelming but never boring. Verbinski is obviously comfortable with the film's abstract and somewhat non-linear method of storytelling as he manages to meld it seamlessly into the plot, all the while, playing upon our primal sense of fear and survival. The premise could easily have been lead down the road to campiness, but instead, The Ring ends up as a smart and blood-curdling mystery with just enough sneakiness and deceit that we can't feel too comfortable in what unfolds before us.
Frank Wilkins
Confused about what happened in the ending of The Ring? Click here to read The Ring plot explanation. (spoiler alert!)
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Screen formats: Widescreen Anamorphic 1.85:1
Subtitles: French, Spanish, Closed Captioned
Sound: English: DTS 5.1 Surround; English: Dolby Digital 5.1; French: Dolby Digital 5.1.
Other Features: Color; interactive menus; scene access; bonus short film; trailers
DVD Easter Eggs (hidden features): See The Cursed Video - From the Main Menu highlight 'Play Movie'. Press UP and your 'red arrow' cursor should disappear. Press ENTER and reveal the cursed video! Oh yeah, and you'll only have 7 days to live after you do so!
Another way to access the egg is to highlight 'Look Here' and press DOWN. Your cursor will once again disappear. Press ENTER to reveal the video!
And, yet another way to access this egg is to press the number 6 on your remote. This will drive you straight to the video.
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Complete Cast:
| Naomi Watts .... |
Rachel Keller |
| Martin Henderson .... |
Noah |
| Brian Cox .... |
Richard Morgan |
| David Dorfman .... |
Aidan Keller |
| Daveigh Chase .... |
Samara Morgan |
| Jane Alexander .... |
Dr. Grasnik |
| Lindsay Frost.... |
Ruth Nurick |
| Amber Tamblyn .... |
Katy Nurick |
| Rachael Bella .... |
Rebecca Kotler |
| Shannon Cochran .... |
Anna Morgan |
| Sandra Thigpen .... |
Teacher |
| Richard Lineback .... |
Innkeeper |
| Sasha Barrese .... |
Girl Teen #1 |
| Tess Hall .... |
Girl Teen #2 |
| Adam Brody .... |
Male Teen #1 |
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