The plot of "Ring". in a nutshell is about a cursed videotape depicting a demonic woman and prophecies. But anyone who is unfortunate enough to watch this video will become cursed and seven days later they will die. After a female Journalist, Reiko Asakawa (played by Nanako Matsushima) investigates the deaths of four teenagers who had watched the video, she comes across it and watches it herself. Soon she realises the curse is upon her and she has seven days to live.

She enlists the help of her ex-husband Ryuji (Hiroyuki Sanada), who is a brilliant mathmetician and a telepathic, in tracing the origins of how the tape came to be made and what its prophecies mean. In the hope of lifting the curse upon her before her fateful time comes. Their search takes them to a remote island where they learn of the history of a psychic woman who was once experimented on and publically ridiculed, and eventually committed suicide.

Their only hope lies in finding some surviving witness to the events, or possibly even relatives of the woman.... meanwhile the tape itself is still circulating from one person to the next....


Well what can I say to recommend this film, other than telling you that I came out of the cinema, wide-eyed with horror, a thumping heart, and covered in goosepimples and I'm not exaggerating when I say I jumped every time my phone went off, fearing it would be an evil banshee on the other end, telling me I would be dead by next Friday, having watched the film.

This is an excellent horror film. It's main strength lies in the musical score by Kenji Kawai, creating extremely sharp, warped and disturbing soundscapes that speak of the torments and depths of evil. Even in the most obvious of surprises during the film, the music still assaults the senses and gives you a MIGHTY jolt!

The Directing of Hideo Nakata and the lighting is also brilliant and atmospheric, with a great focus on neon blue and dark colours. Even the huge black TV screen and the blurred photographs gain an incredible creepyness. 90% of the film's power is atmosphere, as opposed to high body counts or excessive gore, or even typical chase scenes. There is none of those elements and it's still excellent, edge of the seat television. Throughout the film the suspense never lets up, from the opening title sequence of the gigantic, black waves, through to the flashbacks of the horribly disfigured woman. I fear some of its impact may be lost by its transfer to the small screen, but I certainly can't complain.

The cast handle their roles well, and I can't speak on their delivery of lines, since the dialogue is predominantly in Japanese, but as for their portrayal of determined and terrified characters, wrestling with the fact that their mortality is upon them, it is top notch. Even when the characters make the most unbelievably silly blunders with safeguarding the deadly tape from the innocent, they still convey believability and sympathy.

Asakawa is an excellent depiction of a professional woman and mother, who is forever changed by realising that her death is inevitable, and her journey through the motions of disbelief and hysteria, to seeking protection in vain, to ultimately confessing her desire to be with her ex-husband at the last moment, and to protect her son, even if she can't be saved.

Ryuji plays well a man embittered and cold to his old family and shows an effective contrast to Asakawa's hysterical character. But his telepathic visions of the demonic woman are emphasised by his rare expressions of dread, and a sense that he knows more about her legacy than he is letting on. He also plays well the spirit of determination to survive and to cast out this evil from the world.

And of course the villain of the piece commands fear in every of her rare appearances. Her appearance is particularly disturbing, in a lilly white dress which speaks of innocence and virginity, in contrast to the monstrosity she represents. She is always faceless, her head submerged in thich black hair which obscures her face, but occasionally reveals blotched skin and inhuman eyes. And even when we see flash-backs of her degrading treatment by scientists and papparazzi, she amazingly loses not a shred of power to invoke terror.

As a Japanese film, its themes and ideas translate extremely well and accessibly. It draws on old Japanese stories and legends of the female ghost who wreaks revenge on all men who betray or abuse women. But it works them well with themes of British horror films about faceless demonic forces in the modern world, disguised as innocence, such as "The Omen", "The Exorcist" and "Don't Look Now". And also the American teen-horror films, and doubtless it's fate-driven-impending-death idea was quite an inspiration on "Final Destination" and I have to say it leaves that other great film biting the dust.

It's quite a shame to know this film is effectively banned in America (which is strange given the abscence of excessive violence, profanity or sex in this film). An American re-make version has been made instead for public consumption. The American remake hasn't quite hit my shores yet, and when it does, I won't hesitate to check it out. Doubtless the film will work brilliantly on this fantastic and subversive formula. but I'm still sure that it will not in any way compare to this version.

Recommended adult viewing only for disturbing subliminal images and heavy supernatural and demonic themes.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age