(2005) **1/2
I grabbed this on my DVR due to its billing as being “by the director of the Ju-On movies” which scared the shit out of me. Or rather, the 2nd did; I haven't seen the original yet. Nor the American remakes, which probably suck.
Unfortunately, this one is kind of a mess. The plot is disconnected and tough to follow, the motivation unclear, and the genuine frights sparse. The premise is that 30 years ago or so, a college professor murdered 11 people at some hotel. Now a film crew is making a movie about the crime, and this is somehow awakening the reincarnated souls of some of the victims. Notice the “somehow” and “some” in that sentence. There's a vagueness as to who seems to have come back, and it's unclear why (or even if) anyone is being threatened. For most of the movie, we just get glimpses of ghosts in the background of various shots. This didn't seem scary to me since I didn't feel like the main characters were in any real peril. And except in one case (inexplicably), they weren't. Even when we see footage of the actual murder near the end, it has the feel more of a documentary about stuff you already know happened...not suspense about what might/might not happen. The script does try to throw a big twist at you near the end, and I think this is meant to tie all the disjointed parts together, but it seemed a little gimmicky to me.
There are a few tense moments, however, and some arresting visuals, but not enough to really recommend this one. I don't know the J-horror genre very well, but I'd guess this is a minor example.
9 comments:
fess up landshark, you picked this one because the murderer was a college prof!
I watched this previously and I honestly don't recall a single thing about it - cool box cover though!
I guess even the people who make great movies miss every so often.
I remember this one. JPX and I watched it together for Horrorthon last year. He definitely reviewed it and I can't remember if I did. I do know that I wasn't wowed by it.
J-horror has a number of stand-out examples and a much greater number of misfires. I think the misfires tend to confuse more than Western duds because fer'ners are weird.
The first Ju-on is scarier than the second, although the real first Ju-on is the TV version, which I hear is plenty scary although I've never seen it. I wonder if the one you've seen is the first cinematic version (a.k.a. the second one to exist).
It was Ju-On 2, and you're the one who I watched it with Octo. At the rents' old condo. Late night after a bowl, IIR.
I remember this one as well and I wasn't all that impressed either.
Ju-On was something else, this does not sound like something else.
I'm pretty sure I put The Ring on my list for this year. It's been a few years at least since I've seen that flick and I remember the scariness.
Oh yeah! You should see the first one, it's better.
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