After the confusing and mostly boring Ringu 2 this prequel explores Sadako as a young woman in about 1970 (it's never properly stated) attempting to live a normal life despite being unsure of where she came from or how she has such strange powers. After she kills the lead in a play she is promoted from understudy to the lead actress, meanwhile her castmates become more and more suspicious of her and a reporter with a secret mission begins poking her nose in and arousing further suspicion.
Though shot in 35mm, Ringu 0 looks like 16mm and has a rough, downbeat aesthetic to the cinematography, which works in its favor. It feels more energized than Hideo Nakata's approach to the series. Norio Tsuruta dials back the metaphysical nonsense but still manages to lose control towards the end with an evil twin making a sudden appearance. I just dont get it.
This entire series just can't keep itself rooted in a believable reality and never bothers to explain some of its random elements. This may work well for David Lynch but I've become very frustrated at the lack of answers and logic in the Japanese Ring movies.
An interesting curiousity, which is the best I can say for all of these movies, sadly.
Though shot in 35mm, Ringu 0 looks like 16mm and has a rough, downbeat aesthetic to the cinematography, which works in its favor. It feels more energized than Hideo Nakata's approach to the series. Norio Tsuruta dials back the metaphysical nonsense but still manages to lose control towards the end with an evil twin making a sudden appearance. I just dont get it.
This entire series just can't keep itself rooted in a believable reality and never bothers to explain some of its random elements. This may work well for David Lynch but I've become very frustrated at the lack of answers and logic in the Japanese Ring movies.
An interesting curiousity, which is the best I can say for all of these movies, sadly.