So, day 4 of my Thanksgiving week movie thing. I watched this yesterday (and re-watched it today lmao). Originally I was going to watch the American version, but last second I decided I wanted to watch this version instead. I didn't really have any expectations for this to be honest. I knew it was supposed to be good, but that was it. I didn't watch any reviews or anything. I knew a good amount of the plot due to how the popular it is now, so, it was bound to happen. But wow, this was way better than I expected.
The story is incredibly strong especially for a horror movie, but this isn't much of a horror movie (more on that later), but nonetheless, the story was great. The opening hooks you instantly, and gets you wondering what's going to happen. The mystery aspect is the best part of the story. There are a lot of questions that you want to have answered, and don't worry, they get answered, but the way we reach those answers is great. The tape is genuinely creepy, and adds another layer of creepy to the atmosphere, along with more mystery. Ringu moves at a very fast pace and hits all the main plot points with efficiency, but gives you time to breath and process what's happening, and that's a strong pro. Ringu is also a movie shrouded in mystery, especially with Yoichi and his dad. But as I said before, Ringu isn't a movie that leaves many questions unanswered, nearly every question is answered, which for some movies, especially horror movies, is quite rare.
Now, this is a horror movie so how are the scares? Well, this is where I start to wonder a bit because very few scenes are actually scary, but there is still tension, lots of it. Many scenes are very tense and have you on the edge of your seat, and I appreciate that the tension comes from the fact that you are concerned with what is going to happen in the story, and not the fact that you are scared of a jumpscare or something scary happen. I wouldn't fully consider this a horror movie, but it still has some good creepy imagery, but all things considered, it's more of a mystery film.
Now, the characters. With the 90 minute runtime, Ringu successfully sets up multiple characters for us to care for and be invested in. Ryuji is a very interesting character with a good amount of depth to him, and Reiko is a likeable protagonist who may not have the most amount of depth, you still root for and don't want to see lose.
One of my other biggest praises is the cinematography. This movie is beautiful. So many shots are just serene and peaceful to look at while others are haunting and fill you with dread. The camera work is just overall very impressive. There are lots of shots that could have been done in more generic ways, but have a unique style to them that really adds to the movie. Especially the more close quarter shots, but of course, the more landscape focused shots are just as good, and are a nice feeling of peace, which is always nice to have in such a grim movie. The acting is also great. No performances are bad, and everyone seems to be trying their best, and it really shows because I found everyone to have a really good performance. The dialogue is also very realistic feeling, and is entertaining to watch. I never found there to be any lies that were cringe or out of place, or maybe just didn't land well. Overall, Ringu is an incredibly well-written movie.
I'll be honest, all I knew about the Ring movies were some snippets of the American remake and the Ringu chapter in Dead by Daylight, but this blew my expectations away. Genuinely intense at times, had a great mystery and overall fantastic story, likeable characters, who had good mystery attached to them, a nice twist at the end, and AMAZING cinematography. This is for sure a must watch for horror fans, and people new to the genre because this isn't very scary, and had a massive impact on the genre. Highly recommend!
The story is incredibly strong especially for a horror movie, but this isn't much of a horror movie (more on that later), but nonetheless, the story was great. The opening hooks you instantly, and gets you wondering what's going to happen. The mystery aspect is the best part of the story. There are a lot of questions that you want to have answered, and don't worry, they get answered, but the way we reach those answers is great. The tape is genuinely creepy, and adds another layer of creepy to the atmosphere, along with more mystery. Ringu moves at a very fast pace and hits all the main plot points with efficiency, but gives you time to breath and process what's happening, and that's a strong pro. Ringu is also a movie shrouded in mystery, especially with Yoichi and his dad. But as I said before, Ringu isn't a movie that leaves many questions unanswered, nearly every question is answered, which for some movies, especially horror movies, is quite rare.
Now, this is a horror movie so how are the scares? Well, this is where I start to wonder a bit because very few scenes are actually scary, but there is still tension, lots of it. Many scenes are very tense and have you on the edge of your seat, and I appreciate that the tension comes from the fact that you are concerned with what is going to happen in the story, and not the fact that you are scared of a jumpscare or something scary happen. I wouldn't fully consider this a horror movie, but it still has some good creepy imagery, but all things considered, it's more of a mystery film.
Now, the characters. With the 90 minute runtime, Ringu successfully sets up multiple characters for us to care for and be invested in. Ryuji is a very interesting character with a good amount of depth to him, and Reiko is a likeable protagonist who may not have the most amount of depth, you still root for and don't want to see lose.
One of my other biggest praises is the cinematography. This movie is beautiful. So many shots are just serene and peaceful to look at while others are haunting and fill you with dread. The camera work is just overall very impressive. There are lots of shots that could have been done in more generic ways, but have a unique style to them that really adds to the movie. Especially the more close quarter shots, but of course, the more landscape focused shots are just as good, and are a nice feeling of peace, which is always nice to have in such a grim movie. The acting is also great. No performances are bad, and everyone seems to be trying their best, and it really shows because I found everyone to have a really good performance. The dialogue is also very realistic feeling, and is entertaining to watch. I never found there to be any lies that were cringe or out of place, or maybe just didn't land well. Overall, Ringu is an incredibly well-written movie.
I'll be honest, all I knew about the Ring movies were some snippets of the American remake and the Ringu chapter in Dead by Daylight, but this blew my expectations away. Genuinely intense at times, had a great mystery and overall fantastic story, likeable characters, who had good mystery attached to them, a nice twist at the end, and AMAZING cinematography. This is for sure a must watch for horror fans, and people new to the genre because this isn't very scary, and had a massive impact on the genre. Highly recommend!