Reviews

If you have NOT seen "The Ring" (American) then I urge you to see this one first. Not because this version is "better"--actually, the American version is superior in my opinion. In fact, I gave "Ring" the score I did ONLY because of the originality and suspense of the plot line and the quality of (most) of the acting. The execution of the plot line, however, was completely and utterly ruined right in the middle. Right when the ex-husband OMG SUDDENLY HAS AMAZING PSYCHIC POWERS and KNOWS ALL. Can you say, "lazy scriptwriting leads to completely anti-climactic deus ex machina?" I knew you could. I think it also lacked in subconscious imagery to play up the creepiness and sense of dread. Some fans call this "realism" but for crying out loud, this is a ghost story and there is no realism in ghost stories! I will say, though, that the use of ancient legend and certain real historical elements lent it a very "shivery" flavor and that worked well with the plot.

It's definitely worth watching though.

Really. It's terrible. I would have only given it one star but some of the special effects were pretty cool. I really hope they gave the big-name actors a lot of money to play these parts, because the characters were out of their depth in a damp patch. The whole film from its beginning is one long insult to the intelligence.

***SPOILER BEGINS HERE*** I'll give you a hint: It's all Mab's fault. Mab, a Faerie Queene who never did appear in Arthurian tales; who in fact made her literary debut in Romeo and Juliet (and at that only mentioned by Mercutio). A non-entity is basically turned into a version of Satan and she is behind everything that goes wrong.

No, really. I mean it. She makes everything happen in the plot like a twisted Deus ex Machina. That's all you have to know. Now you don't have to waste your money renting this piece of cinematic garbage. Want to rent a worthy Arthurian movie? Try Mists of Avalon instead. At least that movie isn't one 3-hour long cardboard cutout.