Review of The Ring (2002) by Caroline H — 21 Nov 2012

Aside from the first climax, which I think is this movie's sole weakness and the point most susceptible to aging stupidly, it knocks every feature from Ringu (the original Japanese film) out of the water, from the creepy atmosphere and photography, to the tighter writing and austere directing.

Displaying meticulous artistic and horror-thriller consideration, it's still become somewhat of an ignored, underground picture with its blockbuster affiliation, being exclusively remembered as the American J-horror catalyst.

And while the Asian-remake kick start was annoying, there's more positive contributions to be found here, in particular Naomi Watts' well-grounded performance, who already stands between strong actors, and a consistently classic, eerie, unsettling vibe rarely manifested elsewhere.

Currently underrated and under appreciated, I think it might rightly be recognized as one of the defining 2000s chiller movies in a couple of years.