Don’t you just love it when you’re watching a bone-chilling horror movie [eg. Ring or The Shining] and you can feel your blood starting to congeal and you lose sensation in your legs because you’re concentrating so hard on what’s going to happen?
Well, Ring 2 isn’t one of those films. Instead it’s a horror film that is creepy like its predecessor, but only gives you a mild tingling sensation, kind of like if your cat unexpectedly brushes against your leg. It’s cool but only a momentary high.
Ring 2 continues with the tale of urban video curse through the eyes of Reiko (Matsushima Nanako). Director Hideo Nakata returns and tries to inject further depth but the overall effect is strangely less frightening than the original Ring. Nestled between the cold, eerie and supernatural scenes were a few sights that made me laugh [some unintentional, unfortunately]. The premise is extended to involve a few previous characters, hotch-potch science theories, an unreliable TV journalist and a mad scientist.
Ring 2 wears the ‘I’m the sequel’ banner a little too openly, trying to explain too much and bringing in new elements but betraying what made the first one so good.
The first hour was slow to get started and when the horror kicks in midway, it was a welcome relief and reminiscent of the good old scary Ring. The climax was great if a little bizarre. Short on the horror stakes [no pun intended] but still satisfactory. Friends who went along for the ride, having never seen Ring, found it sustained their interest too.
So Ring 2 was great for newcomers and if you’ve seen Ring, then you’ll probably want to see this too. Better yet, if you can’t get your horror kicks, see Ring again.