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You're reading a really old version of matt-thornton's website. For example, if you're looking at the movie reviews... you'll notice that none of them are of recent films. Indeed, I leave them here for posterity's sake, but I doubt very much that they'll get updated anytime soon. So have a giggle.
You might, if you're lucky, find something recent from Matt at his blog matt's debates. Kernow bys vyken.
The Ring
the one line review:
the dead don't sleep
the overview
Another remake of a Japanese horror film, to suit the stupid Americans (same as The Grudge). This is more of a mindbending whodunnit rather than a seriously scary horror flick.
the plot:
4 kids all die on the same night at the same time, after watching a video tape. When the girl's Aunt (Watts) starts investigating, she uncovers the truth about the tape, as well as a copy of it, which she duly watches. It is said that as soon as you finish watching the tape you have 7 days to live. So she's in a race against time to figure out the secret behind the tape, to save herself, her son (Dorfman) and her ex-husband (Henderson) before they all die.
the verdict:
This is pretty sick in places. It's dark, and very moody. It doesn't rely on usual horror techniques, instead it tries to scare you by playing on the psyche, revealing disturbing images of a psycho child who just wanted a "mommy".
It's an enjoyable film, and does have you cowering behind a pillow in odd places, but the suspense is a rather lacklustre, as they fill it with one two many images of doom and gloom which has the opposite intended effect. Then they scare with you a rapid glimpse at something minging.
Watts is ultra-hot and that's enough for me. Dorfman is downright weird as the son who gets premonitions (I hate kiddy actors anyway).
One thing that definitely goes in this film's flavour, is the somewhat unexpected ending. Just when you reckon the film has finished, something else happens. And this works really well (even if it was perhaps only an afterthought so that they could make a couple of sequels). Worth a watch, but if you're looking for something really scary, try The Grudge.
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