Does anyone smell toast?
This is the American version of The Ring Two from 2005. Sequels in this Series are a weird one to explain.
The first one- Rasen- was basically erased from continuity and replaced with The Ring 2. Yes, there are two Ring 2 Films in Japan alone. It is confusing.
Mind you, there are also two Films in the Series called Rings too!
So, again, this is not just a Remake of that Japanese Film. It does, however, borrow many elements from that Film, so it isn't as simple as people make it sound.
Does it make improvements over that Film?
It is also worth noting that the original Film's Director is back for this one, despite not doing the first Remake. It is also his only American Film.
He apparently hated the experience and refused to repeat it. Does that hurt the Film?
To find out, read on...
If you watched Rings (again- the 2005 one), you'd know that this guy was part of the titular group who dare each other to watch the tape and wait as long as possible before passing the curse on.
The Film jumps in right here as he tries to do just that to 'some girl from his School,' but it doesn't work.
This is the first of many 'riffs' on the original The Ring 2 you'll see.
Now here's the kicker- Rachel returns to the Story as that kid *just happened to live where she just moved to that very day* and she finds the tape.
She burns it. The End?
Nope- now her kid is acting weird...well, by his standards.
Not Sadako (Samara, if you care) is now trying to take over the kid, which I guess she can just do.
If there's a concise, thought-out rulebook for what Rage Ghosts and the like can do, I want to see it!
This leads to the most dated-looking and silliest part of the Film- including the bit with CGI Bathwater- bar none...
The CGI Deer attack.
This Film had a $50 million Budget. They didn't use it for these things.
Also it is silly and makes no sense.
As the possession takes effect, the kid now fears water and is cold, since Not Sadako was in the Well.
Also it is silly and makes no sense.
Naturally, she also summons water with her appearance every time, because...Nakata made the original Dark Water, I guess. It's just the new 'Theme.'
Rachel has a new, good-looking, helpful and scruffy man in her life who wants to help.
Guess how this all ends for him.
In a small but impactful role, Sissy Spacek plays the *real* Mother of Not Sadako, who tried to kill her as a baby before she got adopted.
This random role was enough to warrant Top Billing.
Rachel gets the girl out of her son by drowning him for a bit- casual attempted murder, you know- but ends up in the Well.
She climbs her way out to safety...
...and manages to escape when she follows her son's voice.
So does the rock on the metaphysical well seal up Not Sadako for good? We'll find out in 12 years, I guess. The End.
It is somehow too silly to be taken seriously and too dry to be taken for fun.
The Movie is just plain weird.
That's usually a good thing. In this case, it is less so.
So many things are introduced and then just kind of forgotten.
The Doctors don't trust Rachel- no matter, the kid is home.
The kid can control Doctors- never comes up again.
The possessed kid can just face-warp you to death instantly- that's new and unexplained!
Here's Sissy Spacek...and she's gone.
Here's Gary Cole...and he's gone.
The tape being destroyed so early- is it the only one? - is a nice wrinkle, but it doesn't do enough. The spirit can just do what it wants, so why was it even still bothering with the tape?
A better twist would have been that she/it could kill you *any time* in the 7 Days if she wants to, since her spirit is free?
On that note, her spirit is free, but also keeps dripping water like it just left the Well. Huh?
It also later turns *into* water, despite being afraid of it. Logic!
I'm curious to see what Hideo Nakata was going for, since he says that the Film was edited so much that he disowned it.
What could they have done?
Do we need people to complain until we get a Nakata Cut? Count me out- just for the record.
For hilarious moments like the Deer Scene and not much else, this one is alright. I know- I clearly didn't like it and then I say that.
It makes no sense, right? That's what it apparently was like working with a Director who didn't speak English, as shown by Baker's face...
Next time, I cover the most recent- and least remembered- entry in the US Series. Will a repeat Title mean repeat success? Stay tuned...
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