The Ring is the scary movie to see this Halloween season. Already it has brought in $15,015,393. Based on the Japanese film, Ringu, The Ring definitely provides for some hard-core horror.
The film begins with Katie (Amber Tamblyn) and Becca's (Rachel Bella) sleepover, where they discuss what is reality versus fantasy, legend and ghost stories versus concrete evidence. But, the girls will soon discover that sometimes legend has more truth than expected. The plot revolves around a videotape, which, if you view it, will kill you in seven days. The viewer learns this by receiving a terrifying phone call in which their fate is described. Katie and her friends watch the tape, and one week later are all dead.
These mysterious deaths engage the interest of Katie's investigative journalist aunt, Rachel (Naomi Watts), who commits the next week of her life to uncovering the truth behind the horrific deaths of the young teenagers. Eventually, Rachel discovers the tape, and must attempt to uncover the truth behind the mystery before she herself dies in seven days. She recruits the help of Noah (Martin Henderson), the father of her young son Aidan (David Dorfman), who is able to see terrifying visions. But Rachel finds herself catalyzed into a complicated and twisted mystery, involving family, animals and, of course, the videotape.
Perhaps certain aspects of this movie may feel reminiscent of The Sixth Sense. Aidan's ability to see frightening visions does seem all too similar to Haley Joel Osmont's same power in The Sixth Sense. And this does seemingly subtract from the plot and add to the stereotypical and standard scary movie plot.
But, placing these minor setbacks aside, this movie immediately captures the audiences' attention. From the first terrifying scene of the girls to the very end, this movie definitely provides for some real chills and screams! The ultimate secret behind the videotape is not silly, but rather compelling; you will not feel as if you sat through this movie only to be let down at the end.
The subtle use of imagery in the cinematography aspect of this film is really fantastic. The Ring has a unique ability to twist the audience with what is really going on in the tape: disturbing images such as severed fingers, dead horses and a mysterious woman are only a few of the things the video displays. The audience begs to learn what image on the video could be so horrific that it can kill you. Rachel's investigation leads her to turn up clues, such as a freeze-frame in which she discovers that the housefly on the movie is actually alive, and is easily lifted off the videotape.
The movie manipulates what the audience expects to happen in such a terrific way that the entire theater is silent in anticipation for the scenes to come. It has the jump-out-of-your-skin jarring feeling that is traditional in October and for Halloween. Do NOT miss an opportunity to sleep with the lights on tonight! Be prepared for terrifying images as The Ring seeps into your mind.
