Ju-on: The Grudge Reviews

Unbeknownst to me, "Ju-On: The Grudge" the the third in a series, and it is always a tricky thing to watch a sequel out of order. Fortunately, the film works well as an individual, and I understand that each film is different thematically.

Although not particularly smart or logic-heavy horror, 2004's "Ju-On: The Grudge" contains a couple of good scares and ends up being a fairly decent way to spend 90 minutes. The curse of modern horror (and our jaded era) is that some of the scenes are more funny then scary, but if you get a laugh and a shock for your movie ticket, that's not so bad, now is it?

The film is split into six segments that are linked thematically, starting with that of Rika (Megumi Okina,) a humble, compassionate social worker. In a film that offers very little character development wise, Rika is the most believable character.

Sent to a squalid (and as it turns out, haunted- double the fun!) house to care for an old lady who's long since lost her mind, Rika soon finds there's something- not right with the house. It is in fact, haunted by the ghosts of a dead family- and their cat.

The main instigator of the supernatural mayhem seems to be Toshio (Yuya Ozeki), an adorably murderous little tyke who likes to climb under the blankets of the living and pop out when they least expect it. And I thought Japanese youngsters were supposed to be disciplined!

Also, I thought Toshio's voice was absolutely hilarious. "What's your name?" "To-shee-o." Classic. But really, this film has some scary moments, especially near the beginning. Around the end, you kind of know the schtick.

I'm not going to tell you what the other segments are about, because that's what you watch it for, right? Things I liked were- the sound effects (that guttural sound the ghosts make is freak-y!,)and the jump scares (so much better than most jump scares, and I am an expert on jump-scaring- ask my sister!)

The things I didn't like- the lack of character development. It was hard to get attached to the characters. The poor acting of Misa Uehara, who played the retired police officer's daughter as a teenager. The lack of explanation in the script.

Why does playing peek-a-boo with the ghost make the ghost go away? And why does that same method work for one ghost but not for another? Overall, this is a decent movie, but only for rental, unless you're a huge J-Horror fan.

"Thanks for the effort..."

There's plenty for horror enthusiasts to enjoy about 2002's Ju-on, a Japanese horror film that made a lot of waves around the world upon release and was frequently compared to 1998's Ringu. Directed by Takashi Shimizu, this is a well-made genre offering which provides a handful of thrills and chills within a fascinating narrative framework. It's a stylish haunted house story, benefitting from an array of creepy images and competent cinematography. Nevertheless, the hype is perhaps a bit on the hyperbolic side; Ju-on never quite attains excellence.

The term "ju-on" comes from Japanese legend; it is a curse that's born from a person who dies in a fit of rage. The curse of the movie was born when a jealous husband killed his entire family under the belief that his wife loves another man and his son is not actually his blood. Subsequently, their home becomes a contagion of evil, infected with a curse prepared to claim all those who come into contact with it. Ju-on is divided into six parts; it's a Pulp Fiction style anthology of stories involving an array of characters who become affected by the curse. It flashes backwards and forwards in time, revealing the fate of each of the characters, how they come to enter the house, and how they meet their end. The most prominent story arc concerns social worker Rika (Megumi Okina), who is sent to take care of an elderly woman in a vegetative state. She finds the house in complete disarray, and it doesn't take long for the sinister ghosts to make an appearance.

Ju-on suffers from storytelling and pacing difficulties, as it's not as bone-chillingly atmospheric or as enthralling as something like Ringu. When it dabbles in scares, it definitely delivers, but the in-between stuff is a mixed bag. Perhaps this is due to the fact that multiple stories are being told - we are never given a well-developed central character to latch onto. While Rika is the protagonist in theory, we do not get to know much about her as a person; she blurs into the other characters in the film, all of whom are thinly-sketched and at times barely distinguishable. Moreover, due to all the jumps in the timeline, Ju-on is at times confusing and difficult to follow. Although the structure is inventive since it theoretically allows for continual payoffs as it jumps from short segment to short segment, the end result is so-so.

On the upside, writer-director Takashi Shimizu displays more innovation than most Hollywood horror pictures, relying a lot on soundscape and creepy visuals. Ju-on was originally a made-for-TV production helmed by Shimizu, hence this was the filmmaker's shot at remaking his own film with the freedom of a bigger budget and theatrical distribution. And afterwards, Shimizu also helmed the American remake produced in 2004. How's that for enthusiasm towards improving one's work? While this particular incarnation falls short of greatness, Shimizu displays great skill behind the camera here, with a handful of impressive special effects sequences and effective use of eerie sounds.

At the end of the day, Ju-on is more creepy than outright terrifying, but it is a worthwhile addition to a genre that has grown increasingly formulaic and lazy. There's nothing especially damaging or wrong about the film, but it doesn't exactly break new ground either. Horror fans should check it out for sure, though more casual or passive viewers may not find a great deal here that appeals to them.

6.5/10