"Ju-on: the Grudge"
A pretty volunteer social worker, Rika (Megumi Okini),
is sent on her own to a job that really requires
someone with more experience. She arrives at her
assignment, a pleasant-looking house, only to find an
uncommunicative old woman who appears to be possessed.
She begins cleaning the slovenly household until she
hears a noise upstairs. When she investigates, Rika
finds a spooky looking young boy hiding in the closet.
What she doesn't know, yet, that the house is the
center of evil in "Ju-on: The Grudge."
Writer/Director Takashi Shimizu has garnered quite a
following in Japan with his "Ju-on" horror movie
franchise, starting with "Ju-on: the Curse" in 2000.
The auteur is currently in post-production with an
American remake of his third installment, "Ju-on: the
Grudge." It is going to be interesting to see if
Shimizu can maintain the creep factor that he has
delivered in this interesting, whirlwind of a horror
movie.
The main character in "Ju-on: the Grudge" is the
humble house that Rika is sent to at the beginning.
There is something rotten in the white-collar
neighborhood habitat that manifests itself as the
film's timeline shifts and we see a young, recently
married couple moving into their new home. What we
soon learn is there is a palpable evil lurking there
and everyone who enters brings a bit of the darkness
out with them. Soon, the evil is invading places
beyond the house and the death toll mounts.
I was often confused with "Ju-on" as Shimizu jumps
around on the timeline, presenting a character and
then, later, shifting to an earlier moment in that
person's life. If you pay attention, things will make
sense but this is not important to the horror story's
fabric. Infused throughout the film are startling
images, like the frightening visage of the little boy
whose phantasmagoric aura appears repeatedly, that
haunt the living. There is much about "Ju-on: the
Grudge," to creep out the fans of horror flicks,
particularly Japanese horror, but not much audience
appeal beyond. I wonder if the director's American
debut will have the same curiosity afforded to "The
Ring," adapted from the Japanese "Ringu."
"Ju-on's" non-linear storytelling style requires your
attention but the constant creepiness is maintained
right to the end. It does what a horror movie is
supposed to do – scare you! I give it a B.
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