The Grudge 3 (2009) (V)

User Rating:

4.6/10   

Director:

Toby Wilkins

Writers:

Brad Keene (screenplay)
Takashi Shimizu (film "Ju-On: The Grudge")

Release Date:

12 May 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

You can't escape the curse

Plot:

A young Japanese woman who holds the key to stopping the evil spirit of Kayako, travels to the haunted Chicago apartment from the sequel...

Plot Keywords:

Curse | Sequel | Third Part | Gothic | Gore

Cast

Matthew Knight	...	Jake
Shawnee Smith	...	Sullivan
Mike Straub	...	Orderly
Aiko Horiuchi	...	Kayako
Shimba Tsuchiya	...	Toshio
Emi Ikehata	...	Naoko
Takatsuna Mukai	...	Daisuke (as Takatsuma Mukai)
Johanna Braddy	...	Lisa
Beau Mirchoff	...	Andy
Jadie Hobson	...	Rose
Marina Sirtis	...	Gretchen
Gil McKinney	...	Max
Laura Giosh	...	Renee
Mihaela Nankova	...	Brenda
Michael McCoy	...	Praski

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, disturbing images and some language.

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:15 | Netherlands:16 | Australia:MA (2009) | Argentina:16 | South Korea:15 | USA:R | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB)

Filming Locations:

Bulgaria

Company:

Stage 6 Films

Trivia:

The first "Grudge" movie to be rated 'R'.

Goofs:

Continuity: As Naoko and Lisa are speaking in the park (right after Rose goes off to the swings), Naoko tucks her hair behind her left ear. In the next shot, her hair is back in front of her ear.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Jake: Please, don't leave me in here.
Sullivan: Jake, I promise I won't be long.

Movie Connections:

Features The Grudge 2 (2006)

Soundtrack:

No Trouble

This 'Grudge' Has Got Tiresome...

As a fan of "Ju-On" and the 2004 remake―starring "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" actress Sarah Michelle Gellar―I had high hopes for this third installment. I mean, after the abysmal 2006 sequel, it couldn't get any worse, right? Wrong. Granted not as tedious and insipid as the sequel, this 2009 follow-up starring actress Shawnee Smith still leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.

Where to start... ?

Director Toby Wilkins tries to duplicate the eeriness and unpleasantness of the first movie, but sadly, fails miserably. With half-hearted acting, bad special effects, and a tiresome plot, the movie never picks up or satisfies. Whilst watching the movie, I realized the overall story of the franchise has never evolved; or more to the point, no one has tried to take a fresh approach. Much like the sequel, the third stab is a series of flat, horror-lacking murder sequences, and what makes this even worse is, we already know what's coming. Scene after scene after scene, the previous formula is recycled. We hear the now trademark 'Grudge' sound, we hear a small boy running, we hear the cry of a cat ― and that's pretty much it. There is only so many times you can show a pale-faced, dark haired Japanese woman with her dead son and their dead cat, until it's just not scary anymore. The franchise needs new ideas. We need new stories and new locations. Otherwise, this 'Grudge' is going to be on a constant loop.

My advice, stick with the original or the 2004 remake. There's nothing you haven't seen before here.

One thing I will say is, I'm surprised this movie is getting the direct-to-DVD treatment and the second one had theater status. Although both are severely mediocre, IMO, I wasn't left completely catatonic after watching the third.