film: review

> THE RING TWO (2005)
The first big disappointment of 2005

By John C. Lyons
Film Critic

The Ring Two

Starring: Naomi Watts, David Dorfman

Directed by: Hideo Nakata

Written by: Koji Suzuki (novel) Hiroshi Takahashi (original film Ringu)

Genre: Horror/Thriller

Our Rating: 4/10
Before the onslaught of terrible clones (The Grudge) and parodies (Scary Movie 3) there was a stylized, strange movie about a scary videotape, the consequences of watching it, and a little girl that liked to climb out of TV sets. I really enjoyed The Ring (a remake of Ringu, directed by Nakata, who also directs this U.S. sequel) and its performances, but after watching The Ring Two it is obvious that Samara should have stayed down in her well.

Naomi Watts is a great actress, but she doesn’t have much new to work with here, and her character takes a bit of a back seat to David Dorfman’s Aidan which is a major mistake. Aidan was a creepy kid in the first movie who didn’t say much, but once he begins playing host to Samara he actually gets a personality and with that he becomes much less creepy. The same can be said for the movie in general as well. Trying to more deeply explain the mother/daughter back-story in the end just hurts these two movies.

For a fan The Ring Two is a big disappointment. The Ring used shots and scenes of obscure imagery which made sense to the story and the contents of the tape. Here the imagery has no point other than to try and prolong a story that doesn’t need it. The deer attacking the car, cool scene despite some near cheesy CGI, but what’s the point? And how did those kids at the beginning come about getting their hands on a copy of the infamous tape anyhow? That story seemed more interesting to me. Conversations while you sleep? Samara’s mom with scissors in a mental hospital? Come on! The Ring Two shouldn’t have been made.

I saw this film at Cinemark’s Tinseltown 17 Theatres on Peach Street in Erie, PA.

 

(05-0324)

related links:
The Ring Two - official site

MPAA rating: R
for violence/terror, disturbing images, thematic elements & some language

length: 111 minutes
Home