The Ring (2002)

The Japanese cult horror movie Ring (1998), originally directed by Hideo Nakata, was remade by Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean Trilogy) for the blinkered American market. Both films are based on the novel by Koji Suzukis that tells the story of a mysterious videotape, which contains some very strange images. Anyone who watches the tape receives a telephone call from a young female voice informing him or her that they will die in seven days.

The biggest difference between the two movies is that the American remake has a back story which fills in all the gaps where the original leaves more to the viewer’s imagination and consequently is more dark and disturbing therefore more likely to make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck. But don’t get me wrong Verbinski’s The Ring (2002) is not a bad film and I am sure that if you have little or no knowledge of the Nakata’s film you would enjoy the English language version. Of course it also has Naomi Watts in the lead role, which is never a bad thing! The Americans I understand are producing The Ring 3D with a release date of late 2011 or early 2012, now there’s something to look forward to?