The Ring

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Year:	2002
Country of origin:	Japan / USA
Director:	Gore Verbinski
Genre:	J-horror remake
Starring:	Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, Brian Cox
Rating:	3/5
IMDB link:	http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0298130/
Tagline:	Before you die, you see the ring
Favourite line:	"What is it with reporters? You take one person's tragedy and force the world to experience it... spread it like sickness."

US adaptation of the J-horror sensation is a predictably tame affair.

The plot remains essentially the same:
A videotape is in existence that, once viewed, triggers a telephone call whereby the viewer is informed that they will die in seven days. Worse still, the fact stated is correct as people duly slip off their mortal coil on the prescribed date, all with a look of sheer terror on their face. A young, unreasonably attractive reporter, played by Naomi Watts (an actress who never grabs my attention, no matter the efficiency of her performances) is on the case and watches the tape herself and, sure enough, the telephone call comes in, incentivising her to find out the truth behind the tapes creation.

So far, so same, same.
The action here is switched to America so that dimwits in Kansas don't get too confused ('Why are all those people so funny lookin', Pa?') and, overall, much like Watts herself, the movie is the very model of efficiency: it's well-directed, the acting is more than passable, the script not overly weak.
But it's all so lifeless.
Totally lacking the spark of the original that made that movie a truly terrifying experience, this one feels feeble in comparison, horror by numbers almost.
It's another overly long horror movie of recent times, coming in at near enough two hours which, folks, is simply too long for the scary stuff. The original is just over an hour and a half, so where did all that extra running time come form?
And is it necessary?
Plain and simple, no it's not.
Better than I expected, in truth, this still never really managed to capture my imagination. I doubt I'll be checking the sequel out.