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THE RING
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Naomi Watts .... Rachel Keller
Martin Henderson (I) .... Noah
David Dorfman (I) .... Aidan Keller
Brian Cox .... Richard Morgan
Jane Alexander .... Dr. Grasnik
Lindsay Frost .... Ruth Embry
Amber Tamblyn .... Katie Embry
Rachael Bella .... Rebecca 'Becca' Kotler
Daveigh Chase .... Samara Morgan
Shannon Cochran .... Anna Morgan
Plot
It sounded like just another urban legend. A videotape filled with nightmarish images, leading to a phone call foretelling the viewer's death in exactly seven days. As a newspaper reporter, Rachel Keller was naturally skeptical of the story, until four teenagers all met with mysterious deaths exactly one week after watching just such a tape. Allowing her investigative curiosity to get the better of her, Rachel tracks down the video and watches it. Now she must enlist the aid of her friend Noah to save her life and the life of her son. Together, they have just seven days to unravel the mystery of "The Ring."
Analysis
“Hollywood remake of cult low budget japanese horror movie” is normally the main ingredients of a disaster recipe. However if the original is better than this then it was a good choice to remake. With an opening scene that starts out like any number of “Teens attacked by Slasher” films, makes you even more suprised when the opening draws to a close and your already on the edge of your seat, you know you’re in for a good scare.
Once the killer tape has been watched, you are totally carried along with the tension of the 7 day deadline (literally). As each day passes the tension gets ramped up another notch. During this process we get to see the tapes contents over and over and believe me, there are some disturbing images on there. This film is not for those who like their horror graphic, the victims of the tape are only seen very briefly in flashback. If however you like something a bit more cerebral then this is for you.
Naomi Watts brilliantly plays the role of single mum / investigative reporter. However her performance is slightly put in the shade by young David Dorfman playing Aidan, Rachels son. We can only hope that he doesn’t make his way along the Macaulay Culkin path to obscurity. Martin Henderson as Noah is another likeable performance and I’m sure we will see him again in the future. The workaholic Brian Cox (original Hannibal Lecter) also turns up about halfway through to add a bit more menace to the precedings before taking an early bath.
The film itself has some superb cinematography especially during the visits to the mountain lodge, With skies and clouds that we really only ever see in movies. These especially stand out due to the washed out look that most of the other settings display. Subliminal images from the tape are also used to draw us into the feeling that we also might have “7 days”.
Anyone who reads movie reviews and hates to be told about final twists should stop reading now. If your still with us then the film has a clever little sequel friendly trick up its sleeve at the end.
| Key Area | Rating (out of 5) | Comment |
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Action
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Not really an Action film.
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Thrills/
Tension |
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1000 rubber bands pulled half way around the globe couldn't generate more tension than this baby.
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Violence/
Gore |
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More disturbing than Violent/Gory ( as long as you discount Horses).
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Bare Flesh
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NONE
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None. Its not that sort of Ring.
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Plot
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Excellent story well told.
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Verdict
An excellent kick up the arse for horror movies, when is the sequel out? |
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Facts, figures and boobs
| 1. | The role of Rachel was first offered to Jennifer Connelly. The script was then offered to Gwyneth Paltrow, and then to Kate Beckinsale, and finally Naomi Watts. |
| 2. | The videotape with the word "copy" is the video tape from the original movie. |
| 3. | Subliminal frames from the Ring video are inserted in the film. For example, the 'Ring' image can be glimpsed for a fraction of a second in the transition between the ferry/horse sequence and Rachel's car drive to Anna Morgan's farm on Moesko Island. |
| 4. | When Rachel is searching the Internet for information, the address in the browser points to a file stored on the desktop of a Windows 98 machine. C:\WIN98\Desktop\.... |
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Movie Pictures
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| What other people thought of this film: - | |
| Gina |
Hey this movie was a very exciting and some what mysterious movie. I liked it alot But i always wanted to know did Anna Morgan really die??
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| Cara |
It's real! Don't let anyone fool you! I've only got one day.. |
| Elisa |
Freaky movie. Definitely advise watching the Japanese version first, since the american version explains more, and the jap version is best to get your curiosity roused. Still a movie I find hard to watch on my own!
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| Amber Tamblyn |
Hey I,m Amber...the one who played Katie Embry in The Ring...you could email me at if you have any questions about the filmimg bye!
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| Jeanette |
I Love this Movie I always Watch it I have Samara As My screensaver and as my homepage My cousin always get scared
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| Aline | The 2nd time it's even better. |
| Liz | I think,I mean I KNOW this movie is the best Iv'e EVER seen!!! |
| Seno |
I loved the movie. It was like a true story that will frighten you. I just loved it.
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| Aline |
This film was very exiting, I think it's a good film and I was afraid but I was a little dissapointed from the end !This movie was scarie! (Aline from France,14 years).
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| Brittany |
i liked this movie so much i bought it. this movie is f*cken awesome ive seen alot of so called scary movies but this was the best.
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| ????? | I think that this films was brilliant it freaked me out a little but its great and scary. |
| Courtney |
This movie is awesome and actually makes me WANT to believe in some weird supernatural occurence like what happens in The Ring....it is my all time favorite horror movie..gets weirder everytime..saw it 5 times in the theater!
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| Frankie B | Chilling. I love these kinds of films!!!! |
| Enrika |
I've watched this film about twenty time. but it is still too fearful, scary for me. But i really love it.
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| Erika | This movie sucks it's not real. |
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Perry
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This movie kept me on the edge of my chair. Really cool.
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Arnold Rivas
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The Ring is my all time favorite horror film next to The Others. Good work Watts and Chase.
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| Karen |
I have watched it so many times that I feel I know it inside out but everytime I watch it again I see something I didn't see before. Next to the Exorcist which is my all time favorite horror film, the Ring is a very close second.
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| Stefani Roney |
The movie was great i have seen it 32 times and it still scares me every time! excellent job!
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| Jeni |
This is my favorite movie in the whole wide world. when is the sequel coming out?
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| Lussy | Es una pelicula fantastica. |
| Jessica | The Ring is the best movie!!!!!Well at least I think that!!!!!!!! |
| Marie-pier | I love this movie. |
| Laura |
I am a BIG fan of scary movies, and this one was far the BEST one yet. I love the whole plot of the story and how it was gory or scary like any other movies out there. It was just.. weird-scary. Good movie to watch alone with someone you like (hint hint) The actors did a real good job at the roles as well. I hope there is a sequal.. if so.. I am so there. =)
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| Samura Morgan |
All those who wrote in this webpage about The Ring, will die in seven days.........
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| Rebecca |
I think that this movie was the best of all the movies i ever seen !! i tell u it was scary!! i realy loved it !! i watched it 10 times at least!!
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| Rafaella | The ring is one of the best movies and Samara is so good realy good. |
| Monque |
I saw the movie 3 or 4 months ago and im still freaking scared of it. Its one of my favorite movies anyways.
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| Raisin |
This film was sooo lush i jst had 2 buy it on video. it wasnt n e where near as gud on video thn at the cinema but still realli scared me!!!
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| Sara |
i thought this movie was amazing!! It was scary!! Especially the bits wen u saw them dead i cudnt sleep 4 ages after tht!! lol!! definatley c it!!
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| Adriana | well the movie looked real and it was good and scary |
| Liz Osbrink |
This movie is my favorite movie out of all the movies i seen so far. I can't wait for the next one to come out!
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| Mary | Is this movie based on a true story? i need to know!! |
| Christin Klein |
Dieser film ist genial! Eine Frage hat er irgendwas echtes was wirklich geschah bitt senden sie mir die Antwort,wenn sie es wissen, zu!Bitte ich möchte das gerne wissen! BITTE BITTE!!!!!
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| Teestat |
Do yourself a favour and give this movie a wideberth. Watch the original instead. Hideo Nakata takes you by the neck and rips out your still fixed eyenballs. In fact better still watch the sequel, much scarier and all the more fun with a girlfriend ;) BTW avoid Ring 0 (Basudei) like the plague though.
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| Jodie |
IT IS ABRILLANT FILM I YHOUGHT IT WAS ACE AND SAMARA MORGON IS A BRILLANT CHARACTER IM DEFENTLY BYING IT
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Haylee
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I thooght this movie was very good i have seen it a few times now and it is always just as scary - especially at the movies!!!
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| Samara Morgan |
I think it was the best movie I have ever seen. It just made me think so much and there was actually a pretty good story behind it.
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Twinchy
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I thought the movie was really great! It didn't really scare me but that's not saying much cause I don't get scared easily at all. The thing that probably ruined it for me is that the little evil girl on there was TOO CUTE! lol nothing that cute should have died lol (even if she was evil :p). I did applaud her in the end though. It was great to see her moving again. haha.
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| Tyler Hart |
Kewl
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| L |
The Jap version was better - way creepier
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| Vaughan |
Check out the moment where the little girl comes out of the TV towards the end of the movie, I almost filled my pants.
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| Bender |
Una pelicula que realmente te deja helado. y uno no sabe si realmente es verdad...
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| Raffaela |
I thought it was way cool and im hopig to see the jap one too it was sooo scary but then i watched it over and over so then it wasnt that scary.
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| Alex |
I THINK THIS MOVIE IS GREAT BECAUSE IT IS THAT YOU JUST DONT KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPEN NEXT AND ANOTHER REASON IS THAT IT IS NOT GOST AND HOW DID YOU MAKE THIS FILM I LOVE IT I EVEN BOUGHT IT.
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| Angie |
This is different compared to other psychological thriller films. You'll never guess what's gonna happen next. It will keep you glued to your seats. Amazing film!
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| Sara |
The movie was great I liked it. It was scary.
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| Sherry |
The movie was not scary!
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| Chelsea |
This film was pretty cool...the phone rang at the end but it was just a friend (whata relief).
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| Someone |
Needs a sequel. or a prequel. or something. still, is best horror movie in history of psych thrilleys.
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| Divina |
I went to see it in theatres and I got totally freaked out!It has no killing(kinda) which makes it even better cuz of the disturbing scenes!
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| Samantha Jackson |
Very scarie very cool.
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| Katie |
I love this movie!!!
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| Goetsch |
The film was awesome, no doubt. the disturbing images that manifested one's emotions during the film, were even better. this definitely is one to purchase.
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Casey O'Grady
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I think that it was more freaky then it was scary. But It Was A great movie. I can Say i am afraid of certain untitled movies.
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| Cinthia | yo creo q esta pelicula es la mejor pelicula de miedo q he visto.yo estoy muy asustada el principio de eesta pelicula la vi sola y yo solo tengo 11 años |
| Catch Hurst | Great pic... watchin' it on DVD my friend and I caught text in the bottom of the screen when she 1st visits the horse ranch and they Mr. Morgan and she are walking through the barn... even one in slow motion it was too fast to read... but we're still trying... what does it say? .. let me know... |
| Alyson Stegin |
This movie rocked! i love to scare my self and anyone else who loves to scare themselves should watch this movie. This movie sent major chills down my back.
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