My review for Juon 2003 was very nearly my shortest ever. For while you can talk about plot, characters, cast and crew for as long as you want, some movies can be completely summarised in just one word. Ju-On 2002 is one of those movies; the word best describing it rhyming with kite.
This really is disappointing from start to finish. Although it's technically a remake of Takashi Shimizu's TV movie of the same name, you wouldn't know it by the plot which is completely different (to the point of unrecognition) and - for reasons unknown - the director has ditched the creepy, understated visuals of his original for a graphically explicit medley of blood, gore and other such unpleasantries. It's basically Halloween 2 to Halloween.
Plot holes are evident throughout but one particular nuance was a break from the norm: all of the characters were likeable people and we did get to know them through some decent character development. I did come to care for Izumi, Rika and co. and for that, Ju-On deserves at least two stars. The supposedly creepy blue faced boy was just laughable, however; I'm told that this was rated one of the scariest movies of recent years in its native Japan. With genuinely suspenseful entries like 'Kairo' and 'Dark Water' to compete with, I find that extremely hard to believe!
So, in summary, if you like the idea of the film - a spirit returning from the dead to haunt the new occupants of the house in which they were killed - and want to see how it can be handled effectively, watch the original television movie from 2000. If you're just a fan of Asian horror and think this could be the next "Ringu", do yourself a favour and save a few sheckles. Not recommended - ** / *****
This really is disappointing from start to finish. Although it's technically a remake of Takashi Shimizu's TV movie of the same name, you wouldn't know it by the plot which is completely different (to the point of unrecognition) and - for reasons unknown - the director has ditched the creepy, understated visuals of his original for a graphically explicit medley of blood, gore and other such unpleasantries. It's basically Halloween 2 to Halloween.
Plot holes are evident throughout but one particular nuance was a break from the norm: all of the characters were likeable people and we did get to know them through some decent character development. I did come to care for Izumi, Rika and co. and for that, Ju-On deserves at least two stars. The supposedly creepy blue faced boy was just laughable, however; I'm told that this was rated one of the scariest movies of recent years in its native Japan. With genuinely suspenseful entries like 'Kairo' and 'Dark Water' to compete with, I find that extremely hard to believe!
So, in summary, if you like the idea of the film - a spirit returning from the dead to haunt the new occupants of the house in which they were killed - and want to see how it can be handled effectively, watch the original television movie from 2000. If you're just a fan of Asian horror and think this could be the next "Ringu", do yourself a favour and save a few sheckles. Not recommended - ** / *****