Rings

Rings

Starring Matilda Lutz, Alex Roe, Johnny Galecki, Vincent D'Onofrio

Directed by F. Javier Gutierrez

The Story:
There is a video that, once you see it, you die in seven days unless you make a copy and have someone else watch it.  For couple Julia (Matilda Lutz) and Holt (Alex Roe), this video affects their lives in deadly ways after Holt watches the video for a project from his college professor (Johnny Galecki).  To save his life, Julia watches it, but the video changes and she can't copy it - there's something more in the video for her, which leads them on an adventure to find the body of young Samara - whose ghost inhabits the video - and free her before Julia becomes the next victim.

The Synopsis:
In the late 90s and early 2000s there was a wave of Japanese horror films (known as J-Horror) that were creepy, atmospheric and unique.  Films such as Ju-On, Ringu and Kairo took the country by storm, and it wasn't long before the American film industry picked up on their popularity and remade them for American audiences to mixed success.  While films like "The Grudge" and "Dark Water" flourished, others like "The Eye" and "Pulse" failed to deliver the thrills and chills the originals had.

When "The Ring" hit American theaters in 2002, it was revolutionary because it was something no one had seen before.  Featuring a stellar cast (especially for a horror film) including Naomi Watts, Brian Cox and Martin Henderson, the film was a terrifying, mysterious thrill ride that had audiences on the edge of their seats.  The 2005 sequel unfortunately didn't have the same effect, and hopes of a "Ring" franchise died with it.

Until 2015, when "Rings" was made.  That's right, I said 2015.  Even though the film came out in 2017, it was supposed to be released back in 2015, but continually got pushed back.  Never a good sign for any movie, and after seeing it, I understand why.  While seeing Samara back on the big screen was, in an odd way, like seeing an old family friend again, the film was muddied with a convoluted story, unleashing several series continuity errors, and featured a bunch of talentless actors (or bigger named actors like Johnny Galecki and Vincent D'Onofrio who just appeared to cash their paychecks) who you couldn't care less about.

What "Rings" failed to do is re-establish Samara as a terrifying, unstoppable evil.  What made the original (well, the 2002 remake) so good was that it was a clever, unique tale that was truly terrifying, especially that last scene.  It kept you riveted, on the edge of your seat, and featured Naomi Watts who gave her all in a film that only required half from her, but she blew it out of the water.  With "Rings," we already know the gimmick, and weren't as frightened seeing Samara coming out from the television (or cell phone now, as the film needed an upgrade). 

Speaking of upgrade, that's the only thing "Rings" did that was unique, because its target audience was still in diapers when the original was released, and no one uses a VHS anymore.  Now Samara is on the Internet thanks to Professor Gabriel, who watched the tape and transferred it online so he could have his students watch the film and keep the curse going - if only to prove the existence of an afterlife.  It was a very thin plot that was abandoned early on in favor of having Julia and Holt unveil a new mystery in the Samara saga - while also taking a metaphorical dump on the other two films in the franchise by killing any sense of continuity. 

That's because Julia - for reasons unknown - found a video within the video.  Because Naomi Watts' character couldn't do that even though she thoroughally inspected it frame-by-frame.  Now she has to research this new mystery and find out what Samara was hiding within...within...her video.  It becomes a rehash of the original "Ring" with Julia and Holt traveling to a small city in Washington to find Samara's grave - even though...well, nevermind, if "Rings" doesn't care about the source material than I won't either.

Speaking of which, I just won't care about this film anymore.  It's an insult to the "Ring" franchise and, even though it did boast an amazing opening sequence, is something totally forgettable.

The Summary:
If "Rings" is the last film you see before you die in seven days, you've wasted your life. 

The Score: C-