Disappointment Rings Loudly

Rating: 5/10 (9 November 2002)

I've given up on seeing widely distributed Horror genre films in the first few weekends because frankly the theaters are crammed with the types of people that ruin the movie going experience (talkers, cell phone ringers, teenagers). So I gave it a few weeks to catch "The Ring". Unfortunately my trip was ill timed to correspond with the release of "8 Mile" which, with its numerous sellouts, forced the same type of people into a second choice, my first choice "The Ring". I enjoyed Verbinski's "The Mexican", though I seemed to be in the minority of people who liked it, and now I'm apparently in the minority of people who didn't like this film. I probably suffered from the over hype that many of my friends have given this movie, and went in expecting something creepy, a cross between Sixth Sense and Seven and all the other disturbing movies that stick with you long after the credits roll. However "The Ring" is neither of those films, nor is it on the level of "Urban Legend" or other schlock spook fests. Instead it falls somewhere in between- an art film trying to make it mainstream. Too bad it failed for me miserably. Emily Watts was very wonderful playing the reporter trying to unravel the puzzle of the videotape of death (which I always thought was "Showgirls"). But beyond her performance there was little else for the film to hang its hat on besides some forced eerie footage on the evil tape, and some moody cinematography (which is the only real reason to see the film) with a nice homage to Hitchcock tucked neatly inside. I found the story rather weak, though it didn't completely leave me disinterested (again mainly due to Watts being very alluring). I don't mind a slow paced film either; in fact I rather enjoy it when it adds to the story. However, I thought the pacing was all over the place here. We have a story that should take place over 7 days (or at least the part post-teaser...it did in some respects feel like episodic television after all), yet it's not pace evenly. Either building slowly, with the later days stretching longer, or moving faster to place emphasis on the running out of time would, I think, help.
With all this said, I'd still recommend the film for Watts and for the lushness of the cinematography. Beyond that, if you want to see a well crafted narrative that builds suspense without tricks, check out "Insomnia" instead.