Creepy but not totally satisfying

Rating: 8/10 (4 November 2002)

A Seattle newspaper reporters (Naomi Watts) cousin dies seven days after watching a video. The video contains grainy, weird, frightening images and, after viewing it, you get a phone call saying "seven days". Seven days later, you die. Watts hears this but doesn't believe it. She gets a copy of the tape, views it, then the phone rings...
The plot is intriguing (and based on a 1998 Japanese film). Also the movie takes itself very seriously and there's (thankfully) no stupid comic relief. Also Watts gives a powerhouse performance as does David Dorfman playing her really creepy little son. There's no gore, very little blood and the scares are mostly quiet ones. I usually love horror movies like that. This one just misses the mark.
The plot is way too intelligent for its own good (I got confused by the end). It throws in a very frightening twist at the end that I didn't buy at all, and leaves lots of loose ends hanging. Still, for 99% of the way, it works. It's worth seeing just for that.