Good creepy beginning, but...

Rating: Null/10 (11 April 2004)

Gore Verbinski and Ehren Kruger simply do not know what to do with a horror story (in Kruger's case, that was apparent since Scream 3). Sadly, it proves what I've always believed: no matter how good the original story is, the final product will still be less than great in the hands of mediocre talent (see also Brett Ratner and Ted Tally's Red Dragon, they totally missed the heart of the story. Hint: The heart wasn't Lecter's conversations with an FBI investigator in the asylum-like it was in Silence of the Lambs, and it wasn't ALL Dolarhyde, OR the investigation...)
The movie is overpraised by people (I think such praises reaches its nadir in the review that's currently on the main page for this movie. The guy sounds like a publicist, with delusions about the power of film. Sorry to break it you, but you don't hover above the masses, and the masses aren't stupid enough to throw away their VCR'S after watching, what is afterall-A MOVIE, and not a very scary one at that), but it does have its merits (however I give Gore Verbinski very little credit, even if he feels he's made the story he's own. Sorry, director boy, you OWE EVERYTHING to the original story. Try NOT making a movie that's a "sure sell" like the horrible movie "The Mexican", and that isn't reverently faithful to something which is pretty good to begin with-i.e"Ringu"). The movie has an great first third (seeing how the first victim's body ended up was pretty freaky), very low key and creepy, and you think its setting you up for a good slam bang finale. It isn't. Maybe I shouldn't have expected too much from a PG 13 movie. Simply put, the movie lacks tension; Rachel's investigation lacks urgency, and the dates that are VERY frequently flashed across the screen give the movie an episodic feel that doesn't help matters at all. It goes NOWHERE, and the open ending is HIGHLY anti-climatic. Imagine getting on board a rollercoaster that sputters to a stop midway and you'll get an idea of what watching this movie is like.
I love the concept though-a video tape that kills is something only the Japanese could concieve of (their love affair with technology and their personalization of it is apparent yet again. See also anime movies, in particular Ghost in the Shell-NOT a horror film however, despite the title).