Valiant attempt at cutting-edge horror but let down on a few fronts.

Rating: Null/10 (15 November 2002)

God, now they're looking to remake films within four years of release! Well, if nothing else, THE RING has generated polarised opinion. Is it or isn't it better than Japan's RINGU (1998)? My opinion is that its pretty line-ball. For 4/5 of the movie the American version has arguably the edge, but production values and a dodgy last 10 minutes detract.
Many images from THE RING are just superb. As creepy and as disturbing as anything I've seen since THE INNOCENTS. Clever SCREAM type opening which broadens into an intelligent and articulate tale of distinct horror. Aussie Watts turns in a blinder of a performance that leaves Kidman's turn in THE OTHERS a work of almost mediocrity. The film follows the Japanese version very closely, diverging principally with the central players and the plot-line variance. There is nothing to be gained re-hashing the story, any interested party will be aware of it.
Certain aspects to the film are quite memorable. The cinematography for one. This is is a class of its own. The scenes with the horse aboard the ferry are as striking as they are horrific. The unfolding of the mystery is where THE RING becomes unhinged. Having been far to manipulative and clever for its own good, the makers were only ever left with a narrow window of credibility and backed into a corner the thing doesn't gel, with far too many unanswered questions and riddles. The greatest horror was in what you DIDN'T see...thus when poor old Noah finds himself watching the absolute last film he ever needed to see, the audience is suddenly handed a total rip-off of Dario Argento's DEMONS which wrecks both continuity and credibility. As many have pointed out also, the incessant appearance of the boom-mike is just inexcusable in a film of this quality and totally wrecks the tension and mood.
Many were the good things to be had but 7.9 is an insane rating with regard to many other classics of film I could name that have rated far less in the IMDb. 6.8 perhaps!
I would be lying if I said that I did not enjoy this film..it COULD have been one of the best horror/psychological films of the past 30 years. As it stands though, SIGNS and even THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES were better.