Similarities to other films, a little confusing

Rating: Null/10 (2 March 2003)

I had a ticket to the press preview of this, but I couldn't be bothered getting out of bed to see it (being at 10am, which is a silly time for a horror anyway). I got round to seeing it tonight, and it isn't a bad film at all.
--SPOILERS THROUGHOUT THE REVIEW--
One thing I came away with was noticing a lot of similarities to other films. It was nearly always raining, much like in Se7en. The kid, well, he harks back to Sixth Sense. It has strong hints of Scream in the opening sequence. There are many other small parts which are common, but still, it has a very unique style.
There is some great cinematography in the film as well. The use of the creeping up behind you camera technique is used, but not overused. Some unique viewpoints, such as inside the filing cabinet draws.
The score is also amazing - never intrusive, always fits well with the action. Music can make a horror film, and it helps a lot here.
After the scene in the well at Shelter Mountain, a great sense of relief is imparted to the audience. You feel like the film is over, it's all relaxed. Then suddenly it turns round again and all gets going. This is done very well.
Some good use of computer graphics as well. When Samara comes alive out of the TV, it's done well. The TV like effect, although it has been used a fair bit recently (House on Haunted Hill), is well done.
A few things didn't work though. When Anna kills Samara by the well, they both appear to be wearing very old clothing, certainly pre-1960. However, she kills her with a plastic bin bag - it just seems a little odd. The numbers screwing up on the video - they are generally just an arbitary index that the video player generates. The light house lighting just looks wrong, the way it sweeps the floor in the Morgan's house (hmm... maybe inherited from House on Haunted Hill as well).
The major problem - the viewer is given a lot of specific information. You learn a timeline, where things happened, why they happened. There is so much there that it feels like it should piece together better. You are left at the end, not really knowing much for certain, but knowing so many small parts, that your mind doesn't want to wander and try to work out the solution. The cross between fact, fiction, and the supernatural world portrayed just doesn't mix properly.
It's hard to describe what I mean. Take Magnolia - that leaves a lot of people feeling like they have wasted 2 hours (I think it was longer...). There is so much there, and bits of it pull together, and others don't, leaving you feeling empty at the end. Then there is Mullholland Dr. - again, lots of disjointed events, but they are linked together so lightly, that at the end of the day, you mind has time to explore the hundreds of possibilites.
All in all, a good horror film, better than most recent ones.