Scary as hell

Rating: 8/10 (16 November 2002)

The Ring (2002) D: Gore Verbinski. Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, David Dorfman, Brian Cox, Jane Alexander, Lindsay Frost, Amber Tamblyn, Rachael Bella, Richard Lineback. Horror film based on the 1998 Japanese film RINGU is designed to shock, rock, and jolt its viewers, with the results being just plain scary as hell. Watts delivers a terrific performance as a news reporter who is investigating the origins of a freaky videotape whose viewers die 7 days after viewing it. The film borders on the absurd, but the atmosphere is unbearably tense. Loses 2 points, however, for the film's too many endings and an opening sequence that features teenagers that seemingly belong in a pop culture slasher film rather than this one. RATING: 8 out of 10. Rated PG-13 for violence and grisly images.