Interesting concept, ultimately flawed

Rating: 6/10 (17 October 2002)

This movie has a very intriguing concept behind it, but it's ultimately flawed pretty badly. The main problem is that most of the characters and situations are forced to the point where they simply can't seem realistic or natural at all.
For one, take the kid in this movie. Not only is his character completely unbelievable in the way he acts and talks just like an adult and expresses zero emotion, but he really wasn't even a neccessary part of the movie. He's not the exception either: Hardly anybody in this movie is really a believable character. First there's the mother who seems rather callous towards her son and is always never-too-flustered that she is going to die in a matter of days after watching the videotape. Then there's Richard who seems to react to strangers in a completely random and unexplainable fashion. And then there's Anna and Samara who seem like they're pulled straight out of a German fairy tale or something. In fact...the only character that seems somewhat realistic is Noah.
The ending of the movie leaves a lot to be desired too. Yes there's a plot twist, but it comes off as more of a cop-out than any attempt to seriously explain anything or bring closure. It creates more plot holes than it fixes actually.