The Ring (2012)
Let’s sleep with the lights on.
Presentation:
This is an era-defining horror film that has created a truly traumatizing urban legend. Although the iconic tape demon isn’t as creepy as the the Japanese original, it still uses psychological imagery to make your skin crawl. Japanese are really on another level when it comes to horror. What this film does so well is evoke a consistent sense of dread through its morbidly green grade accomplished through the use of gels. This isn’t one of those jump-scare movies, relying on psychological warfare instead to frighten you with unsettling and disturbing images. I think you’d have to watch it in the theatre to get the full effect as my first viewing on my computer had a diminished effect on the experience.
Conclusion:
This is a film that terrified a lot of Gen Y teenagers. As some modern audiences today have never even seen a VHS, I don’t know if the impact will be the same as these CRT TVs and tapes aren’t as commonplace to regularly haunt you afterwards. The reliance on imagery and atmosphere means that hardened horror enthusiasts might not find the movie to get the blood pumping but the story should still be engaging enough that it shouldn’t matter. I actually really like the story of this film, which some probably won’t be able to concentrate on because they are busy trying to survive the 2 hours of terror. So there is something for all audiences, unless you can’t stomach horror films, in that case why are you even looking at this review? Look into your TV screen instead.
Recommendations
Level 0 of the liminal basement.