Everyone will suffer.

One of the most influential modern day horror movies, 2002‘s The Ring proves that horror can come in many forms, like a cursed video tape! This movies massive impact is undeniable, kicking off the Asian remake-craze that we had at the beginning of the 2000s. My first time watching was pretty late to the party, where I already watched dozens of other movies in the same vein as this one, like the American The Grudge movies that I saw before this one. So to me, the impact of this movie and the horror has always been slightly impacted.

But that doesn’t mean this movie is bad. It‘s truly atmospheric, not relying on too many jumpscares (tho there are a few, most namely with the video tape). But the tense atmosphere, slow build-up, excellent coloring that makes you feel sick and the truly great performance by Naomi Watts make this movie very good. Some red herrings lead you to believe one is to blame, then the other, which is something that always captures my attention. The movie has its moments and its weaknesses and I sincerely hope we get the uncut version someday, just to see the differences in this one. But this movie is nonetheless a must-see for horror fans!

Is it better than the original? No. Is it worse? No. Both movies are equally good, just for different reasons. While this movie has better performances, the Asian original has a more disturbing, more horrifying impact to me.