October 15, 2006
The Grudge 2
Seventh time's not the charm for Japanese helmer
Starring: Amber Tamblyn, Sarah Michelle Gellar
Rating: 5/10
Directed By: Takashi Shimizu
Runtime: 95 minutes
Starring: Amber Tamblyn, Sarah Michelle Gellar
Rating: 5/10
Directed By: Takashi Shimizu
Runtime: 95 minutes
One would think that it would bode well for a remake if the original's director were willing to return to duplicate the original's success. Unbelievably, this is not the case. One can look back to George Sluizer's remake of his classic Dutch thriller The Vanishing (1988) to see that it may have had some big stars (Kiefer Sutherland and Sandra Bullock) but it lost the originals sense of creeping doom not to mention it's highly disturbing, but effective, ending. Filmmakers like Ole Bornedal (Nightwatch, 1997) and Hideo Nakata (Ring 2, 2005) have tried to rework their films and failed miserably in the process. The same can't be said about Takashi Shimizu as 2004's The Grudge was a perfect companion piece to his previous Ju-On efforts. The sequel to that film, however, shows that maybe there's only so much that one man can do with a franchise.
Like the 2004 remake, The Grudge 2 follows multiple story lines that intersect at different times throughout the story. The film begins with a family who recently moved into an apartment in Chicago then moves on to a trio of schoolgirls in Japan before settling for a short amount of time on Sara Michelle Gellar's (the only holdover from the previous film) sister and her trip to Tokyo to rescue her troubled sibling. The disjointed timeline has been a popular narrative device since Quentin Tarantino used it to such great effect in Pulp Fiction (1994) but in Shimizu's universe it neither heightens the tension nor places emphasis on specific plot elements but, instead, functions as a gimmick to keep the viewer confused and prevent them from realizing that nothing that is happening on screen makes much sense. The puzzle like structure of the film also keeps the viewer from ever fully connecting with any of the characters on screen so that when they meet their demise (and most will) you don't find yourself emotionally invested.
The Grudge 2 is not a bad film and for someone who hasn't seen Shimizu's five other Japanese entries in the franchise, it might actually prove scary and entertaining. If you are familiar with the other films, though, or are just tired of Asian horror films in general, then The Grudge 2 is not for you. You're better off staying at home and renting an older film like The Changeling (1980) which delivers its scares but not at the expense of plot and characterization.
Like the 2004 remake, The Grudge 2 follows multiple story lines that intersect at different times throughout the story. The film begins with a family who recently moved into an apartment in Chicago then moves on to a trio of schoolgirls in Japan before settling for a short amount of time on Sara Michelle Gellar's (the only holdover from the previous film) sister and her trip to Tokyo to rescue her troubled sibling. The disjointed timeline has been a popular narrative device since Quentin Tarantino used it to such great effect in Pulp Fiction (1994) but in Shimizu's universe it neither heightens the tension nor places emphasis on specific plot elements but, instead, functions as a gimmick to keep the viewer confused and prevent them from realizing that nothing that is happening on screen makes much sense. The puzzle like structure of the film also keeps the viewer from ever fully connecting with any of the characters on screen so that when they meet their demise (and most will) you don't find yourself emotionally invested.
The Grudge 2 is not a bad film and for someone who hasn't seen Shimizu's five other Japanese entries in the franchise, it might actually prove scary and entertaining. If you are familiar with the other films, though, or are just tired of Asian horror films in general, then The Grudge 2 is not for you. You're better off staying at home and renting an older film like The Changeling (1980) which delivers its scares but not at the expense of plot and characterization.