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The Ring
- Review Date: March 17, 2005
- PG-13
- Genre: Horror
- 2002
Common Sense Media says
This movie is very, very scary.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this movie is very, very scary. Four people and a horse die on-screen, with the potential for many more untimely demises throughout and -- don't read on if you enjoy surprises -- beyond the end of the movie. The overall tone is creepy and would leave many of the staunchest of moviegoers in dire need of brightly lit rooms and laughter.
What's the story?
In this remake of a Japanese horror film based on a series of books, urban legend meets scary movie reality when four teens die, as predicted, exactly seven days to the minute from when they watched an unmarked video in a remote mountain cabin. Rachel (Naomi Watts), the aunt of one of the teenagers, is a savvy and skeptical journalist whose curiosity is sparked by tales of the tape. After finding and watching the source of the mystery, she receives a phone call announcing that she has seven days. From there, it is a race to solve the clues and answer the riddle of the video, with the stakes greatly raised when two of the people closest to her, including her young son, watch the deadly tape.
Is it any good?
Director Gore Verbinski does an excellent job of letting our imaginations find portent and peril in the most mundane of actions, such as picking up groceries at the local corner store. Watts is a relief as she plays through the gamut of Rachel's emotions with truly credible, but not overwrought, gusto. While the adults are busy solving the riddle of the tape, the heart-stopping dyad of the Ring's children usher in the deeper dimension of fear. Rachel's son, Aiden (a stony-eyed David Dorfman) is the medium and interpreter for the terrifying Samara (Daveigh Chase), who is at the heart of the mystery.
THE RING dips deep in the well of oft-used scary images, which paradoxically results in a movie that is both architecturally firm but--with little new to add--empty of true revelation.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the decision that Rachel makes at the end of the movie and the ramifications of her actions. They might also wish to discuss the way that different characters deal with the untimely death of a loved one.
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AGE
More proof that j-horror re-makes are epic fails.
I didn't know I had this movie until I found it one day buried under all sorts of junk. I've seen Ringu, the movie on which this was based, and it's a lot better. I'm not frightened by Samara-- and this is coming from a girl who is afraid of TRAINS, for crying out loud-- and I just feel bad for her. The only scene that scared me was the suicide scene, and I was pretty creeped out by the poor horses falling off the boat. I would suggest seeing the Japanese version of this movie as it is a lot better (if you're looking for a scare) but if you have young and/or sensitive children and they just HAVE to watch this movie, please at least cover their eyes during the scenes I mentioned.
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AGE
Scary scary scary *spoilers*
I haven't seen many horror movies, but this one was freaky. I can't think of any family appropriate words for how scared I was after watching this last Halloween. I had to sneak into my sister's room for the next two nights and listen to audiobooks to get any sleep at all.
The Ring, though it has many somewhat gory and very disturbing images, has less of a horror feeling than an overall creepy feeling of impending doom.
So, for those who are curious, I will try to name all the scary parts that I remember, so you can be on the lookout. If you don't want to know, don't read them.
The beginning was scary; the one girl tells her friend and the audience about the tape, and then reveals that she watched it- 7 days ago. As the clock strikes 10, when she watched it the week before, things start happening (I don't actually remember the specifics). Either way, it's all very creepy and ominous- the TV turns on and off and on, static fizzing from the living room (I was afraid of static-y TVs for weeks, by the way). She opens the door to her room, and screams, and that's the end of her. You don't see what happened to her until the reception for her funeral, which our protagonist attends- the girl was her niece. They talk about her roommate (or was it her mother..?) finding her in the closet and BAM! Before you can blink, a quick flash of the girl, crouched in a closet and grotesquely distorted. The movie continues in similar ways- a man commits suicide in front of Rachel by electrocuting himself in his bathtub, a horse drowns and is chopped to bits by the propellers of a boat, Rachel pulls a long wire covered in black hair out from her throat. The tape itself is the creepiest thing I've ever seen. Simple shots of clues to the mystery of Samara, the ring girl. The climax is scary, but I'm not quite sure, as I was hiding behind a pillow the whole time. But the action- and gore- doesn't stop there because PLOT TWIST! And when Rachel is about to spin the chair around to see what's his face's face, don't look. I'm so glad I didn't- my friend still shudders to think of it. But, by this time, you are tired of plot twists, and just want it all to end.
So, in conclusion: Scariest movie I've seen, disturbing images, and just a bit too long. Rachel is a good role model, who wants to save not only herself and her son, but everyone else who may ever watch the tape in the future.
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AGE
This movie is not "very, very scary".
I think the original review of this movie given by Common Sense Media is too critical. The Ring is not scary; some people may find the cursed tape and the Morgan family to be creepy. Otherwise, this movie is more interesting than scary; mind you, this was my first scary movie experince. Also, there is not any sex in this movie; the closest you'll probably even get to sexual themes is in one scene where Rachel (the protagonist) is in her bra and underwear in her house looking for a dress. Language is not much of a problem either; the only drinking/drug reference is at the beginning where Rachel was telling some girls about how sometimes her and her friends would get high in Rachel's room during their teen years. In a nutshell, this movie is not as bad as Common Sense Media makes it seem.
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AGE
awesome
love it
samara is the star
a bit scary but part of the fun is being scared
samara is a great character :D
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AGE
Great Movie, but Definitely not For Young Kids
This is, without a doubt, the scariest movie I've ever seen. The movie revolves around a tape. If you watch this tape, you'll die within seven days. The opening scene is very scary. After the video-tape has finished, the person gets a phone-call with a spooky voice on the other end saying "seven days". The movie isn't violent as much as it is frightening. This is a good movie to watch on Halloween.
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AGE
thumbs up!
I thought this was a good film, not scary atall but i wish i hadn't known the storyline before i saw it:(.
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AGE
oh my god
oh my god this movie is SCARY!!!!!!!!
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AGE
Scary movie, judge by YOUR kid's standards.
If your child is easily scared, no matter what age, this is not for them.
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AGE
The Ring's Rating of PG13 is Suspect
As a parent, my strong opinion is that this movie never should have been rated PG13. It's a great movie, don't get me wrong. However, I can't imagine letting kids who are 13 see this film. It's exremely intense and very frightening. I think just the level of tension in this film is too much for kids that young to handle. I honestly think this needed an R rating for that reason - plus language. A great movie - but should be reserved for older teens/adults.
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Kid, 12 years old
April 10, 2011
AGE
My favorite movie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was a great movie overall. There were "jump" moments, but I just don't get scared by movies. Wonderful.
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| Studio: | DreamWorks |
| Director: | Gore Verbinski |
| Cast: | Amber Tamblyn, Martin Henderson, Naomi Watts |
| Genre: | Horror |
| Run time: | 115 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | October 18, 2002 |
| DVD release date: | March 4, 2003 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | thematic elements, disturbing images, language and some drug references |
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