Am I the only person who disliked Ringu?

[noseboy]

Okay, so a while ago after I saw the Ring and I heard about ringu being released here, I couldn't wait to see the original film. I thought "Hey, it's japanese and the original--it's gotta be innovative and frightening. The Ring had a couple of good scenes and the original will have tons." So I rented it and was extremely bored while watching it! Now don't think I'm closed-minded and only like Scream and gorefest type movies. I've seen and loved Dark Water, Rosemary's Baby, Session 9, etc. But I just thought Ringu was a pile of cluttered thoughts--a movie that tried to build atmosphere but failed miserably. And come on-- (Possible spoiler)




Why would anyone use buckets attached to ropes to drain a well--Can we say go-down-in-the-murky-water-yourself-to-find-a-body-creating-a-dank-depression-unique environment?




(End Spoiler)
Maybe it's because I saw the remake first, or maybe it was because I was tired watching it in the first place. But am I the only person who thought that Ringu was a bad movie?

[VincentPrice]

I wasn't all that impressed with it either. It was good but the American version was better.

[XpatrickX]

Yeah I didnt like it too much at all. not scary...extremely lame ending.

[Oderus]

I think the american version may have jaded you guys a bit.

ringu wasn't flashy, and I think that it was slower and didn't have much music only made it more realistic.

[RogueSpear]

Aside from a few creepy visuals and some tense scenes I wasn't impressed with much of Ringu. It suffers mostly from a lack of a coherent storyline, but it's also lacking in characterization and pace. The remake is leagues above this one. Had I not seen the remake first I would have probably liked it less, as the story doesn't flow very well and can be very confusing at times.

Ringu - 6/10
The Ring - 8/10

[countchocula]

I saw the original first, and I preferred the Americanized version. Ringu isn't without its merits (the ending is highly disturbing), but it felt bland overall.

[SteveSzyk]

I wasn't really into Ringu the first time I saw it, but when I checked it out a second time I realized just how incredible it is. An incredibly creepy, smart and original flick that just beats out the remake.

The tv scene in the remake was awful though - so incredibly not scary, while the original's tv scene was easily one of the scariest moments in horror history. The pace of it was just painfully creepy. It's that scene that puts Ringu ahead of The Ring overall.

[Antonio]

I didn't find it all that wonderful.

[John Mullets]

I really fancied Ringu.

The remake, to me, seemed like an incredibly dumbed-down flick for moronic kids suffering from ADD. So incredibly unscary and, well, just plain shitty.

[RogueSpear]

Originally posted by SteveSzyk
The tv scene in the remake was awful though - so incredibly not scary, while the original's tv scene was easily one of the scariest moments in horror history. The pace of it was just painfully creepy. It's that scene that puts Ringu ahead of The Ring overall.

Really? I thought the TV scene at the end of The Ring was much more stylish and creepy than that of Ringu. Ringu's ending just seemed so bland. The remake was much more effective, IMO.

Originally posted by John Mullets
The remake, to me, seemed like an incredibly dumbed-down flick for moronic kids suffering from ADD.

I'd rather have a version that's "dumbed-down for moronic kids with ADD" than a version who's story makes absolutely no sense, doesn't flow well, and is ultimately an unsatisfying experience.

[John Mullets]

Originally posted by RogueSpear
I'd rather have a version that's "dumbed-down for moronic kids with ADD" than a version who's story makes absolutely no sense, doesn't flow well, and is ultimately an unsatisfying experience.

No need to get upset about it. People can think differently than you.

[Li-1]

I agree with some on this board that the remake is superior to Ringu. Sure, the Japanese version is well made, but when I go see a film about a cursed videotape that kills its viewers in one week, I primarily expect to have a good time. And on so many levels, I prefer Gore Verbinski's version, which has a greater sense of impending doom and even more stark visual atmosphere. Also, the material in the videotape in Ringu is a little too short and somewhat unfulfilling, and the woman in the video isn't nearly as creepy looking as the Anna Morgan character.

There are two crucial scenes in Ringu I prefer over the U.S. rendition; one is the scene right after the journalist watches the tape for the first time and sees that freaky reflection on the television screen. It's such a great scare I can't believe the American version ommitted it. Then there's the TV scene at the end, which was better done partially because the Japanese apartment is smaller and more enclosed and there's none of that "static" TV look on the ghost girl that Samara had.

[Living_Dead_Dude]

I was a little unwealmed but I wouldn't say I hated it, I preferred it to the remake and the little girl was waaay creepier (those nails, brrrrrr)

[aenima]

i liked the whole Ringu trilogy but i agree on it being overrated. i was impressed with the remake but i would never go as far as to give it a nearly top rating. this is a remake guys, not some original masterpiece...

[JurassicMik]

I'm a big fan of Japanese horror but I actually liked the remake better than the original. The original is still good but nothing amazing.

[madam melva]

I'm definitely planning to get my hands on "Ringu" because I've fallen in love with Japanese horror and suspense. So far, I collected "Suicide Club," "Dead or Alive," "The Audition," and "Onibaba." Although I did enjoy watching "The Ring" in the theater, "Ringu" came out first. I think I can get it at Borders for just $15, which isn't bad at all.

[socalled]

Originally posted by XpatrickX
Yeah I didnt like it too much at all. not scary...extremely lame ending.

How can you possibly think the ending is lame. The chick is driving to her father's place and knows how to break the curse. That's just freaky when you think about possible developments .... the movie relies on your imagination at the end. It ain't about to sign, seal (heheheheh), and deliver everything up to you in a package.

As stated else where we are talking two movies made from differing cultural perspectives. Comparison of the two movies makes zero sense.

I liked Ring aka Ringu, and liked The Ring. They are separate movies operating for audiences with different backgrounds.

[madam melva]

Originally posted by JurassicMik
I'm a big fan of Japanese horror but I actually liked the remake better than the original. The original is still good but nothing amazing.

Maybe you should try "The Eye."