Ju-On: The Grudge 2 - DVD Review

It was Hideo Nakata’s Ringu that first turned me on to the fine art that is the Japanese horror film. It was Nakata’s fault that I later watched Ju-On: The Grudge and it’s slightly inferior American re-make. It’s also Nakata’s fault that I brought Ju-On: The Grudge 2, in the hope that it would be just as compelling as the first film.

Directed by Takashi Shimizu, the story once again centres around the events that took place in the house in the original film, only this time the visitors are from the world of television. The crew of Heart-Stopping Backgrounds visit the house, ala Most Haunted, in an attempt to find out if the house is haunted. And to add a little spice to the proceedings, actress Harase Kyoko, dubbed the “Horror Queen” by the media, is invited along as a special guest.

If you’ve seen the first film, I think you can probably guess what happens next. Those who entered the house and those connected in some way to those who entered the house start to die.

And that’s the main problem with this film. Although, like most Japanese horror films these days, it’s incredibly well shot and incredibly well directed, I couldn’t help but think that I’d seen it all before in the first instalment. There were hardly any big surprises here, except for the ending which I won’t spoil for you just in case you haven’t seen it yet.

After watching this film in the darkness of my bedroom, I didn’t feel surprised, and I didn’t feel in the least bit scared. And I also didn’t feel in the least bit compelled to go and see the third instalment when it’s finally released.

As far as this film goes, as the great sage that is Abraham J. Simpson once said, I’ve coughed up scarier things.