Ring of Curse Movie Review
Tired of being bullied by classmates and her sister, and ignored by her parents, high school student Kurohane finds a way to kill them all--by having them read cursed stories she writes. When classmate Yuka finds out Kurohane's secret she tries to find a way to stop the curse. This 2011 Japanese film is a mix of the familiar with the original, but those familiar with Japanese horror will know what to expect--for the most part anyway. The movie opens with the lead actresses (the members of a Japanese pop band, as it turns out) introducing us to the film and explaining they are playing the roles of real girls and this is based on a true story. When we get rolling we get the story from the perspective of Yuka, hit the turning point in the film, and then get the story told from the perspective of Kurohane. When the story returns to the turning point it is (primarily) told from Yuka's viewpoint once again.
The aforementioned turning point
I am a big fan of the shift in the viewpoint midway through the film, as it gives the viewer a chance to enter the mind of Kurohane and attempt to see what has driven her to where she is in life (and we get to find out how she came across the curse idea). The acting is about what you would expect in this film, though Airi Suzuki does turn in an impressive performance as Yuka. As is standard with this form of Japanese horror there is not a lot of blood or gore, but this film really didn't need it. The story isn't terribly original, but the presentation is slick, and the writing and dialogue are impressive--it comes across almost like a campfire story. You will find yourself questioning the actions of many of the characters, but this is only a little distracting. If you have the patience to sit through a ton of dialogue and slow build you will be rewarded by a fantastic ending--and be sure you stick around for one of the best post-credits scenes you are likely to ever see. Ring of Curse is not a fantastic film, and is not particularly scary, but it is a really well made film--I recommend it.
On A Scale Of One To Ten: 7
Ring of Curse Movie Trailer (in Japanese)
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