Ju-On: The Grudge (2003)

Directed by Takashi Shimizu. Starring Megumi Okina, Kanji Tsuda, Misa Uehara, Hirokazu Inoue, Daisuke Honda, Misaki Itô, Shuri Matsuda, Takako Fuji, Yuya Ozeki, Yui Ichikawa, Kayoko Shibata. [R]

A key entry in the J-horror explosion of influence on Western cinema during the late-90s and early-00s, this is actually the third film in the series (after the first two went straight to video—Ju-On: The Curse 1 & 2), although they’re only related by their subject: the popular Japanese horror trope of an onryô (“vengeful ghost”). These ghosts curse those who encounter them, following the living wherever they go, and after the person is inevitably killed and/or pulled into the inescapable spirit world, whoever else comes around to the new location will themselves be cursed—the pyramid scheme of phantom rage. With a repetitively-episodic and chronologically-indistinct narrative in play, it’s hard to become involved in anything that happens; new characters show up, the ghosts crawl out and get them, lather, rinse, repeat. There are a few decent jump scares, chilling images, and some distinctive art direction, but the murky storytelling cycle becomes tiresome long before the end. Those who are merely invested in getting goosebumps may be more receptive. Followed by several more sequels, a television series, and an American remake (which, in turn, spawned a couple of sequels of its own). Made its debut at the American film festival Screamfest in 2002.

50/100