The Grudge (2004)

"When someone dies in the grip of a powerful rage...
a curse is born.
The curse gathers in that place of death..
Those who encounter it will be consumed by its fury.."

It’s a really solid movie—I’d definitely recommend it to any horror fans out there🙂
It’s somewhat reminiscent of "The Ring," and I think it actually came out in two different versions;
-the American one, The Grudge
-and the original Japanese version, Ju-On

I heard that the director, Takashi Shimizu, was actually the creator behind "The Ring"—though, I guess, I couldn't quite find the data to confirm that claim myself.

Oh, and by the way, "The Ring 2" is coming out soon🙂

I watched this Japanese one, and I think it might be the film that actually defines the genre for me.

It isn't half bad, is it?

I saw that it’s playing in theaters now... though just thinking about it makes me want to burst into tears immediately—which feels a little silly, I guess...

It’s actually better than The Ring, mostly because you have Sam Raimi behind the camera this time... 😛

Ethan Perez97 said:It beats The Ring—I mean, you've got Sam Raimi behind the camera here. 😛

Honestly, after that whole mess with Spider-Man, I’m having a hard time trusting his work for a while.🙂

I just finished watching the original Ju-On, and I have to be honest—while the cinematography was brilliant and the atmosphere was absolutely thick, I walked away feeling a bit underwhelmed... 😢 Between all those murky flashbacks and the way new characters just suddenly pop into the narrative out of nowhere, I found myself getting completely lost... I mean, I suspect the average viewer might lose interest halfway through... not to mention how convoluted the actual plot is; if you aren't paying rapt attention to every single detail, you're going to miss things entirely... 😉 It’s one of those movies that sits right on the fence, neither great nor terrible... 🙂

Jose Chase2 said:After that whole mess with Spider-Man, I don't think I'll ever trust this guy again...🙂

Look, the man needs to pay his bills... and honestly, if you actually watch those Spider-Man movies, they aren't all that terrible, especially since most other directors would have completely botched them. Just look at how Schumacher handled Batman...

Honestly, I didn't think this Japanese version was even worth a damn until I sat through that absolutely terrible American remake... talk about a massive step down.

Don't get me wrong, the whole plot of the original Japanese flick doesn't totally make sense to me, but it still pulls off that classic "J-horror" vibe I actually dig. It all stems from some deep, personal human tragedy—these desperate cries for help where the attacker somehow shifts into this tragic victim. The American version? Doesn't have any of that depth at all.

Plus, there are some genuinely creepy, bone-chilling scenes in the Japanese cut... like that shot with the monitor in the security guard's room, or the thing under the covers, and that woman's face just frozen in pure terror... stuff like that...

Ethan Perez97 said:Look, the guy needs to get paid too... and honestly, when you look at the Spider-Man movies, they aren't actually that bad—other directors would have totally botched them. Just remember how Schumacher messed up Batman.

khmmm I actually like Schumacher's work... haven't seen Batman, but generally, I think Schumacher is alright.

For me, Spider-Man is a letdown mostly because of Raimi—if it were some B-list director, the movie might have been a pleasant surprise, but since it's him, it feels like his worst stuff. 👎

OT : Khmm, your location reminds me of something—were you maybe hanging around USC around '98 or '99 for film directing auditions?

Jose Chase2 said:khmmm I’ve always had a soft spot for Schumacher's work... I haven't sat through Batman, but generally, I find Schumacher to be alright.

I'm with you there, he's a solid director... though maybe he should stay away from the superhero genre entirely...

Jose Chase2 said:Spider-Man was total garbage for me, mostly because of Raimi, because if it were some hack director at the helm, it might have been a surprise, but instead, it just stands out as his worst effort...👎

Personally, I couldn't stand Darkman either...

Jose Chase2 said:OT : Khmm, your location reminds me of something—were you perhaps around the 98-99 era attending admissions for film directing at USC?

No...
😎

... let's get back to "The Ring"...

I've sat through all three of those horror franchises that eventually got their big American remakes—the original versions of Ring, Ju-On, and Dark Water. Each one was decent enough on its own, though nothing mind-blowing... But since I binged all three in such a short span, I couldn't help but notice they all follow pretty much the exact same blueprint: a child suffers, dies, and then comes back to haunt anyone unlucky enough to cross their path. Whether it's Samara from Ring, the spirit in Dark Water, or that kid in Ju-On, it feels like they're just three different flavors of the same character. Honestly, the movies felt less like unique stories and more like different directors just doing stylistic exercises on the same creepy concept.

That said, I have to admit there were a few moments that genuinely rattled me. Like in Ju-On, when the woman wakes up and finds that spooky kid sitting right on the edge of her bed, while his late mother is just looming over the headboard staring at her... Man, I had goosebumps for hours.
😲

I just finished watching the Japanese version, and while the special effects were decent, the movie didn't really land for me. The plot feels disjointed, and there's no real payoff at the end... Has anyone seen the American remake starring Shannyn Sossamon?

The movie feels almost like an omnibus
which is why the plot seems so disjointed

What can I even say? I'm not a fan!

I just finished watching the English version, and honestly? It’s terrible. It feels totally hollow, too. There isn't even a solid backstory for the ghosts running around that house and killing everyone left and right...🙄The Ring is way better. At least that one actually has a complex plot instead of just nothing.

Ring is better—though this one isn't exactly garbage either.
My biggest gripe? There’s zero driving plot here. It lacks any real substance.
Everything else holds up fine enough.
It’s a damn shame the American remake still hasn't hit theaters.

I only ended up watching the American version, and honestly, I was just bored out of my mind... It was such a total letdown, truly a waste of time!
It doesn't even come close to The Ring.

I watched my version. It’s way better than The Ring. Honestly, The Ring was kind of a bore. And the sequel? Forget about it.

From what I can tell, there are four different versions of Ju-on out there, like
Ju-on TV 1
Ju-on TV 2
Ju-on The Grudge 1
Ju-on The Grudge 2
I’ve managed to catch all of them except for that second TV version. Honestly, the movie is way better than Ring. I actually watched Ju-on The Grudge seven times in just three weeks, which is probably bordering on total fanaticism, but hey, what can I do when the movie is just that freaking good?

When I heard that clueless Buffy actress took over Rika's role, I literally wanted to throw up. Even the ending was messed with, which is actually the best part of Ju-on, but... man... Americans really are the worst and always find a way to ruin everything. Not even Sam Raimi can save them at this point...

rowdybadger41 said:I just finished watching the original version, and honestly, even though the special effects were decent, I wasn't really feeling it. The plot feels all over the place and nothing really comes together at the end. Has anyone actually sat through the American remake with SM Gellar?

Man, the story is totally connected and a ton of stuff actually gets revealed... maybe give it another watch? I've seen it a million times and I think it's absolute genius. Not really interested in the American version, though.