The Grudge 2 [HD]

More of an interesting production than a great horror movie
Despite the $39 million that "The Grudge" earned in its opening weekend to make it the #1 film in the nation, I had low expectations when I popped this DVD in to watch. This was because my youngest daughter had rushed out to see the film (because it had Sarah Michelle Gellar a.k.a. "Buffy the Vampire" in it) and she was bitterly disappointed. While I would not trust her opinion as to what is a great movie (she loves "Gone With the Wind" but does not get "The Godfather"), I thought she would know what was a bad horror movie. Consequently, I think my expectations for "The Grudge" were so low that there was nowhere to go but up once I actually watched it.

I knew this 2004 horror film was a remake of the Japanese movie "Ju-on," in the tradition of "Ringu"/"The Ring," but I did not know that it was filmed in Japan by the same director, Takashi Shimizu (I tend to avoid finding out a lot about films until I actually see them so that I be pure of mind when I first watch them)...

Japanese Ghosts Hold a Grudge
Japan has a long, ghostly tradition with beings from beyond the grave. Nemerous stories and legends in Japan of these otherworldly visitors abound. Ghosts often play key roles in Kabuki theater and were a favorite though perhaps somewhat overly-used character by Kabuki playwrights. Many of the ghosts that appear in plays and stories are females seeking revenge for wrongs done to them during their lifetime typically by cruel, heartless husbands.

In the old ghost stories, vengeful Japanese ghosts would continue haunt their victims until they went insane, died, or at least made some form of restitution to appease the angry spirits. Some Japanese ghosts were born out of tragedy or sorrow and would haunt any person who came near. These spirits were particularly feared because they represented a danger to all unless they were somehow put to rest.

Although I knew about the horrific nature of old Japanese ghosts, I had thought modern Japanese ghosts would be more polite...

I thought it was good
You know I have seen many bad reviews on here about this movie, but I think that it's just so many people today are just so desensitized, and they have to over analyze every frame. It's just ugh.... Will it win a Oscar? no. Is it just a good movie that you can sit back and watch with a bowl of popcorn? yes. Get 1 and 2 or rent them and sit back and enjoy a couple of good movies.

I have also seen both of the original japanese movies and they are really good also.

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