The Grudge (DVD)

The Grudge is a supernatural horror film set in a not-so-traditional haunted home; the ghosts aren’t standard-issue either, as they are not house-bound — they can follow their prey wherever they please, and that’s a pretty scary premise.

Sarah Michelle Gellar plays an exchange student studying social work in Japan. When she agrees to cover for a nurse who didn’t show up for work, she has no idea what she’s stepping into. When she enters the assigned home, she discovers an elderly woman (Grace Zabriskie) who is lost in a catatonic state while the rest of the house appears deserted and disheveled.  As the student is tending to the stricken old lady, she hears ominous scratching sounds from upstairs. When she investigates, she is faced with a supernatural horror more frightening than she could ever imagine. It is ju-on, the manifestation of a malevolent curse that locks a person’s soul in a powerful rage before claiming their life and moving on to another hapless victim.

One of the things that makes The Grudge unique is that it is a remake of critically-acclaimed Japanese film, called Ju-On: The Grudge, and is directed by Takashi Shimizu, the same writer/director of the original. I saw the original on DVD and much as I wanted to like it, I just didn’t. I thought maybe given another round with a familiar cast and with producer Sam Raimi calling some of the shots, I might be more receptive to the whole thing. I wasn’t.

Reprising their roles as the angry ghosts are Takako Fuji (the slinky, sylphlike dark lady) and Yuya  Ozeki (the little boy with eyes as big saucers and a scream to make the alley cats scatter). The black ghost feline is back as well, and so is the muddled plot. Although it’s somewhat easier to follow in the American version, the story is still skeletal and when you find out why the ghost are so darn mad you have more questions than answers (don’t worry, no spoilers here).

The cast of familiar North American faces — Sarah Michelle is joined by Jason “Roswell” Behr, Clea “Carnivale” DuVall, Bill “Lake Placid” Pullman, and KaDee “Anacondas” Strickland, to name a few — isn’t as reassuring as Westernized audiences might hope. The characters are still paper-thin and they still do the dumbest things imaginable.

The look and feel of the film is crisper, brighter and prettier than the original. The special effects are better in some aspects, but in others the CGI is rather rough around the edges. The makeup is a bit slicker on the mother/son ghost duo, but they still look like bug-eyed Kabuki performers, and they really aren’t all that scary.

Throughout much of the film, I was supplying my own Mystery Science Theater 3000 commentary to keep myself reasonably entertained. But far be it from me to dissuade you from seeing the disc — if you are one of the many fans of the original, or if you just like freaky felines, you are welcome to take your chances on The Grudge. (But if you don’t like it, don’t hold it against me!)

The DVD comes with a plethora of pluses: There’s a commentary with so many voices on it, I thought I was watching Sybil for a minute. The playful bunch of chatterers includes screenwriter Stephen Susco, producer Sam Raimi, and actors Ted Raimi, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Clea DuVall, Kadee Strickland, and Jason Behr. There is also a five-part featurette which covers everything from the significance of ghosts in Japan’s history to how the actors liked working with a non-English speaking director. Another mini-doc explores the fundamental reasons why we get scared when watching horror movies, and is hosted by a bona fide PhD. Trailers and previews round out the supplements.

Reviewed by Staci Layne Wilson

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Be sure and check out Horror.com’s extensive coverage on The Grudge, including video from the red carpet premiere and exclusive interviews with the cast and director. Click here.